Women's wear looking westwards?

Women's outfits seem to be looking westwards. After floundering for years, the Rs 400 crore Western women's wear segment seems to be ready for takeoff. It could triple in three years.

 

It's not just workwear. Mudra Garments' Van Heusen brand has garments for various occasions in its eight-month-old Western women's wear range. The revenues are small, but the company is betting big with exclusive outlets for women and selling its brand at department stores.

 

Hemu Javeri, President, Madura Garments said, "For Van Heusen, we would like it to be 5-7% in the next year or two, in the overall business. The main hurdle is distribution and if we get more distributors, I do not see why in five-seven years' time, the women wear is as big as men's wear. That is how it is abroad."

 

And as more female wardrobes give space to western wear, brands like Excalibur, Proline and Zodiac are sewing up entry plans.

 

In the past four to five years, men's wear brands like Allen Solly and Arrow, which expanded into women's wear, have not quite taken off. Experts say that is because the fits and styles were stuck in the trappings of men's wear.

 

Other players like ITC Wills and Benetton pinch the pocket. Retailers like Westside and Shoppers' Stop offer in-house labels for this price-conscious customer

 

Neeti Chopra, Head, Marketing, Westside said, "They have to keep thinking of the value of what they are buying because always at the back of their minds, they want to buy more. Consequently, price plays a very big factor in their minds."

 

A Technopak study shows that Western suits, coats and blazers grew best value wise in the segment. Trousers, skirts, tops and T-shirts followed.

 

It is a tough task for women's apparel companies. They need to constantly launch fresh designs as many women prefer exclusive designs to mass-produced ones. Besides, women are more prone than men to switch brands if an outfit catches their fancy.