Apparel July 2019 Apparel July 2019 issue | Page 64

FAIR UPDATE
CHARTING NEW TERRITORIES
Two Managing Committee Members, seven days, and 33 centres—in a bid to revitalize the National
Garment Fair, CMAI’s Mr Paresh Vora and Mr Prashant Shah journeyed down South to forge bonds with
Retailers who are leading the game. Mili Doshi deciphers their experiences.
That the Clothing Manufacturers Association of
India’s (CMAI’s) National Garment Fairs (NGFs)
flourish year after year is indisputable. A massive
agglomeration of Manufacturers and retailers—
budding and established—from across India,
the NGFs are highly cultural in a way, a breeding
ground for diverse business dynamics and buying
sentiments, heralding a steadfast change in
India’s Apparel Industry.
For the 69th National Garment Fair, slated
from July 15–18, 2019, two of the Fair’s core
committee members, in a bid to conquer a newer
horizon, travelled many a terrain of South India
to invite prized retailers to the event. Telangana,
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are the states
that were targeted; while Telangana and Andhra
Pradhesh were travelled to by Mr Paresh Vora,
Member, Managing and Fair Sub-Committee,
Tamil Nadu was covered by Mr Prashant Shah,
Member, Managing Committee. Individually, both
Mr. Vora and Mr. Shah covered a distance of
about 2,500 kilometres over a period of seven
days (from June 9–16, 2019), with each having
interacted with over 81 retailers, personally
inviting them to the Fair.
On this journey, to avoid hassles and language
barriers, Mr Paresh Vora was accompanied by
Mr Amar Shah of Smita Agencies, an Associate
Member of CMAI, and Mr Prashant Shah, by Mr
Bhavesh Thakkar of Pari Creations, Member of
the Fair’s Managing Committee.
With the idea having been mooted by CMAI’s
President Mr Rahul Mehta, CMAI plans to take it
to other states for the upcoming Fairs too. “The
criteria for selecting the state depend on the
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July 2019
season, weather cycle, and buying tendencies in
the region at that time,” explains
Mr Shah.
Mr Rohit Munjal, Chairman, Fair Sub-
Committee, explains the Association’s move to
target the three states for the promotion of the
Fair. “Andhra Pradhesh, Telangana, and Tamil
Nadu are potential markets for Garment trade.
A majority of retailers in these states own stores
that sprawl across anywhere from 10,000 square
feet to 2–3 lakh square feet. R S Brothers, for
instance, boasts 30 well-appointed stores in
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and The Chennai
Silks, close to 15, in Tamil Nadu.” Mr Munjal adds
that the primary aim behind this exercise was to
bring into the fold those retailers that are holding
court in the Garment arena of their respective
states. “We identified the top players, met with
them, and extended our invites to them; we
wanted to focus on the bigger and better ones,
and that we have achieved,” he states.
The nuances of Garment selling and buying
in the southern region of India are quite distinct