Apparel Online India Magazine December 1st Issue 2018 | Page 44

DOMESTIC UPDATE TO ADVERTISE GOING TO A GOOD EVENT? Contact Rani Mahendru [phone] (512) [email protected] Send your industry gossip, photos and news to [email protected] BLACKBERRYS ON A JOURNEY TO RECLAIM ITS FAME IN INDIA’S COMPETITIVE RETAIL LANDSCAPE K eeping pace with the trends in the international retail scenario, the retail sector in India is witnessing a strong inclination towards fast fashion. Complying with this, the retail brands are replenishing their collections in their stores several times a year in order to make the customers visit the stores very frequently. Blackberrys, a fashion connoisseur for men, has understood this quite well. Ramesh Kaushik, Vice President – Brand Experience, Blackberrys, asserts, “In today’s competitive landscape, staying relevant is a big challenge. As a result, the 27-year-old company decided to revamp its brand identity this year in April from a formalwear brand to a one-stop shop for total wardrobe solutions, hence, aiming to receive more loyalists.” Furthermore, with the market size of menswear in India slated to reach Rs. 2,95,795 crore by 2026 and the simultaneous increase in the number of brands catering to the segment, revamping an already established name in the sector seems like the best move forward. Not So formal, afterall Blackberrys has been known to be a niche brand with its formal linen garments for a very selective audience. But was it enough for the brand to remain the preferred choice of India’s progressive men till the last? Certainly not in today’s context. And that’s when Blackberrys underwent a significant transformation and introduced to the country its three distinct brands – Blackberrys, Blackberrys Casual and Urban Blackberrys. As a result, today, the brand stands as a one-stop shop for formal, casual and hipster fashionwear with products ranging from khakis, shirts, denims, T-shirts to innerwear, shoes and accessories for men. For a long period of time, Blackberrys has had constant target customers who are in the age group of 25-35 years, but the introduction of these sub-brands has turned the tables around for the brand. Blackberrys Casual and Urban Blackberrys are helping the brand attract the younger audience, that is, men from 18 years onwards, thereby improving the brand appeal considerably. As Kaushik asserts, “At Blackberrys, formalwear covers around 50-55 per cent of the total product assortment, casual is 25- 30 percent, denims account for 10- 15 per cent and the balance is for accessories and footwear.” The brand, in its endeavour to get closer to its customers, is continuously reinventing its brand image in a bid to reflect its identity that will strike a chord with today’s progressive cosmopolitan men. Credited with many firsts in the country, the brand 44 Apparel Online India | DECEMBER 1-15, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com Ramesh Kaushik, Vice President – Brand Experience, Blackberrys ESSENTIALS With the market size of menswear in India slated to reach Rs. 2,95,795 crore by 2026 and the simultaneous increase in the number of brands catering to the segment, revamping an already established name in the sector seems like the best move forward. has pioneered the impeccable fits, introduced wrinkle-free khakis, dress line trousers and has been certified for the ‘whitest shirt in India’. Delving into the details Along with shifting from its quintessential older, formal look, the luxury fashion brand has always stood for innovation. Blackberrys has gone an extra mile to ensure that each of its brands offer quality products inspired by the looks of various genres, lifestyles, personalities and outlooks of today’s men. Owing to the brand’s commitment, majority of manufacturing at Blackberrys is done at its own ‘state-of- the-art manufacturing unit’ in Gurgaon. Kaushik affirms, “Our manufacturing unit (comprising of technologically-savvy imported