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Right here, right now!

As the retail revolution goes into the next round, ANUJ KUMAR looks into the layers at the Images Fashion Forum `06 in Mumbai

Illustration: Tony Smith

It's no longer about need, it's about want, it's no longer just fashion, it's lifestyle, and it's no longer about standalone stores, it's about malls, stops and bazaars. To simply put together, reality is in retail. From management books to business seminars, retail has been the mantra for quite a few years. Things were not expected to be much different at the just concluded Images Fashion Forum `06 in Mumbai apart from the fact that the industry leaders are now looking and talking beyond the rhetoric to tackle some ground realities. Remember the Government has cleared foreign direct investment in retail. Soon there could be a glut of foreign brands in the country and retail behemoth like Wal Mart's presence in the country is no longer a pipe dream. B.S. Nagesh of Shoppers' Stop sees a "consumption revolution" at hand. Patrick Hanly of Harvey Nichols, one of the U.K.'s top high-end retail store is already looking for a licensee and one thousand square metre space in Mumbai. "We have historical links and unlike other emerging markets like Russia and China, here English is widely spoken. The only problem is where is the land," questions Eric Musgrave, Editorial Director, Drapers, a leading retail magazine in the U.K. "Building of malls is a recognised science and we have come to know that here the property developers have yet to master it and then FDI notwithstanding, India is still known for bureaucratic hurdles."

Their way

Not to talk about design, Musgrave says he doesn't see European brands fiddling even with colours to appeal to the Indian customer. "It's a globalised world." So we have to dress their way? While Musgrave says it should not be seen in the light of the colonial past, Hanly sees it objectively. "Our research shows, rich people all over the world dress the same way, shop the same way and eat the same way. We want to build on it." However, Musgrave does talk about educating the franchisees.

Indian brands dealing with the ethnic wear are not too amused though. "It is time we stop presenting western wear for liberated, emancipated women and ethnic wear for women fishing for a compliment," says Arup Datta of Khadder. "Give me one example of a Western outfit which is as liberated as an angavastram." He adds FDI is good if we are allowed to invest 45 rupees in the U.S. for every dollar invested in the country.

Ravi Thakran of LVMH group, which has brought international brands like Louis Vuitton and Tag Huer to the country, feels the need for civil obedience movement in the country. "We keep on complaining about retail space. No other country has a Connaught Place kind of space, but we have not been able to utilise it."

Ravi says the U.S. has a geo-political motive in cajoling India. "They don't want China to take away all the pie, and the Government should use the situation to its advantage." This cajoling finds expression in international brands' showing no reluctance in giving away the products to the franchisees at a lower price so that they can fight out the high duty structure. "Most of the high end products are bought by tourists who travel. Why would they buy in India when they can get at a cheaper rate in European cities or Dubai," says Ritika Dalal of Forbes Gokak Limited, which has brought in DAKS and Trussardi. And the Louis Vuitton success proves that high-end luxury brand has a market, what's missing is the experience in dealing the touchy customer at this level.

Killick Sudeepto Datta, CEO, Global Brand Marketing Inc, USA, who once established Nike in the country and is now bringing brands like Diesel to India says today brand is secondary, the product has to be good.

"In multi brand stores, if the product is not good, the consumer, particularly women will move to another brand."

Designer presence

The forum also saw for the first time designer presence amidst cries like "they sleep all day, how will they deliver on time?" But the success stories of Suneet Verma, Raghavendra Rathore and Anita Dongre with Tuscan Verve and Shoppers' Stop managed to silence the apprehension. "If I sleep the whole day how would I be able to pay to my 250-odd employees? As for the charges of being frequently on Page 3, the amount of free space we designers get in the media, the brands will have to buy it for crores."

The absence of Be, from the panel, however, was sorely felt. For here a behemoth failed to flourish even in the prêt and retail boom. It called for some dissection.

And this is just the beginning; the future has a lighter side of it. Throwing caution to the prevailing marketing fundamentals, Bill D' Arienzo, CEO, WDA Marketing Solutions, USA says, the brand name and logo should not stand out as a sore thumb amidst the community. "It should integrate with the architecture. The Target retail stores just uses bulls eye to market itself and it's logo is recognised much more than the Nike's swoosh and Apple's apple." The gape on the faces is familiar... we have seen it in the past at the site of Stop, at the parking of Plaza and the buzz of Bazaar.

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