Pierre Carlo expects 15 percent growth this winter

Clocking in 15 percent growth per annum, winter wear brand Pierre Carlo is hoping to do good business as the temperatures dip in India. The company has launched its range of sweaters, jackets and coats for this season. “Festival season was good as it helped to scale up demand for products we make initially and that surge is now being compensated by winters. We believe that even 15 days of good winters are enough to do good business,” opines S K Palta, Director, Palta Hosiery Factory.

Though no immediate product or retail expansion plans are on the cards, the company has begun retailing on third-party e-commerce platforms.

Winterwear line to woo customers

Except a few changes brought about in fabrics, no new addition has been made in the brand’s sweater line. However, jackets and coats have undergone slight alterations this year. In fabrication, wool and acrylic fabrics have been used mainly in sweaters, jackets are made of cotton and fur for the sophisticated customer. The brand makes sweaters in wool blends and acrylic wool blends as well as cotton.

Pierre Carlo’s vast range of products include: jackets, coats, sweaters and pullovers in many verities which are available at economical prices.

Eyeing e-commerce for growth

Talking about their retail presence, Palta says, “We make our presence felt on a pan-India basis through a network of about 300 MBOs which are based in places which face extreme climatic conditions. These are states like: Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi. These states are our major markets. We also cater to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam.”

Palta is not keen on immediate retail expansion but is looking at producing quality and supplying to the existing channel of retailers. The company has begun retailing online and if things work out, Pierre Carlo plans to be more aggressive with the medium.

Pierre Carlo was launched in 1980. “First, we started with kids’ wear and then shifted to men's category. In men’s category, we focus on youngsters. Nearly 75 percent of our production is casual wear and 25 percent is formals. We have faced a lot of challenges to set up the brand. Growth is not difficult but being consistent is a big challenge,” he sums up.