Urbana launches a new range of suits and blazers for the winter

Urbana has unveiled its new collection for the festive, winter and wedding season. The brand offers two categories in suits and blazers: business suits and blazers and ceremonial suits, blazers and waistcoats (Nehru jackets). Going forward, the company aims to expand presence through airport stores and franchisee outlets.

New winter collection

In its newly launched line for the winter, the brand has used poly viscose, tweed in business suits and blazers and in ceremonial line. The brand has also used velvets, structure PV and linen. Sighting trend forecasts and demand, the collection has only followed slim-fit style.

Elaborating on the collection, Datta S Naiknavare, Chief Brand Manager, Urbana says, “Apart from the popular black, navy, maroon, and royal blue shades in ceremonial blazers and waistcoats, we do not experiment with new colours. We make only formal and ceremonial suits and blazers. Our ceremonial blazers and waistcoats are doing well. Urbana customer is a young professional and our brand thought is ‘CEO of life’. So we keep designs simple and perfection in product is paid keen attention, whether it is a formal or ceremonial wear.”

Naiknavare says, in India there is a big demand for Nehru Jacket and the main influencer of this trend is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Nowadays, people are calling it the Modi jacket instead of waist coat. And there is no particular age group or class of people that is demanding it because this category can be used for fashion statements, office wear and different occasions,” he exclaims.

EBO expansion in major metros

While challenges in the suits and blazers category are fast changing trends and inventory management, Naiknavare says opportunities are emerging with more people following trends and a new trend of pairing a blazer on denims.

The brand is present across all Central Brand Factory stores in the country and Lulu Cochin as well as 30 EBOs of which seven are franchisee outlets. The company plans to open airport stores in major metros as well as franchisee outlets. “We are yet to see traction for suits in e-tailing. Being a high price product, customers are apprehensive ordering suits online due to fit issues,” states Naiknavare.

The current market size for formal suits, jackets and blazers segment is estimated at Rs 65 billion and expected to grow rapidly over the next five years he believes. “Growth can be attributed to rapid shift from tailored to ready-to-wear suits, rising disposable income, the growing service sector and the influence of MNCs. There has been a huge shift from ready-to-stitch to ready-to-wear in the suits segment,” sums up Naiknavare.