Biba adds accessories, to add more stores

Women’s ethnic wear brand Biba plans to ramp up its store expansion over the next couple of years. The brand is looking to add jewelry, fashion accessories as well as bags to its line up. The brand typically opens around 45 to 50 new Biba stores a year and now plans to add 150 to 200 stores over the next two or three years, taking the average count per year to roughly over 60. It currently has around 230 Biba standalone outlets.

Biba’s revenue grew 32.73 per cent in the financial year 2014-15 versus the previous year. The focus is on increasing its market share from one per cent to five per cent. Biba has two stores exclusively for children and a third one is coming up. At least 10 more children’s wear stores are planned over the next year. Biba, which opened in Mumbai in 1988, is a Rs 400 crore business and has three brands, Biba, Rangriti and Indian by Manish, under its umbrella.

Rangriti, the firm’s youngest brand, is currently sold through 22 standalone stores and via other retail formats, including large multibrand outlets and online marketplaces. The plan is to open another 100 standalone Rangriti outlets in the next financial year.

Meanwhile, Biba’s spring/summer collection is out, it is crafted out of comfortable fabrics with modern silhouettes, experimental prints and whimsical patterns in a rich and fresh color palette. It is an unique combination of contemporary yet traditional designs which are bold and graceful, casual and classic at the same time. The collection comprises salwar kameez dupattas, ethnic mix n match kurtas, palazzos, leggings, skirts, unstitched pieces.