Hidesign taps overseas market

For two decades homegrown brand of premium leather bags Hidesign was an export only company. It was much later that it forayed into the domestic market. Now, once again after 17 years, it has ventured into the overseas market. It is now tying up with various e-commerce platforms to tap its full potential.

A year and half ago it opened its site in the US and even started selling through Amazon. E-commerce now accounts for 50 per cent of Hidesigns sales. Dilip Kapur, President, Hidesign, believes that they couldn’t have set up stores in the US at the fast pace that e-commerce affords. It is, as he says, a very ‘useful channel to upscale business and cheaper too.’ Besides the US, Hidesign has tied up with Souq in Dubai, Zalora in Singapore and Zalando in Europe. In the markets abroad, the company has expanded its portfolio of products to cover a broader range of accessories such as sunglasses, footwear, watches, notebooks and pens. All these products will have a touch of leather and will be available in a couple of months.

The company is also planning to launch handbags made of ostrich leather and deerskin. The idea is to tap into the luxury segment. A handbag in the premium range is priced at Rs 11,000 while in the luxury segment it starts at Rs 30,000.

Hidesign was set up in 1978 by Dilip Kapur, a US-based Indian entrepreneur. The Pondicherry-based brand has 75 retail stores across the country and its products are also available at major departmental stores. Domestic sales have grown from eight per cent in 2000 to 75 per cent. Hidesign also e-tails through its own site as well as micro sites in other e-commerce portals.