Live In aims to add 400-500 MBOs by March

Lifestyle brand, Live In has grown by 60 per cent this year and hopes to add 400-500 MBOs to its existing network by March. Also, it wants to expand aggressively in eastern and northern markets. At the moment the brand already has a network of 25,000 MBOs across India.

In the first week of February, the company plans to launch Ajay Devgn signature line of jeans. Devgn is the brand ambassador of the company and the new line will be upmarket and classy in features and appearance. Fabrics, cuts and fits will be the same as the other apparel but the pricing will be a little higher and designing will be slightly different. Interestingly, Live In sells 1.8 million bottom wear every year.

Denim and cotton calling

Live In primarily offers denim and cotton clothes. Cotton makes up 60 per cent of production while denim constitutes 40 per cent. Their focus is more on Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter collections. Their cotton range is huge, with a wide variety and a vast colour palette. In both denim and cotton, there are 30-35 styles in the market. Of these 7-10 have been in the market for last five-six years and they are doing very well. The latest in denim is poly denim. In fits, narrow and skinny have given way to slim and comfort fit. Live In has five to seven types of new fabrics which are being developed in different styles.

Challenges not too big to overcome

To maintain the vast network can be a big challenge but it is not so big that it can’t be overcome, feels Tirtha Bhowmick, Vice President, Sales and Marketing. Neither does competition, rise in raw material price bother Live In. These, as the Bhowmick says, are part of the business. The main challenge is to grow in MBO business. A value-for-money brand, Live In has been focusing on Tier II and III cities and plans to expand its MBO network further to East and North India.

Live In has seen consumer becoming conscious of brands over the years. This has resulted in a drastic change in purchasing behaviour. For consumers, what matters most when buying clothes is the price, then fashion, fit and quality. At least eight out of ten people go for brands during sales. Also, people no longer buy only during the festive season, they buy all the year round.

Bhowmick, says, “We play very systematically and precisely. We don’t keep high price first and then lower the rates, as far as inventory is concerned, we don’t face it because we believe in the policy of selling first and manufacturing later.”