Arvind Lifestyle to launch more brands

Arvind Lifestyle, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rs 4,000

crores Arvind Group, owns and operates retail chains like Megamart and Club America. It is the lifestyle and retail division of Arvind Mills which is projecting Rs 2,500 crores revenue by FY 2015, as the Indian market is flooded by demand for super premium brands. The Indian textile and retail major is confident of achieving the target. Arvind Mills MD, Sanjay Lalbhai feels the people’s aspirations have changed. They have become more fashion-conscious and want to have global brands as they have a kind of recognition. So they have launched several international brands and are planning to get a few more soon. “We hope our lifestyle division grows to be a Rs 2,500 crore business by 2015,” he says.

Arvind Lifestyle has 12 private brands in its portfolio, including Newport, Ruff and Tuff, Flying Machine and Lee, among others. Besides, it has launched international brands like US Polo, Arrow , Gant and Izod in the country, with the latest being iconic premium men’s jeans wear label Energie. The company Energie is a brand from international designer firm Sixty Spa and currently has four exclusive stores in India and 20 shop in shops in a partnership with Arvind Lifestyle. They want to open another five stores and 20 shop-in shops this year and expect around $20 million revenues from the Energie brand alone over the next two years. The company will invest around Rs 5-6-crores in advertising and marketing of the brand. Arvind Mills, which is known for men’s brands and apparel, is also getting into women’s premium fashion wear with Elle.

Arvind Lifestyle currently contributes around Rs 1,200 crores to the company’s total turnover. Of this, private brands contribute around 55 per cent and international brands about 45 per cent. Its turnover is growing at 50-60 per cent year-on-year.