Debenhams widens India reach

International premium departmental store Debenhams is mulling on expanding its

foothold in the country by opening three to four doors every year with a five-year game plan. Locations are metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune and Chandigarh. Target customers would be women around 35, educated, well-traveled and with an evolved style sense. Aditya Nadkarni, Business Head- Debenhams says, they are positioning Debenhams India as a premium women centric department store. In India this retail space is completely vacant. Debenhams offers women complete beauty and skincare solutions, clothes for exercising, smart day wear, trendy evening wear including a range of glamorous evening gowns.

It also offers one of the largest collections of lingerie, shape wear and swimwear. Debenhams India also offers a range of designer wear by artists like John Rocha, Jasper Conran and Betty Jackson. Debenhams, which is established through company-owned stores in the UK and Ireland, also has franchise stores in Bahrain, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dubai, Iceland, Kuwait, Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sharjah and Sweden. The Indian retail scenario presently comprises players biased toward the men’s segment to the extent of 60 to 70 per cent.