Blackberrys tailored for 50% growth this season

Blackberrys, the lifestyle men’s brand from Mohan Clothing Company one of the largest manufacturer of suits in the country, is looking to a spectacular 50 per cent growth this winter. Especially in their suit and jackets category which are usable both as winter

and occasion wear with an extended sales window. By March 2011, the company expects to close at Rs 250 crores, with their share of suits at around 30 to 32 per cent of the total.

Having established itself as a leading manufacturer of impeccably designed trousers, shirts, suits and jackets, the company has been focusing on suits as their most important category for the last three years. Although earlier they were more focused on trousers or shirt-specific communication. Blackberrys intends to take the coming season by storm with its `Slim Possible’ autumn/winter ’10 collection. It comprises of slim-fit suits, trousers and shirts in the rich premium fabric the brand is known for. Having identified a potential in branded structured formal wear, this new slim cut collection covers formal wear, party wear and sports wear in exclusive designs and innovative colors for the upwardly mobile Indian urban male in the 25-35 age-group.

“Suits are still predominantly marriage wear. The big change in the marriage season is that earlier people would make do with a shirt and a trouser. Now people want a jacket or a suit. As for demand for suits and jackets, it’s different among regions. Overall its 75 per cent winter and 25 per cent summer but this is for suits and jackets put together. The moment you split it into suits and jackets separately, the skew is not much. Then I’d put it at 60:40,” says Yogesh Tiwari, GM Sales & Marketing of Mohan Clothing Company.

“We are in the premium segment, where the market size is around Rs 500 crores. It’s growing at about 30 to 35 per cent. And we have been growing at 65 per cent,” he adds.  As a premium manufacturer of suits also making rapid strides in the shirt category, Blackberrys has an accessories line-up of bags, belts, ties and cuff-links but only in their own stores just to provide the right look and ambience. Since MBOs and large formats buy one category and not another, they cannot provide the complete look which is only possible in their EBO’s. It currently has around 1,000 MBOs across the country adding another 10 to 15 per cent every year and is also present in most large formats barring Pantaloons outside the East.

Blackberrys has around 90 existing EBO’s with plans to take this number to 100 by March 2011 by adding another 10 stores mainly in South and West India and also spreading to Tier II cities in regions where they already have a strong presence. All their stores are company-owned and company-managed other than 20 per cent franchisees, with store sizes getting bigger everyday. With a recorded growth rate of 28.6 per cent (which is over and above the industry average), Blackberrys has established itself as a renowned fashion label with a strong brand presence.