Fila to introduce apparels and open EBOs in India

Cravatex (Fila Division) makers of the Italian sports lifestyle brand Fila, is now planning to enter the apparel segment. This will be mainly for distribution purposes. The products will mainly be polos, T-shirts, sweatshirts, trackpants, tracksuits and jackets. Rajiv Bajaj, CEO, India, Cravatex

(Fila Division), avers, “From fall/winter ’10, we will get into the apparel segment. We are starting with distribution and our target would be the mid-price segment. Our competitors would be Adidas and Reebok, big players who have been in the market for 15 years. But the market is growing at 15 to 18 per cent a year. So we see space for us too.”

Fila has always been inspired by tennis. They would like to be a sports lifestyle brand -- a sportswear inspired by lifestyle or lifestyle which is inspired by sports. “It’s a blend of the two. It can be worn for day-to-day activities. Sportswear is more sporty than casual. A cotton trouser or chino trouser is casual wear. It’s not sportswear. Sportswear is a trackpant. So there is a clear demarcation between the two,” says Bajaj.

Fila’s target audience lies in the age group of 18 to 35, Sec A and B cities. Targeting mainly the youth they try to offer the best in terms of designs and prices. Bajaj says, “Our designs come from Europe. We see what’s relevant for the domestic market and adapt that for India. Our products are sourced from all over the world. Apparel will be sourced from India. Footwear is sourced from China, Indonesia and Vietnam.” Constantly working on the road to innovation Fila introduced a technology called DNA, which is basically for running. “You have five or six different soles for a shoe for different purposes while running. It gives you comfort, push, and when you land on the ground it absorbs the shock,” explains Bajaj.

The Fila DNA collection was introduced in India last month. It comprises of two designs; DNA Tech and DNA Light. In the DNA Tech collection the heels have been fabricated with carbon rubber to deliver comfort, quick reflexes and durability. The DNA Light collection offers an ideal combination between a technical training shoe and a great performance, extraordinary reactivity and low profile footwear. It features the flow technology and is combined with a cushioning EVA mid sole.

Fila is currently present in 700 MBOs. “We are going through most of the key accounts in India, about 100 — Lifestyle, Metro Shoes, Reliance etc, stores. The rest of the distribution is in MBOs. From spring/summer ’11 we will look at EBOs. The first shop could either be in Mumbai or Delhi. EBOs could be company-owned or franchisees. We are not very rigid. The EBO could be 1,000 to 1,500 sq. ft. In the next three to five years we should have 50 to 70 EBOs. These will be in metros and mini metros,” concludes Bajaj.