Ikkebana carving a niche with linen

Ikkebana, the brand best known for its premium linen shirts has introduced a line of linen trousers and kurta pajamas for the first time in its spring/summer 2010 collection. Ankur Trivedi, MD of Art Craft International, the company that makes Ikkebana says his range of kurta pajamas are

actually lounge wear. “They are not really kurta-pajamas. We consider them lounge wear. They are more of comfort wear than kurta-pajamas as they can be worn while traveling in business class or while meeting up friends over coffee in a five star hotel. We have termed it kurta-pajamas simply because in India people will accept it more easily rather than as lounge wear. Else, they won’t be able to understand the message we are putting forward,” he explains.

Trivedi, says his range of clothing are aimed at men across all ages, because they are made of linen and linen’s USP is that it’s a habit forming fabric. In fact, the brand is now trying to educate people that linen is not just a summer fabric for in winters it warms up three to four degrees.

Being a relatively new brand, Ikkebana did face its share of problems initially. However, now it’s ready with a whole new range of products. Among these are accessories. The brand is planning to launch deos, belts, and linen handkerchiefs this year. These will be sold under Ikkebana brand. They are also working on a range of pathanis, a range of kurta-pajamas to be introduced during the forthcoming marriage season. “During the marriage season a lot of people want to wear ethnic clothes. We will launch linen pathanis. These will be semi-ethnic and sober,” says Trivedi.

The brand does not have any exclusive outlets but retails through 150 to 175 MBOs across India. “Some large formats have approached us and we will opt for some of them this year. In the near future we do plan some EBOs, but before that we want to be in many more MBOs,” Trivedi says. Ikkebana is now planning to spread out in cities of Chhatisgarh and eastern India. The brand which is closing this fiscal at Rs 5 crores is aiming for Rs 10 crores revenue by next March.