Ladybird: Aiming for the top position

Ladybird, the popular UK-based kids wear brand for 0-10 year olds is poised for massive expansion in India. By end of this fiscal, the target is six standalone stores in New Delhi-NCR and Punjab and 60 shop-in-shops across India. By March 2012,

the target is 12 standalone stores spread across the metros and 100 shop-in-shops throughout India. The standalone stores are expected to supply the MBOs and high street retailers in the future.

The brand was launched in India in December 2008 as a part of the Spencer’s Retail’s fashion portfolio. And since its inception through hyper stores, Ladybird has grown at 20 per cent on same store growth. Spencer’s Fashion is a part of Spencer’s Retail, the multi-format retail chain that provides a wide range of quality products to discerning young customers. Part of the $3.25 billion RPG Enterprises, Spencer’s Retail operates about 250 stores, including 29 large format stores in 50 cities, employing more than 6,000 people. Currently, Spencer’s Fashion has four international casual wear brands in its portfolio – Beverly Hills Polo Club, Ladybird, Ecko Unltd and Ecko Red.

In keeping with its target consumer, Ladybird offers attractive middle of the range pricing as an international label. Ladybird for girls’ collection offers tops/tunics starting from Rs 399 upwards, dresses from Rs 599 onwards, skirts from Rs499 onwards and the like. The Ladybird boys’ range offers tees with graphics/prints from Rs499 onwards, check shirts from Rs 699 onwards and so on.

Currently, the brand is retailed through the shop-in-shops format at 24 Spencer’s hyper stores. On the cards are standalone shops by the third quarter of 2010. “The ‘Bug’ that Ladybird is synonymous with has a very large appeal among kids and the brand will leverage this affinity on to a lot of apparel designs. This will be well presented as a collection within the Ladybird standalone stores,” says Vice President of apparel brands, Anurag Rajpal.

The brand is gearing up for expansion by attempting to revolutionize the consumer segment’s buying experience by introducing non-apparel alongside the apparel range. Hard goods along with other categories will be showcased and more categories are to be added to the entire collection with baby carriers etc. Eventually, Ladybird aims to close in on all the shopping needs of the mother for her new born, toddler and the young one.  Rajpal adds, “Our plan is to establish the brand and catch the attention of our core group. However, one has to also acknowledge that catching their attention isn’t enough. Retaining their attention time and again among competing space is the vision by the group. Rather than the market size, we have aimed to be in the consumer’s recall among top three brands while buying kids’ wear. That would be a significant milestone to achieve.”