Live (in) tapping growth with new sportswear category

With the sportswear category on fast forward growth mode, denim brand Live (in) has launched its sportswear range to tap this market. As Tirtha Bhowmick, Country Head, Federal Brands, says “We thought of sportswear as a way of

expanding our brand’s portfolio. Sportswear has a huge market with at least 50,000 retail points in India. Even if one plans to be in 10 per cent of these, one can get good business.”

Sportswear generates good business

Bhowmick says their strategy for sportswear marketing is completely different from that of denim. “We have not defined any competitor and are focusing on product, packaging, quality and innovative PoPs. We have just launched a designer sportswear range and are using a completely different channel for it,” elaborates Bhowmick. To begin with, the collection has been launched in Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Ernakulam, Secunderabad, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar and Goa. Next summer, five more cities will be added.

With embroidered logos the collection has men’s briefs, T-shirts, shorts, track pants and gym vests. Aiming for 15 to 20 per cent rise in revenues this festive season, the company aims to launch the sportswear in 3,000 retail outlets by March 2014. “Right now we are in 10 cities, by March 2014, we would like to be in 15 to 18 cities,” Bhowmick, adds. He points out sportswear has a huge market, and purchases in this segment are high. “That’s why from the beginning we planned to place the product in a large number of outlets. Our aim was to differentiate our sportswear range from other brands.”

Festive collection and retail expansion

Each Live (in) product has been carefully crafted keeping in mind the desires and attitudes of specific customers and evolving trends. The brand has also done a soft launch of casual shirts in stripes, checks and solid colours. “We have used designs and accessories. These are retailed with our denims. For autumn/winter Live-in denims have new washes, fabrics, tapered fits and accessories,” shares Bhowmick.

The brand is present in 3,500 stores across India. In large formats, it is with Reliance Trends. The company is also strengthening its online presence and has its own website. “Right now, the online business has a small share in the business but it’s growing. We have introduced sportswear in our web store. For denim, we are on other online stores as well,” opines Bhowmick.

Live (in) is aiming for 35 per cent growth. “We are very strong in the west and south and growing in the east and north. By March 2014, Live (in) will cross Rs 150 crores in denims,” she adds.

Federal Brands is the force behind Live (in) Jeans. From its incorporation, till today Federal Brands has grown in terms of revenue, employee strength and sales/customer base. The company constantly introduces new fits, finishes and fabrics and leads fashion trends, creating an exciting array of lines using the latest technology and processes.