Targeting to achieve a growth of 40 to 45 per cent in two to three years, Rookies the denim brand from the house of Finesse Fashions is a part of Bangladeshi group, who manufacturer for international brands. The company was registered
in India in 2009. Under the brand Rookies the company makes premium and fashion men’s denim in the price range Rs 1,199 to Rs 3,500. The company also supplies fabrics to other players in India. “When we started, our target was the premium segment, so the prices were from Rs 1,899 onward. After capturing more than 35 retailers in Mumbai and expanding to other states, we decided to have a range for the economy segment too. So we are now a mid-segment brand,” explains Avdut Pednekar, Brand Manager for Finesse Fashions.
The
company is now looking at adding men’s shirts and T-shirts to its range. “By next season, we will also get into men’s bottoms with woven garments like casual trousers and cargos, initially targeting the premium segment. In each of these categories we will have 75 to 80 styles,” Pednekar adds. The brand is currently present in more than 175 MBOs across India. By next year, it plans to add a 100 more with an overall target of 300 counters. Talking about the retail strategy, Pednekar says, “We are in Maharashtra, MP, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. We will soon enter UP, Punjab, Delhi and some more places. By next season we will also be in large formats. The brand also exports to Canada and the Middle East. We will also supply to South Africa and the Middle East.”
The company has four factories in Bangladesh, so products supplied in India are made in Bangladesh. Talking about the difference between both the countries, Pednekar says that the only disadvantage in India compared to Bangladesh is availability of labour. In Bangladesh duties are not that hard to pay, advanced machinery is available before it enters in India.
Pednekar feels the denim market in India is crowded especially in the economy segment. There are so many brands in India giving economy products with good fashion. “For somebody having a manufacturing base in Bangladesh, targeting the mid segment is not difficult. But for an Indian brand it’s difficult to fit because there are costs like excise. And there are taxes, which is why many have shifted from economy to mid or upper segment,” he says.
In the last season, Rookies’ denim range had washes with a lot of destruction, tearing, burnouts and blasting. Now the trend has changed with people asking for clean washes that are suitable for every occasion. “They want a richer product than a very casual one. So we would have fashion and core in equal proportion,” says Pednekar.
