Denims and casual menswear brand Status quo is working on many fronts to expand its business, this includes major retail expansion, product development as well as launching an IPO. Recently, they tied-up with UK-based Mr Men Little Miss,
a 48-year-old brand that sells globally. “They are more into T-shirts and accessories. The tees mostly have cartoon prints. Bollywood stars like Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar too sport Mr Men Little Miss T-shirts. The range should hit the market by September-end. Initially, we will sell only T-shirts with good cartoon prints. They have different cartoon characters and customers will find it easy to identify with the attitude. Moreover, it goes with Status quo’s punchline, ‘You are what you are’,” says Bobby Arora, Director, Crave Clothing, makers of Status quo. Arora says they are looking out for a different shelf space to sell the international brand. “In our stores we will have a special rack for the collection and we will look for different spaces within stores for selling it. At first, we will sell it at all Central stores and our EBOs. Also we will market it in a few regions through our MBOs. We will have more than 30 styles in the first season for men and women,” he informs. Arora looks at it as a big opportunity and has major PR activities planned around it.
Moving forward, Status quo also plans to add accessories to its product line in the coming spring/summer season. There will be more of college bags from Mr Men Little Miss priced between Rs 700 to Rs 800. Arora says, “We will add boxer shorts, flip flops and small accessories.” Crave Clothing has taken the Indian marketing and distribution partnership for the UK brand and accordingly they will be producing and marketing exclusively for Mr Men menswear and women’s wear. “The license is for apparel and only for the Indian market,” Arora adds.
That’s not all Status quo known primarily as a menswear brand plans to venture into women’s and kid’s wear in one and a half years. In fact, they have already begun work for these categories. Also down the line is an IPO. Arora says they have been a family-owned company till now, but they want to tap opportunities and launch either a private equity or an IPO in the near future.
Also on the anvil are major retail expansion plans. Status quo being a western brand is interested in expanding more in the region. That includes Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The brand already has 16 EBOs and close to 50 shop-in-shops in large formats. In addition they supply to 500 plus MBOs all over India. “We are adding 12 stores by Diwali and by next March, the target is 50 stores. The next expansion will come from franchisee stores. I’d like to have a flagship. I will open a 4,000 sq. ft. store when I have kid’s wear as well as women’s,” concludes Arora. With a retail turnover of Rs 60 crores they are now targeting Rs 85 crores by March ’11.
