Woodland: Gearing up with new styles for winter

Woodland, the footwear and apparel brand has announced its fashion forecast for the coming winter. “The new collection will include a blend of apparels, accessories and footwear. It would have a range of sweat-shirts, sweaters, jackets, caps, mufflers,

dyed shirts and T-shirts that stand out for distinctive styling, performance and with comfortable fit. Accessories include trendy caps, wallets, bags and belts,” says Amol Dhillon, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Aero Group of Companies, makers of the brand. For the ongoing spring/summer Woodland is offering a striking and stylish new range. It has eco-friendly components as well. The look is relaxed and peppy. The color combinations are inspired by nature and are perfect for an active day out.

The brand targets adventure enthusiasts and youth between 15 to 28 years. “Our young explorer range offers products for 4 to 14 years old,” Dhillon says. He believes that the youth are increasingly becoming more conscious of the way they dress irrespective of whether they are from a metro or a small town. High disposable incomes have enabled them to spend more. More aware of trends, they have also evolved as opinion makers and are in influencing brands and their product decisions. “Our main focus today is not expansion but customer satisfaction. Our products have been well accepted and are known for quality and durability.”

Apparel contributes 50 per cent to Woodland’s business. Its main markets in India are the north and west. Internationally, it is the Middle East, Europe and the US. The brand chooses its locations strategically and opens showrooms at malls and markets where the youth are frequent visitors. Currently the brand is present in 300-plus company-owned Woodland stores across the country and is available through multi-brand outlets as well. “We are aiming for 60 more stores which are already in the pipeline,” Dhillon informs. The brand also has a presence in more than 3,000 multi-brand outlets in a number of countries. Woodland has 60 per cent of its stores in metros and 40 per cent in Tier II cities. “However, we are working towards making this ratio 50:50,” Dhillon adds.

Their major focus is on technically-sound specialized functional outdoor wear such as water-proof, breathable jackets and eco-friendly garments. Dhillon says, “To ensure that the apparel follows the latest trends Woodland is working closely with design studios in Italy and Hong Kong who supply the designs and know-how to manufacture it as a kit.” The brand is growing at about 20 to 25 per cent. “Last year, our Group turnover was Rs 600 crores. For the current year, we have earmarked Rs 50 to Rs 60 crores for product development and technology enhancements for our manufacturing facilities,” sums up Dhillon.