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Hasbro, Basics and Genesis are foreign
sounding names but they are all men's wear brands made
by a pair of brothers from Tamil Nadu that are currently
jostling for space on store shelves in the Middle East.
"It's strange but it's our customers
in India who go to the Gulf countries and still want to
buy our clothes," Mohamed Hanif Sattar, director
of Hasbro Clothing Pvt Ltd, a chain of men's wear stores
that is popular in south India, told IANS.
The Hasbro group sells its designer lines
Basics and Genesis through multi-brand outlets in Dubai,
the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and other Gulf
countries.
It has 10 exclusive designer stores in
south Indian states - four in Tamil Nadu and two each
in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Hasbro expects to achieve a turnover
of Rs.500 million by 2006 and to add 15 more outlets by
the year-end. With 25 outlets in India, it plans to place
its brands in more outlets in the Gulf countries.
"As much as 70 percent foreign direct
investment is allowed and soon India will see retail go
through the roof, that's for sure," said Hanif (the
'Ha' in Hasbro).
"All international brands will vie
for space in Indian markets. We have to be prepared for
that."
To meet the competition, Hanif and his
brother and business partner Suhail Sattar (the 's' in
the brand name) have not only thought of attractive names
but are redesigning their stores and acquiring new floor
space.
They have also set up a design studio
that employs five designers trained at the National Institute
of Fashion Technology to create a new range of shirts
and trousers every three to four months.
"The stock should move rapidly"
is Hanif's philosophy. "No year-old design should
be on the shelf," he said.
"Our target buyers are the young
with money in their pockets and distinct choices.
"The young want to keep up with
international designs. So the design studio will bring
in research and development from the best worldwide and
is working on two new lines for the Basics and Genesis
brands," said Suhail.
"We know exactly what colours will
be in vogue in Europe and America in January 2006. We
know what the trends will be this fall and the next, and
we are preparing our lines of wear accordingly."
The Basics brand has been given a new
logo and Hasbro hopes to emerge as a new avatar this year
to capture attention overseas, the brothers said.
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