Retail-Nama

Beginning with Excalibur, Arvind Brands is focusing on completely overhauling the image and positioning of all its home grown brands including Ruf n Tuf, Flying Machine and New Port reports Hindu Business Line from Bangalore.

Arvind Brands is relaunching Excalibur as a lifestyle brand with complete wardrobe solutions for young executives from being just a functional men’s formal shirts brand. Excalibur has expanded its portfolio to include knits, jackets, T-shirts, blazers and suits under the categories of `Business Hours’, `After Hours’, `Vogue’, `Royale’ and `Vitals.’ . Excalibur, presently a Rs. 40 crore brand is expecting to notch up Rs. 60 crore turnover this year, with Milind Soman agreeing to become its brand ambassador.

Plans are afoot to increase the tally of exclusive Excaliber outlets from 40 to 100 during fiscal 2007. London based design firm JHP has been roped in to design its new stores outlets with a view to provide a different retail experience to consumers.

As regards other Arvind brands, the revamp strategy for which is yet to be firmed up, Mr J. Suresh COO – Own Brands, Arvind Brands, said the company would continue to position Flying Machine and New Port as a mass premium and mass brand respectively. The differentiation will be more in the retail experience and customer-connect by targeting the youth more. Arvind hopes to cash in on the hypermarket phenomenon to push its Ruf n Tuf brands, which is currently available in all Big Bazaar and Mega Mart outlets. The strategy change for these three brands is expected to become visible by the spring summer season beginning February 2007.