Tommy Hilfiger set for `record' retail spread in first year

Tommy Hilfiger, the global designer apparel brand, will occupy over 40,000 sq ft of exclusive retail space as it completes one year in India, which is being touted as a "record spread" for the brand in the first year anywhere in the world.

The brand, named after the much-feted eponymous designer, will end March 31, 2005 with nine stores across six cities (with Gurgaon being counted as part of Delhi market). Tommy Hilfiger opened the first store in Delhi on April 20 last year as it forayed into the country through Arvind Murjani Brands Ltd, an equal joint venture between Arvind Brands and the Murjani family managed GVM International, licensee for the brand in India.

"We expect Tommy Hilfiger to have 40,000 sq.ft. of retail space by March this year," Mr Darshan Mehta, President of Arvind Brands Ltd, said. Mr Mehta also heads the joint venture company that manages the designer brand in India. "We believe it is a record spread for Tommy Hilfiger in the first year in any country across the world," he added, as the brand seems to have heralded the interest of several the global fashion apparel biggies in the domestic market.

Tommy Hilfiger followed up its launch in Delhi, which coincided with the designer's whirlwind tour of the country, with cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Hyderabad. The brand will add Kolkata to its retail ma in February and add two more stores in Mumbai - at Grand Hyatt and on Linking Road. Into the next financial year, the brand is scheduled to enter two more markets, Pune and Chennai.

Meanwhile, according to industry observers, the premium-to-super premium end of the Indian apparel market is attracting attention from a host of leading international fashion brands - whether it is Nautica or Diesel, which has been in talks with potential partners. It is learnt that the country's largest branded apparel company, Madura Garments, is set to unveil a tie-up with Giorgio Armani, one of the biggest icons in apparel fashion, while Arvind Brands has announced plans to bring in two more international names in the coming months.