Brands woo the little prince

NEW DELHI: Grown-ups never understand anything, and it is tiresome for children to be forever explaining things to them, writes Antoine de Saint-Exupery in The Little Prince. The grown-ups might not have understood kids in Exupery’s social allegory, but apparel brands have.

According to research firm KSA Technopak, the overall kids’ apparel market size is over Rs 13,000 crore, of which branded segment consists Rs 3,000 crore. And to exploit this increasing brand awareness; firms like Pantaloon, Raymond, Spykar, DS Corporation and Milou are launching exclusive stores for kids’ apparels.

Gone are the days when kids were being taken to zoos, museums and fortresses. Today, even educational trips for children are being organised in malls. DS Corporation, which owns 14 retail stores in India for kids, and has brands such as Ruff Kids and Ruff Baby, is set for a major expansion plan. Says director and marketing head of DS Corporation, Riyaz Patca: “We are planning to increase the number of stores from 14 to 50 in the next five years.”

Pantaloon has entered into a 50:50 JV with Gini & Jony to set up a retail chain to market kids’ apparel. Raymond also recently introduced its maiden kidswear brand, Zapp!. With its first outlet running in Ahmedabad, it plans to set up 12 Zapp! stores across key metros in India by the year end.

What’s more, even jeans companies such as Spykar, Pepe Jeans and Killer are trying to climb on the bandwagon. Says Sanjay Vakharia, marketing director of Spykar jeans, Mumbai: “We will be launching two kids wear brands in the next year. Named as Undercover Kids and Forays, these brands will be sold through retail outlets exclusively for kids.”

Explains principal consultant for kids apparel market at KSA Technopak, Baqar Naqvi: “The brand penetration has typically remained low in this segment. But, now, with branded kids wear market growing at 20%, every company wants to capture a slice of the booming market.”

International kids wear brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Freelook Junior, Adam Kids, Walt Disney and Benetton are also making efforts to foray into the India. These brands are mainly taking the tie-up route with Indian companies.

Swiss kidswear brand Milou has entered the market in collaboration with Tirupur-based Sreeja Hosieries. With its first store running in Chennai, Milou plans to open about 15-20 stores over the next 2-3 years. Walt Disney also tied up with Indus Clothing last year to manufacture and market Disney Jeans in India.

Moreover, Canz –– claimed as the largest selling kids wear brand in Europe –– is soon to be launched in India in a 50:50 JV with Pro Fashion, said Naqvi. Lilliput, Li’l Tomatoes, Pooh, Catmoss, Kids’ Studio, Little Kangaroo, Lee Kids, Weekender Kids and Mother’s Touch are other brands being retailed in India.

As the kids apparel market matures, a greater sub-segmentation is expected over years. “Two sub-segments are expected to emerge in future within the kids’ apparel market: between 0-6 years where the mother buys, and 8-14 years, where the brand awareness among kids is generally high, and kids make the purchase.

The brand managers are expected to address these segments,” explains Naqvi. With 30% of the Indian population below the age of 15, and with brand awareness increasing exponentially among children, to expect a mall exclusively for kids may not, perhaps, be farther from thought.