Aims at Rs. 1,000-crore revenue earning in three years
Arvind Internet Ltd. (AIL), a start-up by the Arvind Group, is ready to revolutionise fashion & retail across India this year with its online custom clothing brand, Creyate. Mr. Kulin Lalbhai, Executive Director of Arvind Ltd., is the brain behind the e-commerce initiative at the company, which will be a major growth driver for Arvind moving forward.
Elaborating on AIL’s vision, Mr. Kulin Lalbhai said: “Arvind Internet Ltd. will be the vehicle that will enable Arvind’s e-commerce vision. As pioneers in bringing global fashion to India, Arvind now intends to extend its innovative and best-in-class brand experiences to the online world. We are all set to be a leading consumer lifestyle player in the digital space by engaging in several business models that can scale globally. Arvind sees e-commerce as a key growth driver for the group and we aim to be a Rs. 1,000-crore plus business in 3 years.”
As its first launch, AIL brings a revolution to the apparel retail with Creyate. “In an attempt to break away from norms, labels and quick-fixes, Creyate strives to bring you a fashion identity that is uniquely you, created by you. You can create garments on a 3D visualisation engine, which would then be made for you. It’s like having a very own factory on your fingertips. With more than 100,000 unique products to create, this is the next generation of fashion retail,” he added.
Creyate intends to offer an alternative to ready-wear as well as traditional custom clothing and targets to be Rs. 100-crore plus brand by next year.
In addition to Arvind’s own premium range of fabrics, Creyate has a curated collection of fabrics from choicest of Italian mills. The Arvind Group, known for its penchant for quality, has invested in an automated manufacturing set-up for this business to make best-in-class customised garments as per customers’ choice and measurements.
Creyate stores have already started creating a lot of buzz due to their innovative layout and design. A Creyate store is more like a design studio, with iMacs installed in the centre for designing garments, and swatch books available for touch & feel of fabrics. The show stopper garments that are on display serve as concept validation in terms of final product, and can also be an excellent start point to the customisation journey. One can walk over to the garment and scan the QR code and the same garment will appear on the screen, ready to be worked upon as per the individual’s choice.
Tejinder Singh, Chief Operating Officer at AIL, explained the experience led multi-channel concept further: “Creyate can be experienced in our digitised retail stores or alternatively, one can visit our website (www.creyate.com) to design garments online and then schedule a home visit by our ‘Style Stewards’. Style Stewards not only take a customer’s measurements, but also give them style advice and complete wardrobe solutions. And once measured, customers can ‘Creyate’ their own garments from anywhere, and they will be delivered as per their exact fit at their door step.”
Creyate has plans of launching stores in 15 cities within the next year. It already has stores in Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi and offers home visits in major cities. Riding on Arvind Group’s supply chain prowess and manufacturing might, AIL is planning to take Creyate to global consumers next year, starting with the US market where online custom clothing is a large thriving market.
AIL is the online arm of Arvind Ltd. and is being led by Mr. Kulin Lalbhai who has significant experience in omni channel space and retail domain. AIL will be a leading consumer lifestyle player in the digital space by engaging in several business models that can scale globally.
Creyate is AIL’s first offering. A custom clothing website, it aims to provide an unprecedented experience with the help of an intuitive user-interface where customers can personalise almost everything about their garment-fabrics, styles, components, accents, monograms, etc. It also offers a curated set of collections for customers to have as a starting point to their customisation journeys. The goal is to help men and women dress according to their shape in custom-made garments that flatter and fit to perfection. It is the ultimate confluence of Fashion, Technology, Manufacturing and you.
Arvind Ltd. is one of India’s largest integrated textile and apparels company with a strong retail presence and a pioneer of denim in India, having achieved a turnover in excess of $1 billion in 2013-14. Arvind has an unmatched portfolio of owned and licensed brands and retail formats. The company’s own product brands include Flying Machine, Colt, Ruggers and Excalibur, amongst others, while its licensed product brands have big global names like Arrow, Gant, Izod, Elle, Cherokee and US Polo Assn. It has a joint venture in India with global major Tommy Hilfiger and has retail brands like Megamart, Arvind Store, Club America, Next and Debenhams.