Dream big, dress up India, reposition the brand, understand responsibilities, campaign smart, remain motivated… These were the key points around which revolved the thoughts and discussions on the first day of India Fashion Forum (IFF) 2008.
In the session ‘How to dream big,’ DPS Kohli, chairman, Koutons Retail, related his brand’s success story, while other speakers discussed ways of spotting trends that make business impact.
Bruce Rowley, global brand and communications director, Invista, shared insights about unveiling of its new global brand campaign, ‘Some Clothes Love You Back,’ which builds on the unique understanding that the Lycra brand fibre possesses about how consumers want their clothes to move, look and feel.
In the session ‘How to fashion your retail space right,’ Phil McArthur, SCSM, Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc., Canada, described the mall culture that is emerging globally and how the mall developers are becoming innovative and environmentally conscious. Speaking on the repositioning of brand Vimal, Chetan Desai, VP, marketing and retail, Reliance Industries, said, “We are focusing on brand identity, communicating the brand promise and the retailing experience. We have given a new look to the Vimal logo, which is now more open and will connect more to the youth .
Elaborating on the strategy at Nike, Atul Ujagar, director, Nike India, Sri Lanka & Pakistan, said, “It is in our nature to innovate. Apart from the usual fabric that goes into making a clothesline, Nike has gone a step further and tied up with Apple to incorporate a sensor in its sports shoes which allows athletes to track their speed of performance. Relentless innovation is what Nike has been known for, and the Beijing Olympics will see more of Nike products.”
The day concluded with motivational sessions with Lakshmi Menon Bhatia, director, Global Partnership, Social Responsibility, Gap Inc., who spoke on ‘Wealth Beyond Profits’; Tony Hunt, motivational management speaker, who spoke about ‘Challenge of Change’; and Christian R Fabre, alias Swami Pranavananda Brahmendra Avadhuta, founder and CEO of Fashions International, who spoke about ‘Fashioning Life’.
The day came to an end with ‘The evening of fashion titans’ hosted by Koutons.
