We take a look at the journey of a year old premium youth casual wear brand SIN which is a men’s apparel brand but all set to expand its product portfolio to let women indulge in some SIN as well!
Launched in 2013 by Clothing Culture, the textile and apparel company of Rs 3,500 crore conglomerate Balkrishna Industries, SIN is spearheaded by Vijaylaxmi Poddar and her daughter Pooja Dhoot, Vijaylaksmi Poddar shares about the brand:“The DNA of the brand is a mélange of edgy creativity combined with modern lines and sleek fits. We have on board the best denim talent to create products of superior quality and uber cool styles.the brand has wode range of collection for men such as, The range includes jeans, trousers, shirts, t-shirts, and accessories.”
The Beginning
A question strikes to almost everyone, why would someone opt for a name like SIN for their brand. Reasoning this out, Poddar says: “The brand values of irreverence, innovativeness, confidence, daring, and dynamism are the defining characteristics of the youth. The word SIN encapsulates these values and hence the name. We were looking at a name which was easily pronounced and understood by large strata of population. It was after months of research with our T.G. (18 – 25 years) that we decided to go ahead with the brand name. It is a name which has given us a positive awareness, recall and preference.”
Spreading Out
Sharing details on the distribution network, Poddar shares, “We have worked on the strategic roadmap for the brand rollout in a phased manner. We initially targeted the Southern region, Goa and North East. In the second phase we have covered the east and central regions like West Bengal, Rajasthan and others. The brand shall be shortly launching in the west. This will be followed by the Northern states. We should be available Pan India by Mid – 2014.”
She adds: “In terms of our MBO and LFS (Large Format Store) partners, we have taken the most premium advertising options available inside the store. This has ensured that the brand enjoys top of the mind recall right from the time the consumer reads the newspaper, steps out and finally ends up the outlet to make his purchase.”
Poddar continues: “We have been extremely active on the social media platforms as the increasing importance of the medium makes it extremely critical. We have ensured that we build a very effective database of consumers and engage with them in an effective manner. We have not bombarded the medium with incessant ads just to build a database just for the sake of numbers. Our hashtag ‘SinisterSanta’ trended at No.1 in India, which shows the kind of traction our activities have been able to build with the youth.”
Talking about various direct consumer connect initiatives undertaken, Poddar shares: “We have done extensive research with our T.G. by incorporating their views right from the product, to the advertising and even on our social media initiatives. Our social media platforms have enabled us to connect with our consumers in an effective manner. To connect with the trade fraternity, we have decided on the association with the premiere fashion and apparel showcase Indian Fashion Forum.”
Standing Out
With a plethora of brands in the market with each of them shouting out aloud on how niche and different they are, it becomes imperative for a brand to actually go out and do something ‘different’ to stand out from the rest. Elaborating on why SIN indeed is ahead of its league, Poddar opines: “Our designs are developed at one of the leading fashion houses ‘Studio Moda Creativa’ based in the fashion capital of the world– Milan, Italy.
Our team in India ensures that all designs are suitable for the Indian preferences and body types. Our fits have been well appreciated, especially ‘Lucifer’ which is our slim fit. While most brands try and cater to a wide audience, we have created products which are focused on our target audience. Our washes have been developed in Italy with a lot of research, undergoing the latest techniques used globally. This has ensured that the final product matches the best across the globe.”
The Brand Personality
Post the brand manages to create a good presence across the country, they would go ahead and launch their EBO but they are not in a rush to do so at the moment. Poddar shares: “Our focus is to consolidate our MBO and LFS presence at the moment. We would announce our EBO plans at a later date. It is extremely important to choose the locations wisely as they are a reflection of the brand.”
Apart from having an all India expansion, SIN also has ambitious plans to expand across select markets in Asia & the Middle East by 2015.
