AM:PM: A fashion label competing with mass brands

Ankur and Priyanka Modi, a truly dynamic team have propelled their label AM:PM into a serious fashion force. This fashion label has an extensive footprint comprising of 10 exclusive stores as well as an e-portal, through which it is also retailed internationally.
In an exclusive conversation with the designers, Images Retail brings you their experience of working in the Indian market, and their expansion plans…
AM:PM has been operating here for a while so how has the experience been so far while working in the Indian market?
We started AM:PM 12 years ago as a luxury prêt label and we have consciously retained that in our DNA. At that time, fashion on the runway and in real time was a stark dichotomy of traditional Indian or Western-wear.
Until some years ago, Indian women were dictated by an implicit convention. They were dressing according to society’s expectation of them. Women today on the other hand are out there working, travelling and consuming the newest trends off international runways on their phones. Thanks to the world become flatter, fashion is now so much more democratic; it is sought, bought and worn more to express oneself.
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With increasing disposable incomes and a strong economy, we have had major learnings over the last few years. Earlier having one or two stand-alone stores was also considered huge, whereas now we have a couple of breakthrough brands with 40 or 50! We think Indian fashion is on the brink of creating more such brands and that itself is a testament of the great times to come.
What is the USP of your brand?
The timeless quality in our designs.
Our loyal consumers base constantly regale us with stories about how they still wear the pieces they had purchased years ago. We truly cherish these stories as it reinstates our need to design more from the point of style than trend.
Elaborate on your brand’s footprint. How do you plan to expand it?
We have 10 exclusive AM:PM stores, located at some of the most prime retail destinations across the country. Our flagship is at the prestigious DLF Emporio in New Delhi, with other key locations being the Palladium in Mumbai, Quest Mall in Kolkata, Sector 17 in Chandigarh and the most expensive retail market in South-East Asia, Khan Market in New Delhi.  We retail from 15 of the most exclusive multi-designer boutiques nationally and internationally and are also available on premium online portals. We have our own e-store AMPM.IN and deliver to 170 countries worldwide.
Our vision is to add 20 more exclusive AM:PM stores within next two years nationally and internationally.
Throw some light on your category mix? What specifications have you made to lure customers? Also highlight your target audience.
Our designs appeal to discerning women who want to establish their presence effortlessly and discreetly.
From the inception of the label, we have always taken Indian artworks and refined them into a contemporary aesthetic. Similarly with details or our silhouettes.
The commitment to our aesthetic over so many years and keeping India at the root of our inspiration, have been our biggest strengths. It is important to believe in what you set out to do and keep a dogged focus on that.
What is your strategy to choose the location for your upcoming stores, fashion high streets or malls?
India has a developing luxury market and hence the apt retail spaces for brands like ours are slightly limited at the moment. We do see some sizeable projects coming up around the country but that’s happening at a certain pace.
So, we look at the best possible opportunities to showcase the brand, be it a posh high-street market or a plush luxury mall.
How do you plan to expand your retail footprint, any plans to foray into the Tier II market shortly? How about brand’s presence on emerging on-line market in India?
Like we said, we are looking to expand through exclusive AM:PM stores around the country and we see some Tier II cities developing into serious luxury markets. In the meantime we are present in some of the best multi-designer outlets that are successfully operating in a selection of Tier II cities.
We are also very accessible online through having our own e-retail site AMPM.IN. We are also present on other e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Exclusively and Indianroots.