INDIA: sales increase in the garment sector.

Sales shares of the apparel sector in India continue to increase.

In fact, according to Indian retailers and shopkeepers, male consumers have started flocking to shopping malls again. After two years of crisis in which financial insecurity and fear of job loss had kept most of the male population out of shopping malls, there is now an increase in consumption. According to reports from some major Indian chains operating in the large-scale retail sector, spending by the male category has grown by 20% year-on-year.

The sector with the highest number of sales is the apparel sector in India: according to Mr. Vinay Bhatia, senior vice president of Shopper Stop (a major Indian retail chain), the percentage of purchases regarding men's apparel out of the group's total sales increased from 30.9% in the last quarter of 2011 to 33% in the last quarter of last year, with men's apparel sales growth reaching +22% compared to the +12.5% recorded in the same period.

According to Sooraj Bhat, Brand Manager of Allen Solly (an Indian apparel brand), there is strong demand in India for the latest trends such as slim-fit shirts and pants, and more generally towards fashionable casual. In the last quarter of 2012, according to Bhat himself, the brand recorded a 25% increase in sales, a marked improvement over the 15%-17% of the previous year.

Louis Philippe, the upscale men's brand of Aditya Birla Group, reported about +40% in sales in the last quarter of 2012, almost double the 20%-25% of the same period last year. According to Jacob John, brand manager of Louis Philippe, demand is shifting from basic formal wear to more vibrant and spirited items: ultimately, men want to look younger.

Manlio Urbano

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