Prateek Apparels to retail foreign brands

The domestic retailing industry is attracting a lot of new players.

Bangalore-based Prateek Apparels of the Phulchand group of companies will introduce three lifestyle foreign brands under its domestic apparel retailing operations set to commence in June.

It is targeting all leading metropolitan cities where the company will set up 11 exclusive stores, each in the region of 30,000 sft and 70,000 square feet depending on the location. "We are in the process of tying up with three foreign brands in the lifestyle and kids' wear segments. We will be their licence holders. We will produce as well as market the apparel under the foreign brand name," Prateek Apparels Managing Director Pradeep Agarwal told Business Standard.

The company is launching a separate subsidiary "" Prateek Lifestyle "" as part of its retail operations. It aims to have over 100 retail outlets of all formats by the end of the present fiscal.

"We will look for the average mall visitor. The price range varies from product to product. But they will be affordable," he added.

The foray into domestic retailing is part of the company's plan to integrate its business.

At present, Prateek Apparels supplies all kinds of apparel to companies like Westside (Tata Group), ITC Wills, Benetton, Provogue, Pantaloon, Spykar, Levi's, Dockers, Madura Garments (Allen Solly, Peter England, Van Heusen), Arvind Brands (Arrow, Wrangler, Lee), Weekender, Gini & Jony and Shoppers' Stop.

The company operates from four factories in Bangalore employing 4,500 workers. It is setting up another factory at Tumkur near Bangalore.

"We will hire another 4,000 employees for the new plant. Our plan is increase the output to 12 million pieces of apparel by 2008-09 from the present 5 million pieces per annum," Agarwal stated.

Buoyed by the initial success of the company, Prateek Apparels started Munch Design Worx, which provides design solutions to the fashion and lifestyle industry.

The Phulchand Group is into exports of agricultural commodities, metals, minerals and chemicals.