Celebs land tailor-made roles

They are used to flaunting fashionable clothes on the silver screen or the ramp. But now John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan, Milind Soman and Fardeen Khan are giving the branded apparel business a serious thought.

Abraham has tied up with Wrangler, the denim brand from Arvind Brands, for a soon-to-be-launched limited edition clothing line, designed by the model-turned-actor himself.

The line is for both men and women. Recently, Hindi film superstar Hrithik Roshan has joined hands with ITC to launch an apparel brand.

Soman and Khan are also expected to follow suit with their own clothing brands.

Taking his tryst with fashion even further, India's first male super model, Soman is pondering about launching his brand of clothing. "I am considering a clothing brand but things are not finalised yet. When launched it would be a menswear brand that should suit my personality and could be worn by women as well," he told Business Standard.

Soman indicated that the brand might be launched in 2007. But Soman has something in common with Abraham. Recently Excalibur, the lifestyle brand also from Arvind Brands, was relaunched with Milind Soman as the brand ambassador.

A company spokesperson from Arvind Brands said, "John Abraham By Wrangler is all about showcasing his personality and how he would see his woman to be dressed. The clothing line will be available in select outlets and will also be promoted through John's website."

However, he declined to comment on whether they also plan a similar deal with Milind Soman for a brand, saying, "Nothing is final yet."

Meanwhile, actor Fardeen Khan, who was the face of Provogue, is also in the process of launching his own apparel brand.

When contacted, a source close to Khan confirmed the development. He said, "Fardeen Khan is creating his separate brand for men as well as women, which would be launched soon."

However, the line is not expected to be launched through Provogue, said sources. Provogue executives could not be contacted for comments.

The John Abraham by Wrangler menswear comprises jeans designed for biking and casual tees, while the women line includes slim fitting shirts, v-neck tees, halters and hoodies.

The line is designed by John Abraham along with two other designers Salli Dayton and Ramneek Walia.

The men's apparel segment is worth Rs 13,000 crore with 32 per cent of sales (Rs 4,000 crore) being branded apparel. The segment is expected to grow in double-digits and nearly double its size by 2011.