Designs on Bollywood

FASHION: Percept to launch apparel line based on Hindi cinema.

Cashing in on Bollywood's growing influence on the fashion industry, P9 Integrated, the film-marketing company of Percept Holdings, plans to launch a clothing brand based on Hindi cinema. Interestingly, this brand will churn out apparel based on classic and blockbuster movies.

"Our intention is to revive old films' merchandising, especially the clothing line. There could be films from every era. We aim to build a clothing brand based on Bollywood movies," said Navin Shah, CEO, P9 Integrated.

The firm is said to be in talks with renowned filmmakers to acquire merchandising rights of various movies. P9 Integrated will look at a royalty-based model whereby it will pay royalty to the film production house.

The brand, which hasn't been named yet, will be launched in April 2008. To begin with, it will be introduced with clothing collections based on around 100 films. New costumes will be added as and when more acquisitions happen.

P9 Integrated will sell the brand in India and abroad. However, it will outsource manufacturing of the apparel.

The brand will be available in India through large retail stores like Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop and Future Group's Pantaloon among others. The company is also working out innovative ways to make it available across multiplexes.

In the US, UAE and UK, the distribution model will vary. In the US, the brand will be sold through an online e-commerce portal, while in the UAE the firm will sell the brand through retail outlets.

In the UK, it will adopt the franchisee model. "Given the demand that Indian cinema enjoys overseas, it is but natural for firms to capitalise on it," said Shah.

Shah said that by 2010 the brand would be worth Rs 200 crore. "And, almost 60 per cent of the sales will come from overseas," he added.