Sleek ambience awaits Wills Lifestyle stores

Wills Lifestyle, the lifestyle retailing division of ITC, is going in for a major image makeover through a range of new-look stores this financial year to offer product innovation in sync with changing consumer preferences.

It has retained US-based FRCH, an international architecture and design firm serving the retail, entertainment, restaurant, corporate office and hospitality markets, to design the new format stores.

The firm will assist Wills Lifestyle in terms of architecture, interior design, graphic design and brand strategy to help create distinct customer experiences.

Atul Chand, vice-president, marketing and retail, ITC, said the new Wills stores would reflect the new format in terms of look and feel, lighting and overall ambience. "We are planning 100 stores in two years from 40 right now. The new stores would be in a new concept. These would sport a new look that would reflect the Wills' brand values within the store."

Eventually, Wills would refurbish its existing 40 stores also.

Wills Lifestyle has pioneered a designer-based collection, which it claims is a first in the garment retailing sector.

The items in the designer-based collection are around 40 per cent more expensive than those in the casual and formalwear range.

"We have tied up with Rohit Bal, Rohit Gandhi, Rahul Khanna, Manish Malhotra, among others, who would showcase their designerwear at Wills Lifestyle stores. We are looking at tying up with more designers this year," Chand added.

Wills started linking up with designers last year. Currently, sales of designer-based ranges contributed close to 15 per cent of Wills Lifestyle's overall sales.

"Product differentiation is one area Wills is constantly looking at and designerwear is for special occasions when customers like to indulge," said Chand.

"The idea is to be a complete wardrobe solution provider, which would include casual and formalwear, as well as collections for special occasions," Chand added.

Wills Lifestyle posted a growth of 52 per cent in sales during 2006-07. Wills caters to the premium segment with the Classic range of formalwear, Wills Sport, or the relaxed-wear and Wills Clublife evening wear.

In the popular youth segment, Wills retails John Players for men and Miss Players for women.