Van Heusen to expand casual offerings as WFH gains steam
Van Heusen stores will now sell more T-shirts, denim shirts, jeans, casual jackets and casual shirts under the Denim Labs sub-brand designed for both for men and women
Formal wear brand Van Heusen—part of Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd (ABFRL)—is set to expand into the casualwear market with launch of a new sub-brand a year after the pandemic has driven demand for work-from-home (WFH) and comfort clothing.
The pandemic has tested the country’s top apparel retailers that had to deal with a prolonged lockdown, and then extended work-from-home orders that led to a dip in demand for formal trousers, pricey shirts and jackets.
Meanwhile, the last 12 months have also meant that wardrobes are turning more casual, with categories like athleisure taking precedence.
Van Heusen stores will now sell more T-shirts, denim shirts, jeans, casual jackets and casual shirts under the Denim Labs sub-brand designed for both for men and women.
The retailer will give the collection 300 to 350 sq. ft display in a store that’s typically sized between 1,500 to 1,800 sq. ft. It will be endorsed by Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez.
The collection will be sold at over 200 of the brand’s outlets, multi-brand retail stores and the retailer’s own website, apart from Myntra.
New-age industries such as startups as well as established ones that draw a younger workforce have prompted the brand to draw up a separate casual collection.
“The way you dress to work itself has evolved, especially with the advent of the startup ecosystem, and the IT industry, where the dress code has been evolving. Driven by these factors, there is a large consumption of casual and denim wear which is going up fundamentally as a substitute to sharp formal wear," said Abhay Bahugune, chief operating officer, Van Heusen.
Previously, denims had negligible presence at the brand’s stores. Van Heusen also sells inner-wear and athleisure.
Bahugune expects the collection to draw 10% of the brand’s business in the next 12 months.
Covid is also pushing brands to reset their offerings. Due to extended work from home, there is a “category rebalancing" that has happened in the minds of consumers as they move from formal work wear to work-from-home wear, said Pakhi Saxena, practice head, retail and consumer packaged goods, Wazir Advisors. “Even though cost of opportunity is high, brands are trying to respond faster," Saxena said.
“For the brand, it is very important to diversify given the new work from home settings," said Abneesh Roy, analyst at Edelweiss Securities.
The shift into other categories is also seen in the recent partnerships announced by parent ABFRL that retails western lifestyle brands such as Allen Solly, Peter England and Louis Philippe.
In January, ABFRL signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 51% stake in luxury designer label Sabyasachi to expand in the ethnic wear market. Meanwhile, Flipkart’s minority investment in ABFRL will see it expand its range on the marketplace as well as its fashion platform Myntra.
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