In a move that would alter the buying patterns of the quintessential Indian woman, KIMAYA – India’s Biggest Luxury Fashion House, added another feather to their cap by expanding their business portfolio with the launch ofKARMIK – Multi-designer Pret brand at the Lakme Fashion Week A/W’12 in Mumbai.

We commissioned subject experts to analyse the Indian designer-wear market in 2010. The study revealed a gaping void between supply and demand of affordable and accessible designer-wear. A man usually spends around Rs 5-6000 easily on a complete branded ensemble, while a woman in India either has an option of spending Rs 1200 at local store/everyday brands etc or Rs 22500 for a designer ensemble for ethnic wear. Understanding the pulse of customer has always been one of our strengths, hence we came up with this unique concept of providing aspirational designer-wear affordable and accessible.

The concept of brand KARMIK is inclusive of a lot of firsts, through its unique ideology of providing ‘Aspirational’ designer wear at ‘Affordable’ prices making them ‘Accessible’ all across the country. It capitalizes on the gaping void that exists in the women’s ethnic wear segment of the Indian contemporary fashion market.

For the first time, country’s top designers like Rohit Bal, Anamika Khanna, JJ Valaya, Rocky S, Ritu Beri, Ranna Gill, Shantanu& Nikhil, Rina Dhaka, Neeta Lulla, Kavita Bhartia, Anshu Arora Sen and more will be designing an affordable range without compromising on the aesthetics. For the first time so many designers walked the ramp for a commercial brand at any Fashion Week in the world.

Today’s woman wants to up her fashion quotient, which would help her carve a niche in her social circle. In order to achieve this, she looks at owning designer labels which are not only unaffordable but also proximally inaccessible. As a non-preferred alternative, she would invariably end up buying mass brands that, although affordable, are both non-exclusive and non-aspirational. Hence there is a tremendous scope of developing a retail model that provides for the dressing-up desires of woman, who is pressed for choice when it comes to buying aspirational and affordable designer Indian wear.

KARMIK is committed to open 60 stores in the next few years. With six store already up and running in major metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Ludhiana all at prime location, within 3 months; and 8 more in the pipeline in cities like Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Amritsar etc by end of 2012; enabling designers to finally cater to a wider reach and audience.

According to Mr. Pradeep Hirani– “As per detailed study initiated by us in 2011, over the years, the fashion needs of women have remained dissatisfied, especially in designer-wear category. With KARMIK, my commitment to provide the best of Indian designers to its discerning clients will now enter another level. These days, the real clients are not only in the metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai; but also in Tier-2 towns – Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Nagpur, Kochi, Hyderabad, Pune, Surat, Ahemdabad and the likes. Our focus is on achieving pan India penetration by opening 60 stores in next 3 years in cities where the demand for Indian designers is manifolds the supply. ”

With average price point of USD 100 (Rs. 5000-6000) per garment, KARMIK is set to revolutionize the way women shop in India. Says ace-designer Rohit Bal, “As a concept KARMIK is brand new and innovative. First time so many designers are coming under one roof, it’s Indian prêt and the price points are incredible, first time anyone can go buy a designer label for Rs. 5000-6000. And it’s not like anyone is making any kind of compromises, its high on quality, design!”

The potential of this new brand is immense; it is basically targeting the aspirations of women from both small towns as well as metro’s of owning a designer-wear garment without burning a hole in their pocket. The target customer is the entire women population of the country – who is pressed for choice in branded ethnic wear segments. By making it affordable we are making sure that all the strata of society is comfortable in buying these designer-wear garments.

To attain our target of 60 stores in three years, we feel that a healthy mix of company owned and franchise stores will work best for rapid expansion. The benefit is symbiotic as it is a risk sharing model which facilitates optimal use of resources.

With a decade of experience in Retail, we have realised that choosing the right franchisee is crucial. The franchisee should resonate the same sensibilities and passion towards the trait as the brand. In other words, the blood group of the parent company and franchisee should match; wrong transfusion can be fatal; in our case the blood group has to be F+ (Fashion Positive).

Deciding upon a franchise is like getting in to a marriage. Both parties should have absolute trust and zero insecurities; they should share a similar vision for the growth of the brand. A franchisee should be treated like a partner and not as an employee; only then will the best be delivered in order to reap the most out of the opportunity. If you get any benefits, you should ensure that you pass it on to the franchisee also to garner maximum support. After choosing the right franchise partner, you have to nurture and hone him to make him capable of representing your brand. Hence once we have agreed to a franchise store, we take care of it like our own baby. We have devised a specialised manual and an exhaustive check list that is used to set up new franchise stores.