India : Benetton Targets High Street Fashion Ladies

Benetton is all set to walk the haute couture ramp.  In a bid to
increase its dividends, Benetton has decided to change its business strategy in India, from casual wear to high street fashion targeted mainly at the women. The company will have three distinct segments; women, children and accessories.

The casual range (jeans, T shirts, trousers) which earlier accounted for 80 per cent of the company's merchandise will now be reduced to 30 per cent and fashion garments and runaways with short turnaround time will be the company's mainstay.

Said Vivek Bharat Ram, CMD, DCM Benetton, “The decision to play up fashion and reduce focus on casuals was purely based on the increase in per capita spends and the growing demand for fashion wear in large cities.”