Wrangler to launch branded accessories

NEW DELHI: Last year it was the worn-out look that saw youngsters grow the Wrangler sales at 35 per cent. This year, the premium denim brand plans to focus on image-building exercises to register even higher growth rates.
Wrangler will be beefing up its denim range with accessories in another month. Bags, pouches, caps and belts among others will be the casual accessories that Wrangler hopes will create excitement in the market.The accessories will be available in all the key stores the brand sells at.
Aiding in image-building will also be the five flagship stores that will come up in the main metros in the next couple of months. “These will be completely contemporary stores that will stock the entire range. These will also serve us well to test out new products and study customer behaviour,� says Alberto Calo, V-P (business development) at VF Europe.
The brand will also be presented more innovatively at the multi-brand outlets and the departmental stores it sells in, says B Hyma, business head at Arvind Brands Ltd, which markets Lee and Wrangler for the VF Corp in India. And to its 42 exclusive stores in the country, the brand will be adding another six this year, says Hyma.
Wrangler, which has been selling as a fashion-oriented and yet an anti-frill brand in India, surpassed the market growth rate of 10-15 per cent last year.
“The market in India is growing quite fast and the brand is ahead of our plans,� says Calo. The growth target for 2003 for Wrangler is 40 per cent.