 Levi plans 200 outlets for `Signature'
 Levi Strauss (India) Pvt Ltd, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the jeans manufacturers Levi Strauss & Co, San Francisco, is plans to have 200 exclusive outlets, throughout the country, for its newly launched 'Signature' brand jeans. The South India launch of the brand took place in Chennai on November 23, 2005.
The company would also consider making available the new brand through 1,000 other multi-brand outlets in India, said
country manager of Levi Strauss India Shimone Jaya Chatterjee who added "we will complete the national launch by mid 2006. 18 months from then, we plan to have 200 exclusive outlets for the brand."
The company has also worked out plans to take the 'Signature' brand to tier-two cities as well. "In phase-I of the launch, we will take the brand to tier- II cities and will be available in 150 towns throughout India," said A T P Ramani, business head of the new brand in the country.
 The 'Signature' brand, positioned in the standard segment with a price range of Rs 599 and Rs 999, has been targetted at the age group of 15-22 years. "For the last few years, the standard segment has been growing at a brisk pace in the country at 15-20 per cent," Ramani added.
Out of the total 30 million pieces branded jeans market (the total jeans market is 50 million pieces), standard segment has got a size of nearly 12 million pieces in India. "We have identified India, China and Russia as the countries to drive our future growth. Indian jeans market has got the potential of USD 35 million annually," said John Anderson, president, Levi Strauss Asia Pacific Division. The company has identified Chennai-based Poshak Industries, as the quasi licensee for the Signature brand in South India.
 Targeted essentially at college-goers and positioned as a new brand of jeanswear from Levi Strauss & Co., with a strong value proposition, levi Strauss Signature depicts 'collective individuality', a strong 'youth' phenomenon.
John Anderson said, "Jeans is an integral part of a teenager's everyday life. Levi Strauss Signature, provides the youth of today an opportunity to mirror his lifestyle through his style of dressing. The latest collection from Levi Strauss Signature offers a range of men's denim bottoms, men's casual pants, woven and knit tops, women's denim bottoms and knit tops. The products are offered in a range of exciting styles and fits, for both men and women. The product design and development is led from Hong Kong.
 A T P Ramani said, "Today, college students are confident, upfront and have a mind of their own. Levi Strauss Signature refiects the mood of the college goer, it is Real, Honest, Fun and Everyday Wear. Signature highlights the "we are what we are" sentiment of the Indian youth.
In India, Signature follows the quasi-licensing format, a first-of-its kind business model to reach the brand to the consumers. Through this model, Levi Strauss India will retain control over marketing, quality, product development that are the key competencies of LS&Co, while production, logistics and sales will be the responsibility of the licensee. The Licensees for the South are Poshak Industries, a company that belongs to the RK Industries/PS Apparels group.
The company with a strength of over seventy is headquartered in Bangalore, with the sourcing base at Chennai and exports the Levi's, Dockers and Levi Strauss SignatureTM range of products to the US, Canada, Mexico and Asian countries.
R Rangaraj
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