French Fashion Calling: Promod Is Expanding In India

Promod was created in 1975 as a French family boutique dedicated to sharp design, production and retailing of women’s ready-to-wear garments. With more than 40 years of experience, the brand has come to promote accessible fashion in unpretentious natural styles, creating a French fashion spirit in more than 50 countries across the globe. Promod entered India in 2006 in a joint venture with Mumbai-based Major Brands Group, but has, so far, opened only 22 retail outlets in metro cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai. While other contemporary brands, such as Zara and H&M, have gained a strong foothold in the Indian market, Promod wants to win it over by offering consumers the chance to be a part of its unique fashion statement, says Paris-based managing director Nadine Caux. Promod, which works with comfort-driven, cool fabrics, creates designs based on customer feedback. The onus for this lies with the design team, which travels to all the fashion capitals of the world to draw inspiration from their customers’ daily lives and activities. For instance, while profiling a custom-made range for India, the brand took care to study the average Indian body type. Subsequently, it came up with denims, launched in six styles, specific to the local patronage. Their plans in India, however, are not restricted to denim fits. As per Caux, the brand plans to expand its retail footprint in the country by opening new stores and venturing into the e-commerce space as well. While Promod partnered with e-retail store Myntra last year, it also plans to launch its own website to reach customers in tier II and III cities. The brand, which Caux says has witnessed an encouraging response online, also offers consumers the chance to order international styles online, allowing them easy access to international fashion. Their strategy in the subcontinent is to not only achieve customer satisfaction, but also to ensure that their customers turn loyalists, strengthening the presence of the brand here. “The vision remains to dress every woman and be a part of her wardrobe. To network with her, we believe strongly in thedigital canal,” says Caux. With the huge potential that the Indian market presents, Caux says, they are looking forward to have a substantial hold here in the coming years, with as many as 100 retail ‘doors’ (points of sales, standalone stores, shop-in-shop) in the country.