Premium menswear brand Blackberrys has been known for years to be a niche label with its formal linen garments for a very targeted audience. And keeping pace with the market showing a strong inclination towards fast fashion, Blackberrys has understood the relevance of staying abreast of the trends and significance of revamping the brand identity in accordance with the changing times.
Furthermore, with the market size of menswear in India slated to reach Rs. 2,95,795 crore by 2026 and the simultaneous increase in the number of brands catering to the segment, revamping an already established name in the sector seemed like the best move forward and this facilitated Blackberrys to introduce Blackberrys Urban and Blackberrys Casuale. Today, the brand stands as a one-stop shop for formal, casual and hipster fashionwear with products ranging from khakis, shirts, denims, T-shirts to innerwear, shoes and accessories for men.
Credited with many firsts in the country, the brand has pioneered the impeccable fits, introduced wrinkle-free khakis, dress line trousers and it’s certified the ‘whitest shirt in India’. Blackberrys is now on an expansion drive and has plans to expand its operations in the southern and eastern regions of India in this fiscal. Let’s get up and close with the man behind the brand himself — Nitin Mohan, Co-founder & Director, Blackberrys (Mohan Clothing Company)!
Elucidate on the brands under ‘The House of Blackberrys‘, the price points you operate at and the average ticket size.
Nitin Mohan (NM): Addressing to the burning drive of the progressive men, the brand today stands as a one-stop shop for formal, ceremonial, casual and hipster fashionwear, catering to its diverse segment of customers through Blackberrys Formal, Blackberrys Casuale and Urban.
Blackberrys Formal: Exquisitely designed for the inspiring professionals, Blackberrys Formal collection revolutionises men’s fashion for the boardroom and beyond. The curated collection of formalwear comprising suits, shirts, dress line trousers, waist coats, jackets and knits is uniquely mixed and matched to offer effortless style that is modern, confident and relaxed.
Blackberrys Casuale: Here we host an assortment of offering to the stylish men on the go, who are sociable, sharp and focused to succeed. From a high powered business meet to a weekend social affair, the collection curates smart-casual dressing for men with a discerning taste. The collection comprises travel-inspired khakis, shirts, polos, blazers and jackets.
Urban Blackberrys: Urban, the youngest offering from the House of Blackberrys, celebrates individuality and optimism with style. Audacious, confident and expressive, Urban epitomises the young wanderers, who follow their heart and love living in the fast lane. The hipster collection comprises denims, shirts, shorts, polos and jackets.
Blackberrys has foremost been a formalwear label. How has entering into the casualwear range fared for the brand? What is the average revenue percentage that comes from Blackberrys Casuale and Urban?
NM: Since inception, Blackberrys has been an indisputable leader in formal workwear segment in India. However, our causalwear range has also been well received by our customers. Blackberrys Casuale and Urban collections exemplify Blackberrys’ commitment of addressing the new-age India’s dressing needs by offering complete wardrobe solutions, from work to leisure, from formal party wear to the hipster fashion garments.
In terms of revenue generation, formal category contributes the maximum share while the Casuale and Urban collections contribute upto 40 per cent.
Tell us about your seasonal calendar. How many collections does the brand introduce annually under each of the sub-brands?
NM: We, at Blackberrys, offer two prominent collections – Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer every year. Each collection is further divided into different product stories to ensure freshness. Apart from these, we continuously do flash collections to bring in the latest runway trends to the market.
What do you think are the opportunities in this industry? Also talk about the potential of Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions.
NM: The Indian retail industry is emerging as one of the most dynamic and fast paced industries in India. We have been seeing a growth of the affluent middle-class along with rapid urbanisation across India. With the rising aspiration towards latest in fashion, lifestyle changes along with higher purchasing power in the Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, India has become one of the most promising markets for retail business. An increased purchasing capacity and awareness of fashion trends by buyers in metros and mini metros have also increased the potential of business for all the organised players in the apparel industry.
Do you customise your products for different markets or do you follow a standard parameter?
NM: Blackberrys’ focus, as a product, is on innovation, luxury and attention to detail, ensuring that the brand’s consumer looks fresh and commanding at his/her respective field. Blackberrys offers unparalleled products with best fit and latest style.
However, keeping in mind the weather and regional outlook, we work towards design and comfort as per the customer’s preferences in the region. For instance, we focus massively on shirts in south, considering the climatic conditions and cultural preferences of the people.
What are your customer retention strategies?
NM: Customer delight is of utmost importance to us at Blackberrys. We invest in wardrobe solutions, quality products and exclusive offers for the customers to uphold their preference for Blackberrys. At Blackberrys, we also deliver value add services and strive to exceed our customers’ expectations as a part of our retention strategy.
We are known for our superior products and anticipating the fashion trends. We believe in delivering products that are rightly priced and offer delight to the customers. We do not believe in discounting to get sales up. However, we have invested in creating a host of interesting offers, new launches, gifting propositions as value adds, thereby giving customers all the more reasons to come to Blackberrys.
