Another big bang in ecommerce industry, Arvind Ltd goes online with custom clothing brand Creyate

Wednesday August 20, 2014 , 4 min Read

India’s largest company dealing with textiles, brands and retail, Arvind group is foraying into ecommerce. Arvind Internet Ltd (AIL), a startup by Arvind limited is launching its online custom clothing brand – Creyate. Kulin Lalbhai, the fourth generation of the Lalbhai family and Executive Director of Arvind Ltd, is driving the e-commerce initiative at the company.

Established in 1931, Arvind Limited achieved a turnover in excess of US$ 1 billion in FY2013-14 and is 25000+ member strong. Besides textiles, the company also invests in brands and retails; not only its own brands like Flying Machine and Newport but also licensed international brands such as Arrow and Tommy Hilfiger. Company also has retail brands like Megamart, The Arvind Store, Club America, Next and Debenhams.

Aims to reach Rs 1000 cr revenue from E-commerce in 3 years

Kulin Lalbhai, Executive Director, Arvind Ltd

Kulin Lalbhai, Executive Director at Arvind Ltd elaborated on AIL’s vision said,

Arvind Internet Ltd will be the vehicle that will enable Arvind’s e-commerce vision. As pioneers in bringing global fashion to India, Arvind now intends to extend innovative and best in class brand experiences to the online world. Arvind sees e-Commerce as a key growth driver for the group and we aim to be Rs. 1000 Cr plus business in 3 years.

Creyate strives to bring to you a fashion identity that is uniquely you, created by you. You can create garments on a 3D visualisation engine, which would then be made for you - it’s like having a very own factory at your fingertips. With more than 100,000 unique products to create, this is the next generation of fashion retail.

Creyate intends to offer an alternative to ready-wear as well as traditional custom clothing and targets to be Rs. 100 crore plus brand by next year.

In addition to Arvind’s own premium range of fabrics, Creyate has a curated collection of fabrics from choicest of Italian mills. Arvind group has invested in an automated manufacturing setup for this business to make best-in-class customised garments as per customers’ choice and measurements.

What is a Creyate store?

Creyate Stores have already started creating lot of buzz due to their innovative layout and design. A Creyate store is more like a design studio, with iMacs installed in the centre for designing garments, and swatch books available for touch & feel of fabrics. The show stopper garments that are on display, serve as concept validation in terms of final product, and can also be an excellent start point to the customisation journey - one can walk over to the garment and scan the QR code and the same garment will appear on screen, ready to be worked upon as per the individual’s choice.

Tejinder Singh, Chief Operating Officer at AIL, explained the experience led multi-channel concept further, “Creyate can be experienced in our digitised retail stores or alternatively, one can visit www.creyate.com to design garments online and then schedule a home visit by our ‘Style Stewards’. Style Stewards not only take a customer’s measurements, they also give them style advice and complete wardrobe solutions. And once measured, customers can ‘Creyate’ their own garments from anywhere and they will be delivered as per their exact fit at their door step.”

Plans for the coming year

Creyate has plans of launching stores in 15 cities within the next year. It already has stores in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Delhi and offers home visits in major cities. Riding on Arvind group’s supply chain prowess and manufacturing might, AIL is planning to take Creyate to global consumers next year starting with the US market, where online custom clothing is a large thriving market.