From the pages of Images Retail (August 2009)

(Fab) India in six yards
By Nishi Roy

Why was the Silicon Valley of India chosen for the launch of Fabindia’s exclusive sari store? The brand-retailer’s communications head says, "Bangalore has a mix of tradition and contemporary, which for the retailer is very exciting ground to explore the sari-wearing options."

Rewind
After leaving his position as a buyer for Macy’s New York, John Bissell established abindia in 1960 to fuse the best aspects of East/West collaboration. The first Fabindia store opened in 1976 in Greater Kailash, New Delhi. Initially operating as an export house, the store started retailing a range of hand-woven and hand-printed Indian textiles including upholstery fabrics, durries and home linens.

The production of ready-to-wear garments started in the early ’80s. Taking forward the company’s endeavour to bring to customers a choice of products and lifestyle that offered an alternative to mass-produced products, Fabindia launched a wide array of merchandise in the non-textile range too. The non-textile range includes eclectic home products (introduced in October 2000), organic food products (introduced in July 2004), Fabindia Sana – range of bodycare products (introduced in March 2006) and handcrafted jewellery, in sterling silver and eco-friendly material (introduced in 2008).

Fabindia has expanded its retail footprint overseas including in Dubai, UAE, Bahrain (three stores), Doha, Qatar and in Rome, Italy. Apart from retailing in India, the company also exports to over 34 countries worldwide, to wholesalers as well as retailers. The brand’s product portfolio also includes a relatively new entrant – the Home Design Centre (HDC). The design centre offers ready-to-move in, completely furnished homes. The services offered by HDC include product design, customisation, interior design and decoration, and coordination of colour schemes of each room with furniture and furnishings.

Very Sari
Even though sari is an easy choice of apparel for a party or a wedding, it is not so when it comes to office/corporate wear. But with its chic and contemporarily designed saris, Fabindia wants to change the growing perception that only western-business-wear is the apparel of choice for women in the corporate sector.


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