In 1999, Ravi Modi created a business that re-invented men’s ethnic wear category – Manyavar under the parent company Vedant Fashions Private Limited. During the course of its evolution, the brand became synonymous with wedding wear – a one-stop-store for grooms and men of the family for functions big and small. As more and more variety was added to the range, the brand became popular for occasion wear and today it is one of India’s leading occasion wear brands for men.
Timeless and iconic designs by the brand have served to cement its reputation across the world. The brand owns retail space of 6,50,000 sq. feet – 500+ stores including 60 flagship and 12 international stores across 160+ cities in India and abroad.
In 2016, Vedant Fashions introduced Mohey, celebration wear for women. Their range of ethnic wear – light and heavy lehengas – crafted for all occasions has been doing exceptionally well. The label is backed by years of collective experience, values and passion and is available at 50+ Mohey stores across India.
In an exclusive chat with IMAGES Business of Fashion, Shilpi Modi, Director, Vedant Fashions Private Limited, talks about the company’s most successful brands Manyavar and Mohey, their USP and core values. Excerpts from the interview…
Summarize the core of your brand Manyavar, its values and USPs.
With the inception of Manyavar, there was a huge shift in the men’s ethnic wear segment as the brand created an entirely new category of men’s ethnic garments and accessories and soon turned into a one-stop-shop for men for all celebration wear. During the course of its evolution, it became synonymous with wedding wear and the go to place for all grooms.
In the initial years, the apparel market saw a huge void in the men’s ethnic wear. Broadening from wedding wear to celebration wear and now casual wear, we have come a long way from creating the category to being an ethnic catalyst in the country!
Our collections are enriched with traditional Indian designs and fabrics and are in sync with the latest global trends. With Mohey-Manyavar we wish to reach all Indians across the world and be a part of their celebrations and joy.
We have taken the roots of India to a global platform and with the spirit of transparency, fair play and care we persevere to make an impact in the lives of people by being a part of our customers’ celebrations and the lives of our craftsmen.
Who are the core customers for Manyavar?
We cater to every customer looking for ethnic wear options. Due to our pan-India presence, we are able to provide a huge variety in terms of colors, cuts and patterns across all sub-categories of ethnic wear. Being a category leader, we have proved to be the catalyst for men’s ethnic wear in the nation.
Being probably the only organized player in the category, we are also the preferred one-stop solution.
From wedding wear to celebration wear to now even casual ethnic wear, we have broadened the definitions of ethnic wear and ensured that it finds space in every wardrobe by suiting it to all diversified needs of our customers.
What are the product categories offered under occasion wear by Manyavar?
For men, we craft sherwanis, suits, bandhgalas, jodhpuris, Nehru jackets, Indo-western and kurtas. For women (Mohey) we offer lehengas, sarees, suits, gowns and kurtis. We also offer a wide range of accessories for both men and women to ensure that customers can complete their entire looks under one roof.
Tell us about Manyavar’s forthcoming Fall-Winter collection.
We are targeting newer consumer segments such as the youth for the casual ranges and urging them to include more ethnics in their day-to-day casual wear. Our Parivar Ravivar campaign communication too has been encouraging this shift and perception change.
What are the top fabrics that you use for sherwanis/jodhpuris? Are there any premium fabrics that you use?
All our fabrics use for sherwanis and kurtas include cotton, silk, brocade, jacquard, velvet, polyester and linen. We ensure that the fabrics used are comfortable and breathable.
What innovations are you doing in fibres, fabrics, trims and linings in terms of technology and production?
We are standardizing on the fabrics we use for all our products. There are new chemical formulations implemented for fabrics to enhance the material and overall feel.
For an escalated look, we add trims like pocket pin, pocket brooch, variety of buttons crafted with different styles.
Consumers often look for variety. Has your brand experimented on any new innovations in as far as the men’s wear category goes?
We are constantly curating and updating our collections and category lines. Our aim has always been to spoil the customer with choices. Along with different options of celebration wear, we also offer a specially curated line of sherwanis and kurtas. Starting from Bandhgalas, Achkans, Jodhpuris to Patialas, Pathanis and Angrakhas which includes- Indo western sherwanis, Kurta jackets, Asymmetric cuts, we infuse Indian elements and style in our offerings.
To top it up, we offer numerous accessorizing options to ensure that one can create the perfect ensemble under one roof.
What are the looks that are trending in as far as sarees/lehengas/bridal gowns go for your brand Mohey?
As the festive season has started, occasion wear demand has increased. We are always updating our designs according to the fashion trends, making it a point to be the trendsetter for every festival.
Currently, we are experimenting with pastels because of its huge demand and also its presence in the fashion industry. Apart from this, evergreen colors like reds, maroons, creams, beige, golden always stay in trend and can never go out of fashion.
What are the top fabrics that you use for sarees/lehengas/bridal gowns? Are there any premium fabrics that you use?
Our premium fabrics for Mohey products are mainly Net, Georgette, Raw Silk Embroidery and more. All the products are crafted according to the seasons and occasions making it a trendsetter every time.
Tell us about your production and design capabilities and talents.
Our in-house design and production team constantly work on new designs and techniques to keep up with the latest fashion trends. This helps us to stay a step ahead in the market and fashion industry.
We are constantly working on improving our designs by researching and studying trend. Our expert craftsmen and karigars inspire us to keep our traditional essence intact while adapting to newer trends.
Customisation in the occasion wear category is very popular. Have you evaluated this new avenue?
Need for customization stems from a lack in variety or options. As we already have a wide variety of products in every category, our consumers have an instant solution for all their celebration and festive needs.
Rather, we keep our priority in customizing on sizes of the products. If any size is not available according to their fittings, we take special orders and customize on the size according to their needs and wants.
Which are your primary markets?
Due to our wide presence across the entire country, we do not have any specific priority markets. Every city and town has its own potential and patterns. We strive to provide ethnic wear solutions in every region that we are present in pan-India. We have also been increasing our footprint internationally in an effort to cater to the needs of the Indian diaspora abroad.
Tell us about the consumption pattern for your Mohey products in metros and non-metros?
India being a very culture-rich country, consumption does not really vary a lot. Everybody in every part of the country irrespective of the region or tier celebrates. As everybody celebrates festivals, weddings and occasions, consumption is pretty much well distributed though consumption patterns may vary basis region, calendar, local culture and seasons. We are increasingly improving our footprint in Tier II and Tier III cities and are ensuring access to our stores, both offline and online.
Elaborate about your retail presence in numbers of EBOs, MBOs and LFSs.
We have 6.5 lakh sq. feet of retail space across 160+ cities and over 500 stores including 75 flagship stores and 7 international stores. We have a strong presence in MBO and LFS format too.
What are your plans for exploring new markets in India?
We already have a pan-India presence and continue to broaden our reach specifically in Tier II and III India. We feel that there is huge potential in these untapped regions as customers in Tier II and tier III closely follow national trends and are open to accepting them. We have an edge as we are able to offer pan-India trends to a customer in say a Tier III town vis-à-vis their local ethnic wear seller.
What has been your progress through online retail? How is the response on occasion-wear market?
Online retail has been picking up pretty well. We have been getting a great response in terms of international orders too. On our part, we have crafted our online website in a way that it tries to give the customer a store-like experience in terms of carefully curated looks and accessorizing for all our offerings. This helps by giving the customer a comprehensive ensemble look. This has really aided our online response. We have recently introduced COD right before the festive season for a seamless experience. It will help us reach smaller cities providing easy payment solutions to them too.
