Madura Garments, the garment division of the Aditya Birla group company Indian Rayon, have entered into a licensing agreement with the Bangalore-based Atlas Medicon for manufacturing leather accessories under the Louis Phillipe, Allen Solley and Van Huesen brands.
Atlas Medicon will now manufacture and market leather products carrying these brand names. Atlas Medicon, promoted by the Bangalore-based Bulchee family, are planning to hit the market shortly with leather products including wallets, belts and briefcases. Products under the Allen Solly and Van Heusen brands will be rolled out in July. These will be sold through exclusive outlets of Madura Garments and other retail outlets.
Madura Garments, which is trying to prop up its bottomline by diversifying into lifestyle products, has already tied up with Bangalore-based Genesis for marketing ties under its brands. ‘We are leveraging the brand strength by foraying into lifestyle products. We are now planning to license our brands for products like socks’, said Vikram Rao, president (textiles,) Aditya Birla group.
The product licensing initiatives are a part of Indian Rayon’s efforts to restructure the garment business. This is being mainly done through changes in distribution, new product licensing and repositioning of brands. Madura Garments have already repositioned the San Frisco brand by making it an exclusive brand for jeans.
Industry sources said that the focus on life style products is intended to boost overall demand. The company were present in the accessories business before the Birlas took control of operations.
Source: Daily ‘The Economic Times’
