End-of-season sale attracts shoppers at a city store. Picture by Rashbehari Das

If you know your style and are not such a fashion victim, it would be a smart move to raid the stock-clearance racks on offer at most stores worth their brand. The sight of woollens may make you feel doubly hot when the sun's out in full force, but a little foresight can cut your next winterwear budget by half.

Most stores around town are offering discounts of up to 60 per cent on the fall-winter 2004 collection, most of which fits the mood of spring-summer 2005 as well. Light silks, lycra and spandex blends work well in air-conditioned environs round the year, heaps of cottonwear in boxes screaming 'pick any Rs 199' notwithstanding.

Not surprisingly, footfalls in malls are soaring post the festive season and shopping bags are bulging. While Pantaloons and Shoppers' Stop retail outlets are good stops to stock up on cheap tees and casuals, CIMA Design studio, Bizarre and Be: outlets at Forum present designer options at bargain prices.

'We didn't design too many woollens to begin with last season. Instead, we concentrated on silks, satins and georgettes, which are moving quite well even now, given that the weather is yet to hot up. Besides, sale is always an attraction,' says Indrani Basu, fashion consultant and retail manager, Be:.

'Usually we don't get much business on weekdays, but now sale is booming,' stresses Anand Mishra, owner of the Oobe outlet in City Centre. The first retail outlet of the Mumbai-based brand in eastern India is offering a discount of up to 70 per cent on its western wear for women in the casual, corporate and club categories.

The end of season sale is also the occasion to look out for special promo offers. Apart from a discount of 25 to 60 per cent, Wills Lifestyle outlets are offering a gift voucher of Rs 500 on the purchase of Rs 1,500 and above, while at Blackberrys, the scheme is buy two get one free and buy three get two free.

If you thought these are last-ditch efforts to get their stale styles off the racks, you ought to check out the men's formalwear range on sale at Wills Lifestyle. 'The collection is a hot pick anytime, which was designed last season based on the 'world one' theme,' says Biplab Khotel, customer facilitator at the City Centre outlet.

The versatile range of full-sleeve men's shirts in stripes and checks, in blue and white combinations, are available at half-price as are trendy Irish linen shirts and trousers.

Yet others have introduced more innovative schemes that also touch upon philanthropic intentions. Garments collected at the Shoppers' Stop exchange offer on men's suits and jackets, for example, will be donated to Concern India Foundation.

'Such exchange offers are a great way of giving customers an opportunity to find good use for their old clothes. Associating with a reputed organisation also ensures that the garments will reach the right hands,' says B.S. Nagesh,customer care associate, MD and CEO Shopper's Stop Ltd.