Jyoti Brahmin at the Giordano store launch on Monday.

The trek for travel gear would invariably lead to a ubiquitous stroll down New Market. The pocket pinch was not severe but the durability, the designs and the brand tag were nothing you could flaunt.

That could change now with Giordano, the Hong Kong based apparel brand, opening its first flagship store at 2, Lindsay Street on Monday.

Lending the mandatory dose of glamour at the launch was Miss India Earth 2004 Jyoti Brahmin. Dressed casually in a pair of denims and a halter, Jyoti looked like a chic traveller herself.

The multi-product brand is famous for its denims and T-shirts but also has eyewear, time wear and travel gear. The exclusive outlet will, for the moment, stock only travel gear and watches.

?It is part of the strategy. The garments will make their way into the store by the beginning of next year after we do some more research and development. For the time being, we are testing the waters with travel gear. The dearth of foreign presence in this sector should work in our favour,? says Ramesh Rath, chief executive officer, Elite Brands Private Limited, official distributor for Giordano in India.

This multi-product brand is retailed through 1,600 outlets all over the world. Garments constitute 70 per cent of production while other accessories like travel gear, eyewear and time wear constitute the rest. Giordano has seven exclusive outlets in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Chennai. The Calcutta store is its eighth outlet.

?The Giordano products are not only durable and user-friendly but also conform to the lifestyle of the upwardly mobile. Innovative fabrics, different designs and sleek styles have been used for the Indian market. The look of the bags will only enhance and compliment the personality of the user,? promises Rath.

Travel gear, office bags and casuals are the segments the bags at Giordano can be classified into. ?Our target clientele is between 20 and 35. So a lot of research was done about the liking and preferences of this group,? says Ramesh.

The travel bags are categorised into uprights, suitcases, beauty-cases and backpacks. While most travel gear is made of peach polyester and suede finish, experiments have been carried out with denim, too. ?It has been done to give the products a more young and trendy look. However, a lot of emphasis has been placed on providing more space to the buyers,? says Rath. All the bags have been fitted with small laundry bags, shoe bags, tie racks and wet pouches. ?The bags have been designed keeping in mind the comfort factor. For example, there are backpacks fitted with a walking trolley also. For the uprights, the handles are bigger and with enough space to hold,? explains Rath. The prices start from Rs 1,000.

The range of office bags can be divided into portfolio bags and laptop cases. With separate spaces for cell phones, credit cards and other office accessories, the bags are priced at Rs 1,200-plus. The chic variety consists of small backpacks with separate compartments for cell phones and CD players.

A small space in the store has been dedicated to watches. They sport a masculine look with both broad metal and leather straps. Be prepared to dish out anything between Rs 2,500 and Rs 8,000 for a watch.