Mumbai, Oct. 18: Arvind Brands Ltd is planning a foray into the Russian market and has drawn up plans to sub-license a few of its brands to firms not specialising in garments.

These efforts are being planned at a time when the Lalbhai group apparel major is in the final stages of bringing the Tommy Hilfiger brand into the country in a joint venture with the Murjani group.

Arvind Brands’ portfolio consists of Excalibur, Wrangler, Arrow, NewPort and Flying Machine. The company successfully carved a niche in the domestic apparel industry through a dual strategy of in-licensing well-known international brands and nurturing others from its own stable.

Wrangler has been in-licensed from V F Corporation, while Arrow belongs to US-based Cluett Peabody & Co Inc.

The company is now eyeing the international market for widening its reach.

According to company president Darshan Mehta, the Russian market has a huge potential for its Excalibur brand.

While Mehta hinted that Newport or Flying Machine could also be a hit in Russia, he said the company was also looking at West Asia. Plans are on the anvil to launch Wrangler jeans in Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Back home, the company is actively looking at leveraging the equity of some of its brands by sub-licensing them to manufacturers of footwear, watches and fragrance.

“You could soon find a footwear or a watch sporting the Arrow brand for instance,” a source said.

Currently, Arrow, a premium brand in men's wear, contributes over 18 per cent of the company's topline. Arvind Brands has now initiated an exercise to give a “new look” to its exclusive outlets even as 11 more outlets are being set up in the country.

“They will have an European look where each piece of merchandise will be prominently displayed. Our efforts will be to highlight the lifestyle of the brand,” Mehta added.