DRESS CIRCLE

Mumbai, May 29: Calcutta is likely to get its first Zegna outlet by 2009. The Ermenegildo Zegna group, which owns the men’s clothing brand from Italy, today opened its first flagship store in Mumbai. New Delhi and Bangalore are the next in line.

“For us, Calcutta will be even ahead of Hyderabad. A store there could come up in 2009,” Rahul Prasad, managing director, Zegna (South Asia), told The Telegraph.

Zegna is among the first of the brands to obtain an approval from the government under its policy of allowing 51 per cent FDI in single-brand retail.

The Zegna store in Mumbai is at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower. The 3,000 square feet boutique is believed to be the biggest in India. The company is finalising a location for its New Delhi outlet. Prasad said the New Delhi store was likely to be operational by the end of this year or the beginning of the next calendar year. The Bangalore store could open in late 2008.

The Zegna group has invested over Rs 4.3 crore in the Mumbai store. Apart from suits, it will also sell Zegna Sport — a collection of urban casuals and performance sportswear, Z Zegna, the fashion label and leather accessories.

This is a second coming for Zegna in India. The brand was introduced in the country in 2000 through its franchisee outlet in the Crossroads Mall, Mumbai. However, the arrangement came to an end in 2005.

Speaking to the media today, group chairman Paolo Zegna said his target were the high net worth individuals, who were buying the brand from overseas stores. Zegna added that the group would be particular about the location of its stores, keeping in view its target customers.

“It will be either in a five-star hotel or an upmarket mall,’’ sources added. Zegna is planning to set up five stores over the next five years and it expects the growth rate to double every year. However, all these stores will be directly operated by the group and not through the franchisees.

Zegna said the group wanted to keep the price range in India aligned with that of the neighbouring countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

There are two types of suits that will be available at the Zegna stores. The suits, available off the rack, are now priced between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh. There are also “made to measure’’ suits which will be available in the price range of Rs 1.5-6 lakh.