Only 3,000 sq ft of Levis 42,000-sq ft Indian floor space might be in Calcutta, but there is much more in store, with the city?s retail revolution just taking off. The denim major also guarantees a growth to occupy 200,000 sq ft within the next three years, 7,000 of which should come to Calcutta, reveals Schumone Jay Chatterjee, director, Levis India, in town to speak of the multinational?s plans.

With customers usually sticking to a pair of jeans till they become battered and shapeless, the challenge is to get them to buy more denims. The brand?s advertising and promotional campaign has all eyes on the 15 to 25 years age group. ?Every year we come up with new trend statements. Big-budget advertising on the Internet, print and television and marketing models, maybe in the form of text messaging, is our strategy, with the main themes being music, films, fashion and education,? explains Chatterjee.

A tie-up with Caf? Coffee Day has helped matters. Tie-ups with popular events like music festivals such as the Great Indian Rock show in Delhi and the Freedom Show are part of the visibility agenda. ?We always choose a sub-culture to focus on. Anyone who reads a fashion or film magazine or views a music channel forms our sub-category for promoting our jeans,? says Chatterjee.

Levis sees the low-rise culture (like in the picture above from AFP) ? which has been one of the most successful campaigns for the company ? as intrinsically Indian. ?Saris have been worn below the navel for years,? he says. This has been factored into the advertising visuals. ?With Vidisha Pavate?s European ramp look, Neha Dhupia?s typically Indian sculpted body and Sheetal Malhar?s broad shoulders, it is a global style for any person no matter the structure or size.?

New styles, fads and cuts are the same in India as the rest of the world. Around 40 per cent of volumes come solely from the 25 to 35 years age group. ?We also have a loyal set of customers who grow up with the brand and continue to stay with it,? adds the director.

?With sub-brands for club wear and casuals, the variety of jeans are on a steep rising curve in the market. Globally, the most popular brand still remains the 501s ? the original button-fly jeans ? which were launched way back in 1873 and have remained unchanged ever since. Of the 200 million pairs of Levis jeans sold per year, 40 to 50 million pairs are 501s. The label will soon expand to include shoes in April 2005, innerwear in September 2005 and watches in 2006.

For the current Calcutta market, the most sought-after colour is distressed blue and the style is boot-cut for women and flared for men. The ratio between sales in the men?s and women?s segment is 75:25, but Chatterjee feels this is changing, with around 30 per cent growth in the women?s section as opposed to around 10 for the menswear line.