Fashion accessories are becoming mainstream

The accessory segment is growing aggressively and Ayesha and Jacqueline, daughter and wife, respectively, of Dipen Kapur of Hidesign, have carved their niche via the brand Ayesha. In a conversation, the mother and daughter duo shared their strategy to stay ahead of peers in this fiercely competitive segment.

What inspired you to launch the brand 'Ayesha'?

Ayesha Kapur (AK):  I’ve spent many holidays travelling with my mother during my formative years, and have also sourced products for her department store. This, in turn, gave me exposure to different cultures and lifestyle, and the inspiration to set up this fashion accessory-related brand.

Kindly throw more light on your repertoire as well as retail network?

Jacqueline Kapur (JK): Our brand is targeted at the youth and our offerings include hats, hair accessories, bags, laptop covers and sunglasses, with products priced from Rs 190.

Over the past two years, we have expanded our distribution network to 30 exclusive stores and 22 shop-in-shops across the country, and an additional 20 outlets are expected to be opened within a year.

We have also leveraged Facebook and in-store promotions, and grown our turnover to Rs 15 crore.

What is the average ‘ticket size’ at your store?

JK: Customers typically spend Rs 500 at a visit.

Do you also plan to sell your products online?

JK: Our products are sold online via Flipkart, Jabong and Amazon.

Can you highlight the key tends in the fashion and accessory segment, and how will you respond?

(JK): The fashion accessory segment is on the cusp of rapid growth, with girls aged between 14 and 25 years purchasing a range of products to complement their wardrobe.

And, to leverage the growth opportunities we have recently launched a sub-brand ‘Unknown’, which includes products like dog tags, men’s fashion jewellery, scarves and back packs.