"Supporting shawl weavers with a livelihood"
Ahujasons Shawl Wale (P) Ltd is planning to open 12 showrooms across the country and six in overseas markets in the next five years. The new showrooms will be a mix of company-owned and franchised outlets. At present, the company has three retail outlets; two in Delhi, India and another
in Tokyo, Japan. The company plans to open more showrooms in Kolkata, Hong Kong and Beijing in 2015.
One of the better known exporters of shawls and stoles in the country, Ahujasons started operations in 1979. The heritage craft of shawl making was effectively revived when the third-generation family thriving in textile production diversified under the leadership of Kulbhushan Ahuja. Credited with reviving the 600-year-old rich tradition, the Ahuja's have inherited a rich legacy which can be traced to the era of the Mughal Emperors & Rulers of Egypt. Endorsed by Wool Mark for each of their products, the company today, offers an array of hand-crafted shawls, stoles, throws, scarves and mufflers.
With a mission to nurture the heritage craft of shawl-making and supporting the community of weavers and craftsmen engaged in this trade, the company has set up a state-of-the-art facility equipped with fully computerised jacquard powerlooms and is known to produce intricate jamawar pashminas.
Promoting environment, friendly policies and with a belief in fashion without cruelty, the cashmere/Pashmina wool is harvested from goats during their annual molting season when the animals begin to lose the protective layer of down. The raw fiber is gathered through the shedding or the shearing of their down, thus making the shawls legal and safe to possess. In 2002, the company started Matri Chhaya, an orphanage located in the capital City of Delhi. A self reliant home, it has taken up the children's cause and works to ensure a better life for them. Inspired by its initial success, Ahujasons has further plans to be involved in more welfare activities and bring value to the society.
 
In a candid chat with its Retail Head, Bhuvan Ahuja, the Retailer magazine talks on what makes them so popular with the Shawl buying cadre of Delhi.
 
Interview:
 
Tell us about your brand's journey till today and about any milestone you have achieved so far?
Ahujasons was established to revive the dying art of shawl weaving and provide talented artisans with a livelihood. Two decades since its inception in 1979, Ahujasons is today the undoubted leader in the arena of shawls taking the rich Indian legacy further. It has more than made its presence felt not only in the domestic market but worldwide as well. We can truly well be called the inheritors of this rich legacy.
 
How many stores do you run currently?
One is at Karol Bagh and the other flagship store is in South Extension-II, New Delhi, and one in Tokyo, Japan.
 
What kind of consumption pattern you observe in your region? And what kinds of products are more popular amongst consumers?
It's a rather wide gamut, fashion style stoles in silk and wool and cashmere are as popular as the evergreen Pashmina shawls. It is difficult to point one out.
 
Kindly share your views on a particular High street or Mall that gives good per square feet revenue earned in any of the mentioned formats recently.
The brand is currently present only on a high street-Ajmal Khan Road in Karol Bagh-the traditional hub in West Delhi and in South Extension main market, which is the mecca of large format brand stores, and each has been received rather well and has its own set of patrons.
 
What kind of growth opportunity you see in your area of operation? How has been the response so far to your brand?
The brand has firmly established itself as the category leader and been growing steadily year- on-year.
 
What has been you biggest achievement so far?
We strive to better our achievements each day. Being able to organise the trade and provide livelihood to multitudes of Kashmiri families, or opening the biggest specialty store in South Extension or launching a product that took 5 years to make, they are all landmarks.
  
What are your future plans in terms of expansion and expanding product portfolio?
The brand is looking at expansion horizontally, in terms of product offering. With almost 2 new product lines and over 250 new designs added each year and vertically, with more retail doors in the offline, locally and internationally.
 
Do you have any plan to launch an IPO soon?
Ahujasons is a cash-rich company and currently not seeking the route.
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