The new look
The new look

Parx from the house of Raymond has created a new brand identity. In an interaction with Gunjan Piplani of Indianretailer.com, Shreyas Joshi, President – Raymond Apparel shares the detail of the changeover. 

 
Gunjan Piplani (GP): Parx, the premium casual wear brand has recently had a new identity. What is the aim behind the change?
Shreyas Joshi (SJ): The aim behind the brand identity change of Parx was to be more relevant to the new emerging India's aspiring youth who are embracing fashion and yet have roots in the cultural richness of the country. Bringing this idea to life, Parx endorses the philosophy of “Live easy” and dressing up for life across occasions. The vibrant colours used in the new Parx logo relate the different facets of youth’s energetic life. Hence there is no fixed colour for the brand logo and the placement on the communication is also free flowing. 
 
GP: What kind of changes will we see in the brand? 
SJ: Parx to stay relevant to the dynamic youth of today introduced its new brand identity. This change has been implemented across all consumer touch points from logo, tagline, retail to apparel. The attributes of the brand are now more edgy, colourful and fun.
 
The new logo is now adapted in vibrant colours to connect with gen-next. The brand also changed its tagline from Catch up with Life to Live Easy keeping in mind the changing attitude of today’s youth. The old theory of maintaining a balance between work and life is fading away with time and the new mantra of living life is to enjoy it to the fullest. The new tag line “'ive Easy' reflects the attitude of relaxation, playfulness and carefree spirit. The brand mnemonic i.e. 'Stag' represents this attitude.
 
New product line has been launched keeping the merchandise more trendy for the fashion conscious youth. In context to connect with the changing youth of today, the brand also launched its new retail identity “Parx House” reflecting the ‘Live Easy’ quotient. The exclusive store has been re-designed by JGA, an International Design Firm, thus, offering customers a better shopping experience. Every minute detailing at Parx House, including store design, product display and visual touch has been enhanced to connect with the gen-next youth of today. The new retail identity is a harbinger of success embellished with creative visual impact for offering a superior shopping experience. The ambience of the entire store lives up to the expectation of the brand tagline 'Live Easy.'
 
GP: What relevance does the new logo has?
SJ: The new logo has been developed keeping in mind the evolving youth who believes in living life for the moment. The current mnemonic, a free-spirited leaping stag, stands for freedom, energy, life and happiness. The brand communication ‘live easy’ brings out the fact that, to enjoy every moment fully, all it takes is an open mind and a casual outlook.
 
GP: Will there be a change in collections and designs?
SJ: The change had already begun in 2011 and will continue evolving with every season to keep pace with the ever changing fashion scenario. The merchandise is now more edgy and fun.
 
GP: Will the identity change be bringing about change in Parx stores, in the way they look and are designed?
SJ: Yes, Parx stores are redesigned to give it a feel of a House where each section reflects a certain mood. 
 
The foyer area has been designed to house the newest trend collections seasonally. The products are arranged in asymmetrical wall formats layered with and styled to reflect compelling outfitting options that are available within that wall presentation. The Den showcases the extensive woven shirt collection and the more tailored portion of the assortment. The lounge highlights the full basic denim assortment utilizing full height of walls, floor fixtures, and mannequins. The store enhances the shopping experience with its simple design giving it a classic look, aligned to the tastes of the modern youth of today.
 
GP: What kind of in store activities and marketing strategies will be applied to ensure that the identity change is well taken by consumers?
SJ: We believe that the store itself serves as a communication tool. The merchandise on offer and the atmosphere gives the customer a brand experience which communicates more than regular advertising. So our marketing strategy is focusing on getting new customers to the store and giving them a feel of this experience.
 
Our core target audience is youth. Since the modern generation youth is more tech-savvy so we will be focusing on digital marketing activations.
 
GP: How many standalone Parx stores are there in India and how many multi-brand stores? Do you plan to expand this presence? If yes then what are the targeted numbers?
SJ: Currently we have 27 stand-alone stores and are present in over 250 MBOs. 
 
We plan to expand our Exclusive Store presence to 36 by end of this financial year. Our expansion in MBOs will also be a focus area.
 
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