Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder and true success is measured by what others have to say! |
As organiser of ASW ’19, the first-of-its-kind sourcing event for the South East Asia region, held in March 2019, Apparel Resources has tasted success. And it is not the team which is claiming so but the exhibitors and visitors who went home content, looking forward to the next edition in 2020 with enthusiasm. As the organiser starts preparation for the next show, the benchmark has been set very high and Apparel Resources is committed not only to match the benchmark, but also to raise the bar. |
The biggest appreciation came from the fact that ASW ’19 lived up to the expectations built. “I have been to globally renowned sourcing fairs like Bread & Butter, ISPO and Magic but never witnessed such an organised and well-managed show before… In terms of business leads, ASW lived up to my expectations,” said Abdul Wadud, Director of Team Scl Bangladesh, one of the participants at the show. His views were corroborated by many other exhibitors. “We are quite happy with ASW as we met few very good and big retailers. They were impressed with our collections and wished to start sourcing from us soon. I must say Apparel Resources should organise such events in other countries as well so that we can meet more global retailers to get bulk orders,” added Md. Sajjadur Rahman, Director, Laila Styles Limited. |
The enthusiasm was equally evident amongst the visitors. “This is the first edition of Apparel Sourcing Week, a really eventful show in the history of Indian fashion and retail industry. It was an absolutely organised event and we got so much of real, constructive, interactive sessions with all the industry experts and platforms regarding the future of retail, the future of the organisations that we should be leading, and the ‘do how’s’ and the ‘know how’s’ of where the world is moving in terms of opportunity. I must say that it was one of the best events I have ever attended,” said a very satisfied Yogita Sali, Head-Product Development and Quality, Raymond Ltd., who had flown down from Mumbai to specially attend the show. |
Even those buyers who were already working with Bangladesh, the partner country for the event, found value in the concept of ASW as it is not always possible to understand the full potential of any manufacturing base by working with few companies. “I am impressed with the collection displayed by Bangladeshi garment manufacturers and will try to focus more on sourcing from Bangladesh in the future,” maintained Bipan Jain, MD of Madame Apparels (which has more than 150 stores in India). |
Reliance Trends that has a buying office in Bangladesh held a vendor session, which as expected, found a full house. Rajesh Lalla, VP Sourcing-Reliance Trends, was not only happy with the turnout at the session but was very impressed with the quality of exhibitors as top exporters were participating, not to forget the variety of product categories that were on display. . |
The big boys of retail also appreciated the platform, even as new retail set-ups understood the potential. “Apparel Sourcing Week is the best platform for us to connect with the right people and learn more about sourcing from south-east Asian countries, especially Bangladesh,” averred Rahul Ranjan Chaudhary, Head Product Development and Innovation, Future Lifestyle Fashions Ltd., Bengaluru. Added Hariom Shah, Head – Menswear, Spoyl, “Apparel Sourcing Week is the perfect platform for online players like us, as it will enable us to meet with prospective retail brands who are willing to sell their merchandise via Spoyl, and it will also help us expand our vendor base for product categories such as menswear casuals which is minimal at present.. |
The international buyers were very impressed with the effort to make the event an experience that many of the visitors are looking to re-live. “I must say that there was a finesse in the entire programme that one does not see at most events! Congrats and best wishes for the future. The event was of value to its participants and visitors and we would like to contribute in the future to your endeavours for the industry,” said Venky Nagan, CEO Asmara. The Country Manager of The Warehouse Group, Anika Passi and her team were able to connect with some new companies in Bangladesh, which happens to be their major sourcing destination for apparel. |
Among the biggest demands for the next season, was a request to have more Indian vendors and other south-east Asian countries like Hong Kong, China, Vietnam because most of the retail brands work with these countries. An evident interest was also visible in seeing options in trims and fabrics, etc. The organisers have taken note of this and there are many surprises that the industry can expect at the next event! |
Apparel Sourcing Week 2024, a two-days Sourcing Show not only provides the Asian manufacturers a platform to showcase their products & manufacturing capabilities to the Brands & Retailers from all over the world including India, but also extends them a chance to attend the multiple seminars (headed by industry experts), workshops, open-house discussions and networking opportunities organised during these three days, which would help the manufacturers get a better understanding of Indian and International Retail and evolving dynamics of sourcing in various markets and retail formats.
Apparel Resources is well known for its benchmark publications – Apparel Online, StitchWorld and Resource Guide published from India, Bangladesh & Vietnam. These publications have been around in the industry for over 35 years, supporting, guiding and standing by garment exporters and the retail industry globally, providing them a platform to source better.