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Bengaluru, India
Press Release 22 November 2018
Bengaluru the city of choice for inaugural edition of Apparel Sourcing Week 2019
| Bengaluru, once known as the garden city of India, has now become the Silicon Valley of the India with almost every IT company in the world setting up a development centre in the city. This new Bengaluru is now home to a huge population of young professionals that have the extra buck to spend and are also brand-conscious. No wonder, the city is also the biggest seat for sourcing offices of major Indian and international retailers. |
| When choosing the best venue for Apparel Sourcing Week 2019, the dilemma was selecting between the national capital - Delhi, commercial capital - Mumbai and the thriving city of professionals Bengaluru. While Delhi as the seat of power of the country has the best infrastructure and Mumbai has the glamour of Bollywood, Indian retail has primarily thrived in Bengaluru - making it a preferred choice for a sourcing event. |
| Bengaluru has long been familiar with organised retail, which started in the city with the launch of the first Nilgiris store at Brigade Road dating as far back as 1935. Over time, Bengaluru has become the testing ground for all major retailers. Apart from its diverse demographics, retail executives say the city has a large white-collar workforce and tech-savvy consumers open to new ideas. With Bengaluru being India’s tech and start-up hub, it becomes even more easier to hire tech talent. |
| Retail is also one of the main entertainment outlets for the city. The largely migrant population imply that there are a greater number of nuclear families here, and that has also led to an increase in the propensity to step out even after work on weekdays to hang out, wine, dine and shop. This is why the city has the highest penetration rate in terms of modern retail. |
| According to retail analysts, Bengaluru has an eclectic mix of consumers, a wide variety of choices and preferences that serve as great insights into the consumer behaviour in the retail and fashion industry. The city is the hub for retail fashion in India and all international and Indian brands have made their way into the city. Undoubtedly, the city presents itself as an interesting market for consumer analysis, particularly for the youth segment who are open to new concepts, innovations and fast fashion. |
| As if that weren’t enough, a recent study by real estate consultancy JLL claims that in the next three years, some four million square feet of mall supply is expected to flood Bengaluru’s retail landscape as a raft of new destinations opens their doors to the city’s residents and visitors. “We have had a long association with Bengaluru,” says J Suresh, CEO of Arvind Brands, with brands ranging from homespun offerings such as Flying Machine and Ruff n Tuff to iconic labels like Lee, Wrangler and Gap in its portfolio. “The city is a good base across our businesses—we have people willing to buy entry-level denim and ready to splurge on premium labels too." |
| This thriving retail environment has also resulted in the city becoming the base for many retail offices, with the buying and sourcing teams getting a first-hand feel of what the consumers want. Headquarters of Reliance, Future Group and Trends may be in Mumbai, but their sourcing offices are in Bengaluru. Similarly, sourcing teams of Arvind Brands, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, H&M, Lifestyle, Max, to name a few, are placed in the city. |
| Could any other city better justify as the preferred destination for the inaugural edition of Apparel Sourcing Week |
About Apparel Sourcing Week 2023
Apparel Sourcing Week 2023, a three-day 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.
About the Organiser
Apparel Resources is well known for its benchmark publications – Apparel Online, FashTech Journal and Resource Guide published from India, Bangladesh and 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