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Kewal Kiran Clothing Ltd.
brand story
These two facts comprise the most
challenging and exciting aspects of
Kewal Kiran Clothing Ltd.’s busi-
ness. Having spent over three dec-
ades in this industry, the company
realises that there is a singular asset
that connects both – the ability to
address challenges and to realise op-
portunities.
KKCL’s inspiration to be present
in the business of fashion apparel
was a realization that no indigenous
brand enjoyed the kind of goodwill
and equity that many inter-
national names did. The first
milestone was reached when
Killer was launched in 1989,
which was subsequently em-
braced by customers in India
and abroad. This was fol-
lowed by the launch of a se-
ries of brands that helped the
company emerge among the
few large branded apparel
manufacturers in India.
KKCL, started by Mr. Ke-
walchand P. Jain, now its
Chairman and Managing Di-
rector, is an integrated Indian
branded apparel company.
Over a span of three decades,
the company has integrated
capabilities to include the de-
sign, manufacture, brand and
retail of branded readymades
and lifestyle accessories for
the youth.
When the company com-
menced its operations in
1980, the fashion aspiring
Indian youth waited for the yearly
visit of relatives from abroad to
bring home a token of last season’s
fashion. With liberalisation opening
up markets in the 1990s, a flurry of
Western brands came to India. But
India wasn’t fashion forward yet.
Despite an opportune segment, the
Indian organised sector was too con-
servative to introduce Western wear
aggressively. One of the first items
of desire being jeans, KKCL took
the plunge with Killer towards the
Fashion is the one busi-
ness in which there is
nothing called a standard
product. Collections go
out of fashion faster than
they come in. On the other
side, it can be argued that
something new will always
be in demand.
Mr. Kewalchand P. Jain
By K. Gopalakrishnan
134
|
The Textile Magazine
DECEMBER 2011