Arvind group forays into e-com with custom clothing portal Creyate.com; how is it different?

Arvind Internet Ltd (AIL), the digital arm of textile and apparels company Arvind Ltd, has forayed into the e-commerce space with the launch of a custom clothing portal Creyate.com. With a clutter-free user interface (UI), the site enables users to design their garments and then schedule a home visit by the company's 'style stewards'. Apart from taking the customers' measurements, these style stewards also give them style advice and complete wardrobe solutions.

The garments are then made as per exact fit of the customer and delivered at their doorsteps. For instance, a user can personalise his shirt with fabrics, styles, components, accents, and monograms, etc. He can also get his signature printed on the shirt. Users can also create garments on a 3D visualisation engine.

"We are all set to be a leading consumer lifestyle player in the digital space by engaging in several business models that can be scaled globally. Arvind sees e-commerce as a key growth driver for the group and we aim to be Rs 1,000 crore-plus business in the next three years," said Kulin Lalbhai, executive director of Arvind Ltd.

In addition to Arvind's own premium range of fabrics, Creyate also has a curated collection of fabrics from Italian mills. The group has also built an automated manufacturing setup for the e-commerce business to make customised garments as per customers' choice and measurements.

Called Creyate Stores, they are more like a design studio, with iMacs installed in the centre for designing garments, and swatch books available for touch & feel of fabrics. Users can also walk over to the garment, scan the QR code, and the same garment will appear on screen- ready to be worked upon as per the individual's choice.

Creyate, which is already running offline stores in Bangalore, Delhi and Ahmedabad, is planning to expand it to 15 cities within the next year.

Arvind Limited has a portfolio of owned and licensed brands and retail formats. The company's own brands include Flying Machine, Colt, Ruggers and Excalibur, etc., while its licensed product brands have big global names like Arrow, Gant, Izod, Elle, Cherokee, and US Polo Assn. The company also runs retail brands like Megamart, The Arvind Store, Club America, Next and Debenhams, and has a joint venture in India with global fashion major Tommy Hilfiger.

The group is also planning to take Creyate to global consumers next year, starting with the US market, where online custom clothing is a large and thriving market. Another player operating in the custom-made garments is Bombay Shirt Company, which recently raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding from Patni siblings Arihant and Amit Patni.