The risk is the possible loss in the integrity of the original brand and inability to hold on to core consumers.
I’ve been a fan of Fabindia for many years now — for their furnishing fabric, their clothes — and the odd knick-knack. So, when it was time to redo our curtains I decided to abandon our usual practice of tailored curtains for Fabind ia’s delightful ready-made drapes. As a for-profit with the mission of providing sustainable employment for Indian craftsmen, Fabindia has grown steadily since it was set up in 1960 – from an exporter of home furnishings, it now retails apparel, home furnishings, organic food and body care products.
Over the last fortnight I visited over six Fabindia shops — I was pleasantly surprised to find their outlets punctuating every other residential neighbourhood in the city. A few years ago, you had to trudge to Delhi or one of the solitary outlets in a few metros to get your fill of Fabindia products — today I am told there are over 86 outlets dotting the country — and more to come, I am sure. Their range of products has also widened. Apart from the typical apparel and furnishing items, each store now keeps an interesting variety of furniture — smart, contemporary designs fashioned from solid wood with quality craftsmanship. There is also a surprising entry into food products — muesli, herbs, salad dressings, brown rice – the few that I sampled were excellent in quality.
