The Telegraph November 19, 2004,Mumbai

Designer wear and Tiretta Bazar may not be phrases usually used in the same sentence, but after Thursday, this apparent oxymoron has become a reality, with the pret-a-porter brand Be: opening its second store in Calcutta at the revamped Raymond store at Poddar Court.

This is Be:’s only presence inside a store belonging to its parent company. It is not a wonder that the exception was made, given that this unlikely Raymond outlet is the single largest selling point for the company across the country.

The move has been a calculated one, with a collection tailored to suit the tastes of the clientele at the north Calcutta store. So ethnics rule the racks and the stress is on men’s wear. “Most Be: stores have around 65 per cent women’s wear. Here, around 50 per cent of the stock is dedicated to men’s wear. This is in keeping with more traditional, up-country client base,” explained Aniruddha Deshmukh, president, Be:, just before mayor Subrata Mukherjee cut the inaugural ribbon.

While there are some short skirts and tops (picture by Rashbehari Das), there are more kameez sets, kurtis and long skirts in the women’s section, as well as footwear and bags. Men’s wear includes trousers, shirts and kurtis. “Our buyers are mainly men, but most of them come along with women, specially during the marriage season,” said owner Sidhartha Pansari. “Rather than have them go elsewhere for designer wear, why not give them an option here?”

“There is a complete change in the attitude of the customer. Calcutta used to be a very conservative market, but there is a major shift,” observed Nabankur Gupta, Raymond group president and whole-time director. With borrowing becoming acceptable and credit cards catching on, the company is looking at “West Bengal and Calcutta very positively”. Renovations at Poddar Court, Brabourne Road and Howrah stores aside, three new showrooms have come up at Salt Lake, Camac Street and Park Street. “Puja and Diwali numbers have reconfirmed our investment,” added Gupta.

Though fabric is currently 80 per cent of the 80-year-old brand’s business, readymades are where the rapid growth will be.

At the Poddar Court branch, too, suitings far outsell stitched garments. But even here, the Pansaris expect this to change. “Expansion has allowed us to give the various brands their own identity, with over 10,000 sq ft floor space at our disposal,” said Pansari.

So while Color Plus has a bright splash on the second floor of the outlet, Manzoni, the high-end range, has a more conservative woody backdrop. The ground floor is dedicated to cloth — again, divided into various price brackets — and spacious tailoring area and fitting rooms.