IndiaRetailBiz

“We plan to have an all-India presence through our upcoming brands. Our immediate investment will be funded through internal accruals and banks, but going forward, we will think of private equity or IPO around 2010.” – Kailash Gupta, Managing Director, Liverpool Retail India.

Liverpool Retail, an Ahmedabad-based garments and fashion accessories company, which already operates an apparels retail chain under the brand name of “Liverpool,” claims to have made a world record, when it launched 151 retail stores for another apparel brand called “BARCELONA.” Interestingly, all the stores were launched on the same day and at the same time across the country.

In fact the achievement has already been included in the Limca Book of Records, according to Limca’s representatives who were present on the occasion.

While, ‘Liverpool’ brand of apparel cater to the premium segment, ’Barcelona’, brand of clothes cater to the needs of mid-income customers. Barcelona clothes for men and women would be priced between Rs 400 and Rs 2000.

Liverpool Retail India has decided to invest Rs 500 crore with a view to become the top garment retailer of the country. This investment to be made over a period of next two years, would take the number of Liverpool’s stores to 600 stores by March 2009 and 1000 stores by March 2010. A part of the investment will also go into creation of new manufacturing capacities and adding new brands to the range.

Liverpool is also planning to enter the children’s apparel category.

The company is planning to open a chain of designer boutique stores that will cater to the needs of designer clothes for premium customers. To create such clothes it will seek help of some of the major designers in the country.

To mark the occasion, Liverpool also organised a fashion show at Ahmedabad. The show was led by the famous Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta.