Market
Launched in 1989, Louis Philippe offered the
Indian consumer the luxury of wearing shirts
which were as good as the very best in the
global context.
The shirts were made from the finest mill
made cotton fabrics in designs inspired by the
latest international trends. The shirts were
‘mitered’; lines making up stripes and checks
were all matched to perfection on all the
different parts of the garment – a first for the
Indian market. Side seams were double stitched
for reinforcement. The shirts used international
quality of trims, threads, imported interlining
(which did not bubble or lose shape even after
repeated washes) and imported buttons.
Embellished with the ‘Crest’ embroidered on the
cuff, the truly international shirts announced to
the world that you had ‘arrived’.
The launch coincided with the liberalisation
of the Indian economy and successfully created
the super-premium segment in the readymade
apparel industry.
Today, over 88 million shirts are sold in the
Indian market which is growing at a blistering
100% annually. The premium shirts segment
which has been growing at a more modest 15%
since 1997 has seen a slight decline in growth
rate after 2000 (Source: IMAGES – KSA
Technopak Study, 2002).
However, the potential for branded shirts
is huge as changing lifestyles and exposure to
Western trends has made Indian men more
fashion-conscious than
ever before.
Louis Philippe was
among the first brands
to introduce
international fashion
trends,
experiment
with
different
124 SUPERBRANDS
weaves in fabrics, offer seasonal collections and
establish a product portfolio to include trousers,
suits, blazers and accessories.
Fifteen years later the ‘Crest’ is prized
even more for its craftsmanship and attention
to detail.
Achievements
Louis Philippe created the super premium
readymade garments category in India. At
launch, its superbly crafted shirts in outstanding
designs were priced at 100% premium to the
market offerings. The tradition still continues
with The Gods and Kings Collection made from
the finest Italian fabrics.
Louis Philippe has always been the fashion
leader. Its collections whether Black & White
(the first in 1996) or Gods and Kings (Festival
Season 2003) have set the standards for
what the ‘well-dressed’ Indian male should
be seen in.
The brand has been at the forefront
of helping ‘up-grade’ the consumer by
stretching the price-value equation
and offering merchandise that
creates greater value either due to
functionality or design.
Today, the Louis Philippe
design studio is totally
integrated with the trends of
premium men’s fashion as
they evolve in Paris and
Milan – the fashion capitals
of the world.
Given the strength of
the brand and its history of
craftsmanship it comes as no
surprise that Louis Philippe
continues to be the number
one brand in the country.
Louis Philippe is also available
in the Middle East and
the SAARC
countries.
History
Louis Philippe draws its inspiration from the era
of King Louis Philippe of France, who for his
generosity of spirit and his appreciation of the
arts, was known as the Citizen King. Louis
Philippe, the brand, symbolises the elegance,
class and status of that era, while addressing the
needs of the style conscious contemporary
man. Louis Philippe is owned by Madura
Garments – a company adjudged ‘India’s Most
Admired Garments Company’ for three years
(2000, 2001 and 2003) at the Images Fashion
Awards, seen by many as the Indian fashion
industry’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Product
Louis Philippe straddles all the segments of the
clothing market.
Its shirts, made from the finest cotton fabrics
sourced from the best mills in India and abroad
in fine counts of 80s going up to 120s, offer the
finest dress shirts in the country. The designs
and colours are inspired by the latest trends in
France and Italy. To ensure that the fabric retains
its original colour and lustre, Louis Philippe
specifies the use of the finest cottons in the
world for its fabrics.
For its Gods and Kings Collection, Louis
Philippe imports superfine fabric made by the
Italian mill, Albini & Monti, arguably the makers
of the best cotton fabric in the world.
The Louis Philippe Permapress shirt is an
imported garment, made in the factories which
cater to some of the most premium brands
worldwide. The best cotton fabrics are treated
with liquid ammonia and resins and the fully
made up garment is then baked to give Louis
Philippe consumers ‘the best formal shirt’ which
remains creaseless and crisp right through out
the day even as it retains its soft handle. The
unique creaseless feature is such that even if the
fabric is crushed, its ‘memory’ ensures it returns
to its original shape.
Louis Philippe trousers – both premium
cotton and formals – are a worthy coordinate
to the distinguished Louis Philippe shirts.
Cotton trousers are available in the Khakis
and the Permapress ranges. The Permapress
range is made using 3-ply 80s yarn which makes
it extremely light weight and yet highly wrinkle
resistant. It is possibly the best cotton trouser
available in the market. Cotton trousers are also
available in the classic two-pleated fit and the
trendier flat front.
Louis Philippe’s formal trousers include a
wide variety of blends in solids, subtle designs
and textures. Their fit has been engineered(after
a very detailed anthromorphic study) to project
a slimmer silhouette with no
compromise on the comfort
factor. Trousers are made in an
absolutely state-of-the-art factory,
which has an obsession for
perfection.
At the very top end, Louis
Philippe offers trousers crafted in the finest
wool blends imported from Italy. These trousers
are made and given the ‘Permaset’ treatment
which ensures that the crease stays crisp
through out the day and imparts easy care
properties to the garment.
Suits complete the offerings in the Louis
Philippe men’s formal range. The company set
up a dedicated world-class facility to design and
manufacture this product in 2002 with Italian
expertise and fabrics sourced from the best
mills across the world. The philosophy behind
this facility was to replicate the quality and
finesse of bespoke tailoring in a mass
manufacturing set up. Such was the attention
paid to detail and quality that it was six months
before the first commercially acceptable piece
was churned out from the factory.
Louis Philippe suits blend impeccable style
with exquisite designs in the finest of fabrics to
give the consumer, arguably the best suit in the
market today. Each fabric undergoes the most
stringent tests before being deemed worthy of
the Louis Philippe label.
It is a testimony to the quality, fit and
style of the product that Louis Philippe was
able to capture 12% market share within
just three years of launch – making it the
second biggest player in this category
(Source: internal estimates).
The Louis Philippe range of T-shirts takes the
brand value even further. Starting with a range
of 2-ply 100% cotton T-shirts in Polo Pique, the
range also encompasses a 2-ply double
mercerised range of T-shirts.
In 2004, Louis Philippe introduced an
outstanding innovation in the Indian market –
the Z-shirt. The Z-shirt is a special kind of a
knitted shirt, using a unique fabric called Altima
in two layers. The product has superior moisture
and thermal control, super ventilation and
exceptional stretch qualities.
For winter wear Louis Philippe offers an
outstanding range of woollen blend sweaters
and stylish jackets. In 2003, Louis Philippe
launched an all-leather jacket, the first premium
brand to do so.
Not to leave the wardrobe incomplete,
Louis Philippe also offers a range of accessories
including ties, belts, cuff links and
socks.
Recent
Developments
Louis Philippe
has been taking
great strides in
establishing itself
as a lifestyle
wardrobe brand.
From a brand
which was known,
till a couple of
years ago, only for
its shirts it is today
also known for its
trousers, suits,
knitted wear,
jackets and accessories. A slate of lifestyle
accessories is all set to be launched. As a
precursor, Louis Philippe has cemented its
position in the semi-formal wardrobe category
with its range of ‘luxury linen’ in its Spring-
Summer 2004 collection.
The retail strategy for Louis Philippe is led by
the flagship showrooms which provide its
consumers an international retailing experience.
The flagship stores are located in Connaught
Place, Delhi; Brigade Road, Bangalore and at
Somajiguda, Hyderabad. More flagship stores are
planned in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.
The brand continues to be the leader in
departmental stores sales. The quality of retail is
further augmented by its presence in Madura
Garments’ retail chain – Planet Fashion.
Promotion
The launch campaign positioned Louis Philippe
as ‘signed designer wear’; the focus of this
campaign was on
promoting the
brand’s
exclusiveness and
the virtues of
premium quality.
The campaign
highlighting ‘The
making of the
perfect shirt’ had a
stellar impact on
the target audience.
The initial
promotion sought
to create an
association between
Louis Philippe the brand as an embroidered
signature logo on the shirt label and the ‘Crest’
on the right cuff.
Louis Philippe’s second generation promotion
aimed for a subtly altered position. The next
campaign conveyed that those who wore Louis
Philippe belonged to an exclusive club ‘The
Upper Crest’. The embroidered ‘Crest’ was
promoted as a visual mnemonic for the brand,
succinctly encapsulating the brand positioning
of being premium and exclusive. Starkly simple,
the campaign has run very successfully for
over a decade.
Today, the iconic ‘Crest’, by itself, provides
the wearer with the guarantee of being
well-dressed. Along with the promotional
line ‘The Upper Crest’, it has successfully
come to automatically connote the brand
and its values to discerning and aware
Indian consumers.
Since the brand is specifically targeted
at a very premium consumer segment – more
akin to ‘patrons’ – it has been using effective
consumer relationship initiatives to make the
communication more personalised. Using the
latest CRM techniques, driven by strategies
honed by information from the database of
established consumers, Louis Philippe seeks
to acquire new consumers and retain them
in ways that reinforce the sense of exclusivity
and distinction.
To this effect Louis Philippe uses campaigns
that enable it to establish and affirm deeply
personal bonds with people who use its
products, especially through below-the-line
promotions. Thus, the brand supports select and
refined cultural activities, such as theatre festivals
in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai. It has
successfully staged several premium Broadway
musicals for an elite, only-by-invitation, audience.
Brand Values
Louis Philippe is the leader in the fashionable
formal, official and semi-formal occasion wear.
The brand’s Franco-Italian lineage combined
with its focus on contemporary international
fashion gives it an indisputable premium and
exclusive image. The focus on luxury and the
detailed craftsmanship of every garment
ensures that each Louis Philippe garment
owner belongs to ‘The Upper Crest’.
www.louisphilippe.com
THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
Louis Philippe
Louis Philippe created the super premium
segment for the men’s ready made garment
category in India.
For fabrics used in its shirts, Louis Philippe
specifies the use of only Suvin, Egyptian or Pima
cotton.
The Louis Philippe ‘Permapress’ range of shirts
is the first 100% wrinkle-free shirt made from
Japanese fabrics which have a soft handle and
retain the crisp, freshly ironed look through out
the day.
Permawhite ‘the best white formal shirt’
introduced taped seams to garments in India.
Taped seams ensure that the shirt is absolutely
‘pucker’ free.
The brand has the distinction of innovating the
first ever ‘left handers’ shirt in India – perhaps,
in the world.
Louis Philippe became the first brand to offer
exclusive made-to-measure suits to consumers.
Louis Philippe completed seventeen years in
India on 18th February 2006.
SUPERBRANDS 125