Van Heusen, the premium lifestyle brand for professionals from Madura Fashion & Lifestyle portfolio, unveiled its first digitally immersive flagship store – Van Heusen Style Studio – in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar, on December 19.
The first of its kind in India, the 5,500 sq ft store is an attempt to address every apparel shopper’s pain points of finding the appropriate fit, size and style best suited to their personality.
On entry, the shopper sees a 42 inch, digital display called ‘Today’s Briefing’ that offers ‘look of the day,’ informs what’s new in-store, doles out styling tips and updates on new fashion trends.
Next to the display is the ‘Fit Scanner’ enclosure, where the shopper is scanned by an infrared device, after which, measurements are generated from the collar circumference, shoulder width, to the chest, bust, hip, waist, height; which are used to identify the right fit for shirts, trousers, dresses, etc.
Next, is the ‘Style Bar’ digital display that helps a shopper identify their style personality by answering a few questions and throwing up 20 different looks that match the shopper’s style.
Virtual trials Customers choose the style by category, colour, patterns, fabric, and move on to the full length ‘Virtual Trial Mirror’ where the shirts, tees or trousers selected, can be virtually previewed on themselves without stepping into a physical trial room. The store has a ‘Style Simulator’ room, where shoppers can try on outfits for the day/night/evening wear, with an option to create the right mood by turning on music that matches the occasion, for which the apparel is being bought.
When the customer gets to the billing counter, a 42-inch double screen completes the experience – one screen displays inspirational styles recommended by Van Heusen, while the other screen displays style guidance tips.
“We decided on Bengaluru first, because it is home to tech-savvy people, who are exposed to international fashions and are willing to experiment. We are not selling apparel here, we are selling looks – the entire ensemble from the shirt, tie, jacket, pocket square, cufflinks, shoes; and have displayed different looks for men, women and youth, all around the store,” Vinay A Bhopatkar, COO, Van Heusen & People, told BusinessLine .
“We worked with FITCH, Singapore and Experiential Design Lab, Delhi to develop this store from scratch over the last 18 months,” he added.
Customised fit delivery Style Studio has a ‘My Fit Station,’ where men have five ‘fit’ options for multiple body types as against the two fit options available today and women have three ‘fit’ options.
“Customers can choose the fit, fabric, style, look options and select. We will have it delivered to his home in 7 days for a premium of ₹300” said Bhopatkar.
Plans are on to roll out five Style Studios in the top metros over the next 12 months. Van Heusen has a pan-India presence across 280 stores in 120 cities.
Same-store sales grew at 3-4 per cent Year-on-Year and overall revenue is expected to grow 10 per cent to touch ₹1,100 crore this fiscal year.
“Style Studio allows us to offer a wider variety of price points and exclusive merchandise; We expect our average selling price to go up from ₹3,500 to ₹4,500 with Style Studio,” added Bhopatkar.