Customized Couture

Abstract: There are many online shopping platforms for women clothing available to the masses in
India but owing to the customer demand for the traditional wear in a country like ours the clothing
options on the pre-existing online brands come to a standstill. The traditional Indian clothing for
women viz. Saris, Lehengas, Suits, Chania Cholis etc require proper customization according to
customer demand which the online platforms are unable to provide at this point of time. The
measurements for clothes makes the task challenging for any online platform and hence the limited
venturing into this market as we have seen.

• The domestic online fashion market is estimated to reach $12-$14 bn level by 2020,
according to a new report
• Currently menswear is the biggest segment of the domestic market with 43% share of the
total pie, while women wear constitutes 38%
• By 2020, women’s wear would reach 43% compared to 37% of menswear

There is a need for a platform where, the Women can customize their outfits as they see fit which
will add to the uniqueness of their wardrobes. Our venture can tap the potential of Customized
Clothing which the other online fashion sites have not been into. This gives us an edge over other
competitors as the customization of outfits will be the USP of our brand. The fear of measurements
in the retail clothing will also be taken care of.
 IDEA
Customised Couture is a website/mobile application with the idea of customization of clothing
according to customer needs and demands at its centre. The company will mostly target women
from different economic classes by providing a range of cloth material and patterns to choose from.
The motivation behind choosing this particular sector was the dissatisfaction observed in the women
customers when they shopped for clothing online. As seen from a recent survey that approximately
40% of the returns which occur are due to issues with size and measurement of the clothes. Also,
many women can't afford expensive dream dresses in showcase. The mission & vision of our business is to provide
high-end custom-made dresses in every style and budget.

HOW THE IDEA WOULD WORK

There will be a website/mobile application where the customers will get the option to either choose from our range
of designs and fabrics or can come up with their own design ideas. We will be hiring some fashion designers with
good industry experience who will be handling the designing part. The designers will also suggest customers with
designs matching their preference. The customer will then have a varied range of designs to choose from. On our
portal there will be an option of choosing your preferred fabric.
On the size and measurement front we will be offering two services

 Visit by a company tailor for Measurements

 Fill up a form on our portal giving all the measurements
We will be outsourcing the tailor services for different cities.
The customer will be asked to make an online advance payment of 50% of total cost after confirming the
design and fabric for the dress. The dress will then go for stitching once the payment is received.
We will be sending one of our company member along with a tailor to the customers residence for the final
fitting of the dress. After the customer’s satisfaction with the dress they need to make the rest of the payment.
Once the whole payment is received from the customer end we’ll be delivering the dress.
A customer feedback option will be there on the web portal for reviews and suggestions to help us improve
our functioning.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Online shopping is predicted to grow continuously to $370 billion in 2017. With the Internet penetration in
Indian market coming close to 450 million the scope the scope for online shopping also improves side by
side. The fashion market in India is estimated at $70 billion in 2016 out of which ~ 7-9% is influenced by
digital modes. This is expected to rise to ~30 billion which will be equivalent to 60-70% of the total branded
apparel market.
In the next few years the online purchase for fashion category is estimated to grow by *4 to reach$12-$14
billion by 2020.The number of online shoppers will double from $55 million-60 million today to $130-135
million by 2020. 33% of the buyers for urban fashion shopping would come from online modes.
 PESTEL ANALYSIS FOR CUSTOMISED COUTURE

POLITICAL: With the Indian government pushing for FDI, it could have major impact on small scale industries
and start-ups. This could lead to implications in acquiring initial market share and business development for
customised couture. Also, with GST being introduced into the Indian economic system, Customised Couture
would have to levy 18% GST on its items which could to lead to higher prices and low customer retention
rate. Also 5% GST on fabric has been introduced, which increase the cost of production of clothes
ECONOMIC: Recent trends have shown higher disposable incomes with middle and upper middle classes.
This has led to higher buying capacity. Also, customers prefer to buy designer customised dresses more
these days.
SOCIO-CULTURAL: Rising fitting issues for women and rising support for Indian products can work in favour
of Customised Couture. Also, awareness about latest trends and fast fashion among targeted audiences
favours customised couture.
TECHNOLOGY: Innovation in cloth stitching could be ideal. 3-D printed dresses could revolutionise
customised designer sector. However, a lot of advancements in technology is still required in this sector.
Innovative designs, fabric prints and digital printing is forte of Customised Couture. ERP systems and
improved supply chain system will also be driven through ERP.
ENVIRONMENT: Customised couture shall also keep in check with its carbon footprints. Proper
decomposition of clothing chemicals, green manufacturing unit and proper waste treatment shall be taken
care of.
LEGAL: Legal scenario for Customised Couture faces issues like getting cumbersome approvals and
gruelling formalities from sluggish government offices. Approvals for manufacturing facility, machinery,
industrial hazards are required. Labour laws are to be followed while hiring. Incorporating GST is a must as
otherwise it may lead to legal consequences for the firm.
 PORTER’S MODEL FOR CUSTOMISED COUTURE

FIRM- Customised Couture

COMPETITORS- Manyavar, Meena Bazar, Runway, Local Fashion stores, Boutiques, Online customization
portals like Runwayfashion.in, glitstreet.com etc. are few of our competitors who are offering similar services
SUBSTITUTES- Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Jabong, Kroovs, Limeroad etc are the substitutes for the online
shopping for clothes segment.
NEW MARKET ENTRANTS- Tata, Lifestyle are expected to make a start in this field with their online
shopping portals replicating the customer base from the offline sources.
SUPPLIER- Variety of suppliers for raw material are available in the market thereby reducing there impact
on the company pricing and profits. Large number of indian workforce is involved in textile business
approximately 100 -150 million hence the suppliers would not be a problem.
CUSTOMER- Competitors are available in the market (online as well as offline) thereby making our control
over them difficult. So continuously competitive standards have to be maintained with reference to the
competitors.
 CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS
Taking into account market research available beforehand as well as conducting our own primary reseach
we have observed that
• Liking for ethnic wear in women segment is 26-28% in 2016, and estimated to rise to 30-32% by 2020
(Source: Livemint)
• Trend of buyers is inclined online fashion shopping
• Price is one factor which tends to break the desire for designer clothes in women segment
• As per our survey conducted on a sample set of 84 women, 72.4% prefer online shopping but are
facing size issues

FINDINGS FROM PRIMARY RESEARCH

We have conducted a primary research of 84 people asking them Questions about the apparel segment and
to understand the customer behaviour
1. We asked about If it would be good if an option for Customization was there?
We got this response wherein 90% said Yes.
2. We asked if they would prefer going to a boutique or an Online purchase?
We got a response of 66.7% wanting an Online purchase.

3. We asked about reasons for their dissatisfaction from their last online purchase?
We got a response in which 93.4% stated quality and size issues in the options available right now in
the market for their dissatisfaction
 SEGMENTATION

• Gender – Male/Female
•Age: 8-18 ; 19-26 ; 27-35 ; 36-45 ; 46-55
Demographic
Segmentation •Income: lower class; middle class; upper middle class; upper class

•Regions: North; East; West; South

Geographic •Density: Urban; Rural
Segmentation

•Attitude towards product

Psychographic •Lifestyle : Sports; Desk Job; Commuter; Sedentary
Segmentation

•Occasions- Targeting special occasions and festivals

•Needs and benefits: Quality of Fabric and Stitching; Designs; Customization
Behavioral
Segmentation •Loyalty status: Hard-Core Loyal; Shifting loyal; Switchers

We have tried to segment the market on the basis of Gender, Geography, Income group, Delivery urgency,
Age, Needs and benefits, fashion preferences. Taking these segments individually we define

1. DEMOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION: We segment the market on the basis of what characteristics our
consumer should be having. The segmentation is on
 Gender: We as a company have decided to capture Females as a market as 59% of the online
shopping was done by females. According to the founder of Myntra women are pegged to
produce 50-55% of sales. Women have the confidence to buy online which is much more as
compared to men who count on the feeling of touch to
 Age: The target age of our Business idea is between 18-55 years. The trend for shopping
mostly develops in the young age so including these people will help add more value to our
firm. It has been observed that in 2016 73% of the online fashion shopping was done by the
age group of 18-35 years. The share of this segment is expected to come down to 66% in
2020 which is still sizeable. The share for 35+ age groups has been pegged to increase from
27% in 2016 to 37% in 2020. These segments is thus are major targets because of their
sizeable presence.
 Income: The income plays a major role as a characteristic for people in our segment. The
company is trying to capture Middle class and upper class. The major increase in the
disposable incomes of the middle classes by ~13% is seen to be an added motivation.
 Life stage: Effective segmentation is done by identifying what frame of mind our customers
are in their lives. So if someone is going to get married we would be targeting the bridal market.
The other lifecycle for us would be Pregnancy during which women need loose fittings.
 Generation: The Segmentation is between Gen Y, Gen X, Baby Boomers. Gen Y being the
young people born from 1977 and 1994. Gen Y are those between 1966 and 1978. Baby
Boomers are those born before 1977. The offerings to all these segments would be different
like Gen Y would be given options less in Traditional and more in Indo Western. Gen Y and
Baby Boomers prefer more in traditional and Ethnic wear with limited Indo Western demand.
2. GEOGRAPHY SEGMENTATION: We have decided to target tier 1 and tier 2 cities as they are the
ones with the highest earning demography and the fashion needs which are trendy and are ready to
try different products. According to market data 60%of the data traffic for designer wear comes from
tier 1 and the rest from tier 2&3 cities. This traffic is expected to come down to 48% and the traffic for
tier 2 & 3 cities is expected to increase from 40% to 52% by 2020.

3. PSYCHOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION: We divide the market on the basis of what the customers
have in mind like do they keep culture or sports or outdoor activities or General office wear in mind.
We can think of targeting the Culture, Office goers, and casual wear people in mind.

4. BEHAVIOURAL SEGMENTATION: We divide based on their knowledge of, attitude toward, use of,
or response to a product.
 Decision Roles: It is the power which the individual wields while deciding for the purchase of
the product. We are going to target the user of the final product who may influence the repeat
or potential customers. Here Women and their friends have a role to play by recommending
them designs as they will help spread awareness.
 The Usage related: How much customers would be using the product and how much often.
Our company would use the occasions in Indian households when most of the cloth shopping
occurs like Weddings, Festivals etc where we would be present. These auspicious occasions
would entice women to go for traditional customized wear shopping where our targeting would
be. We would also use the user status of the potential customers who are not much happy
with what they are getting online or offline.
 Needs and benefits: We have tries to segment our customers on the basis of needs by
introducing segments like Enthusiasts, Image Seekers, Savvy shoppers, Traditionalist etc.
 Loyalty Status: We are knowing that there are four types of customers possible in the market
on the basis of the brand they use i.e. Hardcore Loyals, Split Loyals, Shifting Loyals,
Switchers. These segments need to be considered when attracting customers to use our
product.
 TARGET SEGMENTS
DEMOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION
We will be targeting Females in the age group of 18-35, 36-45, 46-55 years age group. The income groups
would include the Middle and upper class. As we know that by 2020, 50% of all online shopping would be
done by females thus the targeting of women as a target is justified. The Age group of 18-35 contributes
approximately 73% traffic of online shopping and hence should be extensively targeted by us. An additional
motivation for 18-35 age group is they are high on latest trends and are motivated into buying because of
availability of latest trends. Income wise these segments present the most opportunity as they are in the
working ages and with more disposable incomes making them suitable for purchases.
GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION:
We are targeting the northern part of India at this point of time. An additional segmentation is the selection of
tier 1 and 2 cities is introduced as according to survey 60% of the traffic for online shopping is directed from
the Tier 1 cities and 40% from combined Tier 2 and 3 cities. Venturing into the Tier 3 cities would be done in
the next phase of expansion.
PSYCHOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION:
We are inclined to serve the Segment with culture on their minds. These segment is with the need for more
of traditional and ethnic options which are in less supply in the market. Because the requirement for
customization is also the most in these wears and competition is limited in this field, targeting them would
also play to our benefit. The other segments include Office and Casual wear focused segments as they are
inclined to options in Indo Western Options which would be supplied by our company.

BEHAVIOUR SEGMENTATION:
Women in most of the households are the key decision makers and hence targeting them directly gives a
direct advantage to the purchase of our product. The usage at Festivals and Marriages would be our major
targets as much money is spend on Wedding clothes and Festive Wear. The Office usage is also another
target base. The people interested in making a statement about their status is another target as we would be
offering premium need fulfilling designs. We would be targeting Image Seekers, Enthusiasts and Savvy
Shoppers on the basis of needs and benefits they seek. This would help us remain associated with a set of
customers highly involved in purchasing, approximately 47% in total. The loyalty status of Split loyals, Shifting
Loyals, Switchers can be influenced by targeting their needs hence they would be our focus when forming
our customer base.
From our Primary Research we have observed that customers are not happy with the Quality of dresses
available as well as the size of the Dresses available in the Online Segment. Thus this is a major target for
us to provide these unsatisfied customers with the proper Quality with proper customizations for their size
and measurement needs.
 POSITIONING

Customised Couture has the brand mantra Design.Customise.Deliver which drives the firm in continuously
improving, innovating and optimising to successfully cater to the needs of its customers. Customised Couture
aspires to be the market leader in catering needs of its customer by providing customised designer wear.
The points of parity include affordable pricing, delivering in 7-10 days and adjusting to trendy, runaway styles
and also working on the concept of Fast Fashion.
What separates Customised Couture from the rest is that we provide customised clothes to the best fit at
revolutionary prices. We have extensive range of designs and the most creative fashion designers as our
assets. Our door to door delivery and stitching quality is premium and the best in the industry. The quality of
fabric we use is unmatched. Also we have collaborations with a lot of Fashion Bloggers which helps us to
increase our outreach and influence Fashion preferences and customer response to our products
Customised couture also focuses on cultural and emotional branding. Focusing our sales around events and
festivals helps us promote our brand well and cater to targeted audiences. We also try to connect to our
customers in an empathic manner, thus helping us to cater their needs in a better way. We try to promote
Customised Couture as a brand that can provide clothes for special occasions like maternity wear, pre-
wedding shoots, festivals so that our customers can celebrate their special moments without have to think
what to wear.
We try to promote Make in India and the concept of Indianism. Our Values lie in designing traditional outfit
for women and embracing traditional look for women. We try to create a visual identity through Logos and
Social Media Presence. Our social media strategy also involved around connecting with people directly and
continuously posting their testimonials through videos on Instagram, facebook and other social media
platforms.