Menswear brand Turtle is revamping itself to appeal to a younger audience.
The brand is working with a UK-based design house, which is advising it on design and promotion. Changes will be felt both in its products and retail environment from August onwards.
“Currently our brand appeals to 25-35-year-olds. We want to bring 20-25-year-olds into the fold. Today the average age of our shopper is 28 years. We want to bring it down to 24,” says Mr Amit Ladsaria, Director, Turtle, which describes itself as a mid-market “lifestyle” brand which is neither formal nor casual.
“Over 50 per cent of the Indian population today is young. They have the money to spend and are also prone to spending. Moreover, our last revamp was done 10 years ago. Markets today are more dynamic than before, calling for a brand refresh.”
Today, Turtle products are more on the “orthodox” side. They will get younger, more stylish and fashionable, promises Mr Ladsaria. Future group holds a minority stake in Turtle.
For instance, a chunk of Turtle's shirts are single-pocket shirts without any styling. “We could do shirts without pockets. We will also come out with double-cuff shirts and Chinese cut shirts.” There will also be more slim fits, smaller softer collars and complete wardrobe solutions which appeal to the youth.
Turtle stores will have “trendy” interiors and fit-outs. The brand logo will also sport a new look and font.
Turtle will tap the print and social media to communicate its new look. A television commercial is also on the cards.
Does this mean the brand is shunning the older audience? “While a new audience will come in, the older men will also buy into Turtle as we will continue to sell traditional products for them. Besides, the 35-year-olds today look to the younger crowd for fashion tips. It is not uncommon to see a 40-year-old wearing round neck tees at the multiplex,” says Mr Ladsaria.
Turtle, which is growing at 35-40 per cent, expects to clock retail revenue of Rs 130 crore this year.
The brand is priced between Rs 995 and Rs 1,295. It is available through 54 exclusive boutiques, 100 shop-in-shops and other multi-brand outlets across the country, with a skew towards Kolkata, the North-East and Karnataka. Next on the radar are Tamil Nadu and Kerala.