Peter England moves in to the Elite league
Dhruv Tanwar
12 December 2007
What inspires a brand to take the next step in its evolution? Peter England, the honest-to-goodness menswear brand, has now decided to move a step further with Peter England Elite, an exclusive sub-brand. Dhruv Tanwar reports.
Young, upwardly mobile professionals need better grooming and better garments as they move up the ladder of life. There's no looking back here, and brands must evolve if they are to retain loyal customers who are on the move. Peter England, India's biggest mid-price ready-to-wear men's clothing range, has now evolved, with an exclusive sub-brand called Peter England Elite.
Established in the UK during the 1880s, Peter England is a brand that came to India in 1997, launched as the “honest“ shirt — representing good quality at a value price — in a market dominated by higher priced ranges of established premium menswear brands. “Peter England,“ says its marketing director K Venkat Ramani, “was the smart choice in contemporary work wear.“
Not surprisingly, the brand has dominated the mid-price segment of Rs395 to Rs895 for over a decade. But India's fast-paced economic growth has had its impact on Peter England's customers. Those honest, hardworking folks of yesteryear, who identified with Peter England's values, have evolved — both in terms of their economics as well as their aspirations.
This was as much of a challenge as an opportunity. To retain its faithful customer base, Peter England realised it would have to tap into their fast-changing lifestyles, and match up to the higher standards they had now set for themselves.
Says Ramani, “The opportunity was above Peter England's segment, but below the high fashion brands. So we decided to create a sub brand between the Rs900 to Rs1,200 price points.“
That was the genesis of Peter England Elite. As such, the sub-brand's DNA is not distinct from the original Peter England; it positions itself as the smart choice in premium work wear for India's contemporary workforce.
