Maternity wear is still something women tend to go easy on, feels Arathi Kuppu, proprietor, Cherish — The Mother Store.
What made you start a specialty store like Cherish?
Three years back, when I started Cherish, I noticed that the city lacked a store that housed Indian maternitywear. Of course, there were a few retail chains that housed imported maternitywear but what I had in mind was an Indo-Western line in cotton, particularly made to suit the Indian culture and weather. Most importantly, the pricing needed to be reasonable.
What are the different things that you house at Cherish?
Apart from a variety of comfortable maternitywear that includes kurtis, cotton pants, salwar kameez, shirts, we also have things for babies upto a year old. Some of these are re-useable diapers, quilts, apart from the usual clothes, booties, mittens, socks.
How do you handle competition?
Of course, it’s a very competitive market now that a lot of branded stuff is available but at the same time, the market is growing. The awareness is on the rise too but it still is considered to be a niche segment and will take some time for the market to mature.
What are some of the problems you face?
A lot of would-be mothers even today feel that it’s a waste to spend money on appropriate clothing during pregnancy that too for a few months. What many don’t know is that there are some inherent benefits of wearing maternitywear rather than opt for a size larger of regular clothes. It’s important to emphasise on the mindset of people.
How do you market your brand?
We are one of the smallest brands when it comes to maternitywear but our customer base is wide and we have managed to keep it intact because of the moderate pricing. This is only possible since we manufacture and retail. While the apparel is priced between `475 and `599, kids clothing comes for `60 to `300.
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