Fabindia's Fabulous March ; Fabindia, Which has Popularised Handwoven Fabrics Among Indians While Supporting Rural Artisans, Is Expanding--At Back-End and Front- End.

Summary

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Travelling from Delhi to Sedda village in Bijnaur (UP) on a warm September morning, one gets a feel of the inconvenient distance that separates India from Bharat. There, one gets to see how Fabindia Overseas--the 47-year-old Delhi-based retail chain that sells handloom garments, linen and other handicrafts--manages its relationships with its rural suppliers.

The journey is illuminating. Fabindia is recasting its supply chain, setting up dozens of "supply-region companies" that will gradually take over its entire supply chain in a particular region; these companies will also offer shareholding to Fabindia's suppliers in line with the vision plan articulated by Managing Director William Bissell (40), who sees himself as a champion of free market in the NGO- and government-dominated handicrafts sector.

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Extract

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Fabindia's Fabulous March ; Fabindia, Which has Popularised Handwoven Fabrics Among Indians While Supporting Rural Artisans, Is Expanding--At Back-End and Front- End.

For a company that owns India's most successful and chic brand of handloom garments and handicrafts, that's only one of many exciting developments taking place--Fabindia has opened 37 stores in the last 18 months; sales have been growing at a CAGR of 40-50 per cent over the last three years; and margins are so attractive that investors are queuing up with their cheque books.

Aqueel Ahmed, who owns one of the two dozen home-based handloom units in Sedda that weave cotton fabrics for Fabindia, has applied for shares wort...

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