Redefining the fashion mantra

A leading men’s clothing, footwear and accessories brand, Roman Island has scaled up as an international fashion choice globally. And it is an outstanding example of successful entrepreneurship. Founded in 2011, as an offshoot from the mammoth KRD Group of Industries, Roman Island has diligently focused on putting out international standard fashion that is both contemporary and pocket-friendly. The brand started as an MBO with 200 stores and has now increased exponentially across India and other countries. “I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My father went on to start his own ventures and achieved varied degrees of success. Having seen such entrepreneurial spirit in the family, embracing entrepreneurship came rather naturally to me,” says Charan Reddy, Chairman and CEO, Roman Island.

The brand understands the customers’ high fashion and quality requirements and provides items at an affordable price, thereby making it a popular choice. Roman Island has recently launched shirts at Rs 499 and T-shirts at Rs 299, thus expecting to post a dramatic increase in sales and a growth of 40%. “We have a strong team of 600 members who form the backbone of the company and we work as a team to take Roman Island ahead. The core team comprises the designing and merchandising staff, contributing a major percentage to our growth,” Reddy states.

FRANCHISE OVERVIEW

The brand started franchising in 2015 and has so far launched 111 franchise stores across the country along with offices in Dubai and Tanzania to capture the overseas’ markets. “I opted for the franchising model since it has various advantages. First and foremost, it helps the brand owner to expand rapidly without spending an exorbitant amount of time, money and resources in order to scale up within a short time. This neatly fits into the overall ecosystem of business,” Charan points out. The plan is to have a minimum of 60 franchisees i.e. five franchisees a month over the next 12 months.

Franchise facts
YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT: 2011

YEAR OF FRANCHISING: 2015

TOTAL STORES: 111, all franchisees

INVESTMENT: Rs 10 – 15 lakhs

AREA: 500 – 1,000 sq. feet

EXPECTED ROI: 6 months

EXPECTED BREAKEVEN: 6 months

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