INDIAN  SWIMWEAR MARKET REVIEW 2017

March 7, 2018 written by
Indian_swimwear_review

This is a swimwear market research report providing the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving revenue growth and profitability.

Read on for insights, strategic industry analysis of key factors influencing the market, the forecasts, analysis and discussion of important industry trends, market size, market share estimates, and profiles of leading industry players.

 

It’s said that swimwear is the single most important piece of clothing that has seen continuous revival for the comfort of the wearer.

With process innovations and advancing technologies, such as incorporation of neoprene fibre to develop fabrics that improve their elasticity and efficacy, it is predicted that the swimwear market will witness high sales in the coming years.

 

Consumer preference for fashionable and technologically advanced poolside and beachside wear, such as UV protection swimsuits and thermal swimwear will help spur revenue growth in the market.

 

Advantage, Premium Swimwear:

Today there are scores of swimming costumes available under luxury brands.

Consumers also prefer high-end brands that have features like luxury beading and hand-embroidered patterns. Though expensive, these brands focus more on offering value-added features such as trendy prints and convenient cuts that enhance the slimming effect. In addition, premium swimwear offers greater resistance to the impact of sand, salt, chlorine, and other minerals in the water. Premium swimwear manufacturers and designers focus on the comfort level of the product as it has a high impact on the consumers’ purchase decision. High sales in this range are slated to augment the growth of the swimwear market over the next four years.

Jalaram

The Indian Market Cap:

The Indian swimwear and beachwear market is growing at a healthy pace, driven by the growing interest in swimming as a recreational sport, a fitness activity and the rising preference for beachside family vacations. Rise in obesity and the ensuing focus on weight management, increase in the number of resorts, clubs, and enrolment of adults for swimming lessons are benefiting the demand for swimwear. All these factors are opening up new regional markets for this segment. Manufacturers are investing in new styles and specialty swimwear and beachwear is being produced from a range of new materials, fabrics and prints. The influx of new players and brands in the market is dramatically expanding product choices and intensifying competition as well. The analysis covers the present market size of the Indian swimwear market and its growth rates support a five-year history in conjunction with company profiles of key manufacturers such as, Aqua, Enkay, Lactra, Jalaram, Rovars, Pretty Secrets, Speedo, Amante, and Champs etc.

 

Enkay swimwear believes in growing steadily, not with volume but quality and each season has been better than the previous. They estimate their market share to be at around 50 per cent of the total market cap of the  Indian brands. They state their market cap in the Indian market is larger than any other Indian brand.

 

Consumers Preferences:

“We think the Indian beachwear and swimwear industry has progressed a lot since the last three years. Earlier, swimwear was mostly for aspiring and professional athletes. The common man has become health conscious, fitness and sports-oriented. The sports and tourism industry across the globe has developed, which has increased demands for swimwear and swim gear. We think the Indian swimwear market has changed dramatically. Today, the Indian consumer is aware of what he/she wants and wants it at the earliest. Our goal is to not only be available, but to make sure that an informed decision is taken by them in order to maintain customer loyalty. As the data for swimwear in the Indian market cannot be exactly determined due to various factors, our estimate is that the swimming market in India could be around 300 crore out of which our two brands—Champ and Veloz potentially contribute to around 15-20 per cent,” says, Abhijeet Parkhi, Director, Champs Sports Pvt. Ltd.

 

Lobster Swimwear has a distinctive profile and their collection defines a new direction for swimwear with their edgy and ultra chic styles while maintaining an excellent fit. Also, Lobster has invested their time, energy and money in educating the market to accept the swimwear with polyamide lycra fabrics and are very happy to see the market emerge and graduate to the actual swimwear fabric. Besides, Lobster was the first Indian swimwear brand to use polyamide. The price range of their swimwear collection starts from `300 to `1600 and these products are available pan India.

 

Swimwear has also been gaining exclusive momentum owing to the fact that people are fixing up budgets to set out on luxury vacations making it a necessary item at clubs, hotels, beaches, and plush housing complexes. Also, swimming itself is becoming a rage and this healthy practice is opening up demand for innovative swimwear starting from `500 to `1,500. Apart from this, the swimwear industry in India can be effectively categorised at `350 to  `1250/- being the popular category, `1250 to `4500 making up for the mid-premium segment and above `4500  to  `8,000 being classified as the premium category and `8000 + as the luxury segment. But, there is a huge demand in the economy category that falls in the range of `200 to `800.

 

“Swimwear doesn’t always follow traditional fashion trends, so we at Lobster  Swimwear always take this opportunity to experiment with cuts and colours. Indian consumers are growing fashionably and their shopping habits have seen an upward trend, with consumers looking for more fashion and sexy cuts. However, currently the percentage is less but will grow in the coming years,” says Samar Ghosh, Brand Head, Lobster Swimwear.

MR NAND BADLANI ROHIT GANDHI

Siddharth Arora, Partner, Aqua, says, “Consumption of swimwear in India is surely picking up. It is evident that swimming has enormous potential to support the health and well being of a person so more and more people are getting in this activity and this is surely giving a boost to the sales. But, at present, the market is not that good; hopefully, the summer season should give a good boost to our sales. The Indian swimwear market has changed remarkably and is gradually progressing towards a fashionable zone. However, the trends in terms of styles and colours somehow haven’t changed much over the last few years. The swimwear market in India is extremely seasonal and sensitive to climate and market changes. Hence, the market size will be roughly 150-200 crore. Last year, sales were very good and brand Aqua recorded a growth of roughly 35 per cent. The overall share would be around 15 per cent.”

 

Ever since their formation, Lactra has made a special place for itself in the market and emerged as one of the most reliable swimwear and lifestyle brands. As manufacturers and suppliers, they have attained tremendous success as their products are sold at major swimwear boutiques and fashion department stores of India. Lactra mentions about the 20 to 25 per cent growth in the previous year. Exposure to international destinations through work and holidays has made the Indian traveller conscious about the right clothing for the right occasion. “In changing consumer sensibilities towards the right kind of clothing, beach and resort wear is making Indian designers and brands launch their own Indianised versions of bikinis, swimsuits, etc. Lactra has witnessed a 10 per cent growth in the beachwear market last year,” says Mayur Muchhara, Lactra Swimwear.

“The market has grown and people are more fitness enthusiastic and looking forward towards swimming as it is a life-saving activity. Speaking about the rate of the consumption of swimwear in India, it is the biggest growing category at 22 per cent CAGR.” informed an insider from Speedo.

 

Smita Murarka, Head, Marketing, MAS Brands-India, adds, “Swimwear today is not only a prerequisite to get into a pool, but is also becoming a fashion statement. Many women hang out in their swimwear by the poolside or the beach for long hours and hence it’s important that while the swimwear is functional, it’s also stylish and suits one’s personality. With increasing accessibility to weekend getaways, beaches, international travel, acceptance of fashion beachwear has become an important category in the intimate wear space.”

 

According to Rohit Gandhi, Owner, Rovars, “We grew by 100 per cent compared to last year. I am not sure how much we contribute to the overall swimwear market in India. Cheaper swimwear products are imported from China so it’s very difficult to ascertain the market size.”

 

Jalaram Swimwear is a Mumbai based company, started in the year 2016 by  Mr Dinesh Rawat, they have been able to acquire a remarkable position in the market. Equipped with a well-developed manufacturing unit, which ensures low production costs. A team of dedicated professionals with years of experience in this domain makes sure of smooth functionality.

They market their products mainly in the Southern states and Gujarat, Rajasthan, etc.

 

“The swimwear market in India has started rising with considerable growth all through the year and not only during the summer season. In the last one year, the swimwear market in the country has moved much beyond its predictable confinements,” said

Mr Dinesh Rawat of Jalaram Swimwear.

Segmentation by product category and analysis of the swimwear market

Aqua

Women’s swimwear, Men’s swimwear, Children’s swimwear:

With a wide assortment of brands, the women’s swimwear segment dominates the global swimwear market and will continue to do so throughout the forecast period. Women are donning swimwear not only for competitive activities, but also for regular surfing and aquatic fitness activities. Swimwear for women is available in multiple bold colours, asymmetric designs, African and geometric prints, and the classic yet modern silhouettes.

 

Brand performance:

There is expected to be a considerable growth in the segment in several developing countries in the next five years, for example, India and China, given the growing infrastructure and adoption of swimming as a lifestyle choice. Also, earlier, people lacked awareness of swimming costumes as they were not ready to publicly display their bodies at beaches and pools in an outfit that looked like innerwear. But today, there’s more awareness and people are boldly adorning swimwear during summers and as a part of their routine to stay fit.

 

Initially, the material used for swimwear was polyester not nylon spandex fabric, which is more attractive, comfortable and widely accepted now, giving the perfect fit and comfort. Enkay’s ensures fabric quality for comfort, performance resisting fibre breakage and fit loss and vibrant colours are some of their key factors for their growth.

 

They are a firm believer of quality product and design which requires a lot of technical expertise, experience and vision. Enkay’s USP is a perfect fit for every shape and size.

 

Aqua is another brand that has evolved in this space through time. “Over the years we have perfected our swimwear designs to include styles that look great on every person. The quality of their product is unmatched and their immersion in the surf and beach lifestyle is what really sets them  apart from the competition.  Also, they work on a distributor retail chain and have come up with a mobile app for our customers to directly order from their mobiles. They have been in this trade for the past 32 years, so now we have the experience and expertise to manufacture. They need to keep an eye on trends with the latest fashion and styles, which keep changing.

 

Whereas, a spokesperson from Speedo says, “We are doing a 360-degree marketing, end-to-end from retail to online to pool…basically, to win at retail, to win at online and to win at pool.”

 

Rovars, on the other hand believes in keeping their strategy very simple…they do their marketing through their distributors and have appointed them in most cities to cater to their retailers’ needs. Their entire production is made in India except swimwear accessories, which they import from China. The hardest part they feel is to get the work done from labour. Labour problem is booming in India and manufacturers may route out of India in the next five years if the same problem persists.

Enkay

Fashion Detail

The 2018 summer swimwear trends cover every possible aspect and personality that would want to make a debut. Swimwear is a notoriously personal item capable of showing off much more than skin bringing out an individual’s personality through their choice of a bathing suit.

 

The brand Pretty Secrets caters to the fashionista in you with their cutting edge swimwear and manufactures one piece swimsuits that flaunt the curves and contour the body, technically a skin-tight garment that covers a female’s torso. Their two-piece bikini swimsuits consist of a basic bikini top with trianglular-shaped cups that cover the breasts and adjoining strings going around the neck and around the back paired with a stringing high waist and low waist bottoms. They also manufacture Tankinis. The tankini style offers maximum coverage and is similar to a camisole tank top or a cropped top. It has a fitted bust and a slight empire waist perfect for decoratively camouflaging the tummy area. Sarongs and cover-ups too are a great asset to the beachwear collection. Most cover-ups are made of chiffon and georgette.

 

“The one trend that’s undeniably dominating the global trends in swimwear right now is the 80’s style high cut bikinis and monokinis, also called the Brazilian cut. We are also seeing the love of high waist trend and ruffles shift to the swimwear market. Flirty ruffled details are cute but also add volume to the bust. The one-piece swimsuit, which was usually considered a conservative style for swimwear has peaked in the global market. Some of the latest innovations include advancement in way the fabric is manufactured. Adding to the rise of the sustainability movement, the re-purposing of oceans threats, such as fishnets and debris, into the thread and using the same as trim detailing in swimwear, which is the result of the strong fabric they use, according to Nishrin Patanwala, Head, Brand Marketing, Pretty Secrets.

 

While Mr Nand Badlani of  K.G. Enterprises states, “Our swimwear is the reflection of both our personal styles, i.e., the metro and the jetsetter lifestyle. Keeping these aspects in mind, we develop the  colour scheme and prints. We incorporated simple yet classic colours that are timeless and effortless. Black, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, are the colours and the prints are geometric, floral and graphic; we have also developed suits for kids with photo prints. It is very difficult to pin-point and describe ones creation; for me, any creation by me is divine, daring and bold and so is my latest collection.”

 

Mr Abhijeet Parkhi of Champs  comments, “Dominating in the market are innovative designs, cuts and colours of swimwear. Our products offer high performance, durability and lightness like never before, with manufacturing using latest technologies and better protection in products, like UV protection, chlorine resistance, anti-tan etc.”

 

“The trend has changed significantly. Earlier people used to wear swimwear, which covered the full body. But nowadays, people are asking for bikini patterns and swimwear with deep neck and back,” averred Rohit Gandhi of Rovars.

 

“The latest is sculpture technology, which is dominating the overall swimwear market and swim active, which can be used for gym and yoga purpose, both inside and outside the water,” comments an industry insider from Speedo.

 

Speedo’s latest collection is a mix of fashion and technology. For example, their v-glass goggle gives two times anti-fog and their sculpture swim dress provides body-shaping. The price is

` 6000. Their optical goggle is best for people experiencing vision problems

(-2 to -8). Also, their collection compromises of prints such as monogram, all over prints and boom splash. For men, the prices range from `499 to `4000 and the sizes are XS to XXL, for women, they are  `999 to `6500 and XS to XXL and for kids, it is `499 to `2000 available from XS to XXL. For ladies, the collection comprises of swim dress, swim suit, knee suit, leg suit, and full body suit. For men, they have briefs, jammers and Aqua shorts. Equipments on offer are, goggles, cap, nose plugs, ear plugs, snorkel set, kickboard, and pull boy; they launch around 15-20 designs each season.

 

While in Enkay men’s category, shorts are the highest selling product and in the ladies’ category, the bodysuit style sells the most. While in the girl’s category the frock style is the highest selling.

 

Styles offered by Enkay in men’s swimwear are v-shape, short styles with zip pocket, cycling shorts with matching, diving suits, etc. Adults swim wear price points are, men, `400 to `1840. Styles available for women’s swimwear category are—v-shaped swimsuit, v-shaped printed swimsuit, plain and printed shorts, A-line frock style swimwear with knee length shorts, and body suits. The price range for women’s swimwear starts from `720 going to `1790. Styles available in the girls’ category are half-printed and half-plain shorts, photo-printed shorts, printed frock, half-printed half-plain frock, sleeveless frock with knee-length shorts, bodysuit, etc. The price range starts from `625 going to `1320. Styles available for the boys’ category are shorts, photo-printed shorts, cycling shorts, diving suits, etc. The price range starts from `335 to `865.

 

Today, there’s a rise in the number of holidays people take with their friends and family, weather it’s the summer vacations or long and short weekend escapades. Lactra is setting the trend for these holiday-break apparels via their fashion forward and innovative array of swim and lifestyle wear. Their mesmerising range of products comprises of cover ups, one piece swimsuits, bikinis, etc. In addition men’s swimming suit, girls and kids’ swimwear, swimming goggles, swimming caps, ear plugs, etc. Their collection reflects contrasting textures bold statement prints and use of internationally appreciated Korean fabrics.

Lactra

This season, Lactra Swimwear has come with new range of two-piece padded bikinis. The price range for men starts from `400 going to `1000, for women it starts from `1000 going to `3000 and for kids, it’s `400 going to `900.

 

The quality of their products helps in creating a special identity of the company in the market. Hence, they are focused on making and giving the best quality range of swimwear and lifestyle products to their customers.

 

Get into the holiday mood with Aqua’s fab collection of swimwear. They have a great variety of styles, so, whatever your body type and taste, you will be sure to find something that you love. Flaunt your figure in a one-piece v-cut, or check out one of their fabulous body suits if you’re looking for something with a little more coverage. They also have a range of poolside-ready shapewear pieces, along with sleek and sporty swimsuits that will frame your silhouette by pulling you in at all the right places. Aqua’s latest collection is described as trendy, comfortable and colourful and has been designed as contemporary and comfortable. They have used a mix of punchy, abstract and floral digital prints, plain separates, and mix and match. The price range for men is `300 going to `800, for women it’s `500 going to `2200 and for kids it’s `250 going to `1200. Aqua launches as many as 40-50 designs in all categories. In the men’s segment they have jammers that sell the most and in the women’s segment it’s the frock with cycling style, top and tights and A-line frock styles.

 

Rovars manufactures swimwear products in both Indian polyester fabric and imported spandex polyester fabric. Their range primarily includes A-line patterns with and without sleeves, full body suits with and without frock style, frock style patterns with ¾ legs, half and full diving suits, etc., for women and girls. Similarly, they make jammers, shorts, body skin, and diving suits in the men and boys category.

 

The new innovation this season  are their own digital designs, and the colour scheme is based on floral and geometric themes. They have developed 50 new designs in a  price range for mens that starts at `500, for women, it’s  `990 and for kids, it’s  `300. These prices are for products made in imported spandex polyester. Prices would be cheaper for products made in Indian polyester.

 

Rohit Gandhi, Owner, Rovars comments, “In every season, we generally launch approximately 40-50 new patterns. This year we have launched the Leotard pattern for women and swimwear in milky spandex for women and girls. Apart from this, there are several new patterns in A-line and body suits for women and girls. In men and boys, we have launched 12 patterns of jammers. Every year new innovations are coming out in terms of fabric, stitching and accessories.”

 

Jalaram Swimming Wear is a manufacturer and trader of swimming goggles, swimming cap, men’s swimming shorts and ladies swimming suits, children’s swimwear, etc.  The price range for men is `220 to `450, for women it’s `450 to `950, and for kids it’s `180 to `450. Their creations are made from basic colours such as black, navy blue, pink; to add more spice they are using colours like orange, red, purple and florescent colours. While fabricating the products, they use superb quality raw material, i.e., four-way lycra and nylon lycra, carefully obtained from trusted vendors. They are also coming up with their beachwear products. Their products are extensively in demand due to their skin-friendliness, trendy designs, tear-resistance, simple usage and longer life, durability, and light weight. With the constant increase in demands from their esteemed patrons, they are persistently providing the complete product range in various sizes, patterns, colours, and designs.

 

Looking For The Future

Simply put, the future of the swimwear market looks promising. At the same time, fashion retailers have to face some daunting challenges prior to tapping the extant opportunities. To emerge a winner in a market marked by the presence of multiple players, brands and retailers have to optimise their business operations by addressing the challenges and harnessing market opportunities. Understanding the psyche of the Indian consumer, amalgamating the Indian style of functioning with western management techniques and tailoring fashion offerings to defined consumer segments, are some of the key areas upon which fashion and innerwear players have to focus.

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