BABA UMAR
Srinagar, Jan 01:
Players in the retail apparel section are constantly vying for the lucrative Kashmiri market — and it was ‘Cotton County’, a men’s wear brand, which increased their brand presence by opening their third outlet in the Valley.
Pic by: Abid Khan
The outlet was inaugurated here in the city’s Court Road and the chief guest on the occasion was Member Legislative Council, Syed Basharat Bukhari.Bukhari who was also the first customer of the day said, he wishes to see more brands launching their outlets in the valley.“Everybody would love to have on branded clothes,” he said. “And yes we are waiting for other brands to establish their outlets here.”About the discount and rates Cotton County is offering, he said “the rates are genuine.” “I bought a branded track suit which is not expensive,” said he. Cotton County’s winter collection includes pullovers, woolens, tracksuits, sweat shirts, thermals and jackets. Cotton County offers complete product range in men’s wear like shirts, t-shirts, trousers, cargos and covers formals, semi formals and casuals.Cotton County is a part of Ludhiana-based multi-crore Nahar Group and is emerging as one of the leading men’s wear brand in India.Raman Sonie, Cotton County’s Area Field Manager said he was ecstatic to see the response from people who visited the outlet on the very first day. “We might do well till late afternoon,” he said as the customers started pouring in swarms. 
However, many believe brand understanding among potential customers is an essential ingredient for these outlets to become successful in non-metro areas. Said Niyaz Ahmad, a lawyer, “I shopped for 3000 rupees here, but the thing is how many people know about the existence of such brands here.” He said it again depends on the brand conscience of the customers. In the wake of the winter season and New Year, Cotton County -the name synonymous with quality cotton apparels had come up with up to 70 percent discount on its complete range of apparels. “It will last for two months and the company might put on ‘Buy two get two free or 50 + 50’ offer,” said the outlet’s franchisee, Shabir Ahmad.
He said it is cheaper and more successful to adopt a discount option rather than appointing expensive brand ambassadors. Ahmad said the brand might open another outlet in South Kashmir’s Islamabad in the coming days.
This time the lens has been shifted away from the pictures of Kashmir’s flora and fauna, shrines, brides, landscape etc to a new spectrum. The new look is a portrayal of the Kashmiris with their merchandise clicked in the sundry markets of India. It’s all about Kashmiris slogging there in the plains of India and bringing home a new experience plus affluence. 
Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Bank Haseeb Drabu describes the schema of this year’s calendar as a move to “re-ascertain Kashmir’s cultural legacy”. “This is basically a new cultural proliferation and something what we can say an attempt to restore Kashmir’s rich heritage,” Drabu says.
The New Year calendar provokes the onlooker to seek for the mastermind who has taken adequate care while finalisation of the artefact from its enduring themes and images, aesthetic designs to selection of fonts, finest quality paper and the best statements of the home grown entrepreneurs.“The idea,” says Drabu, “is to demonstrate how our common Kashmiris have gone ahead.” He says this year’s calendar is a tribute to such entrepreneurs and their fortitude. “I salute them as they are my idols,” says he.And about the bank’s New Year resolution, he says it is “to contribute utmost in a short span of time”. The calendar seems not just a bundle of leaflets meant for hanging there on walls but it’s being seen as an eternal sort of spirit to Kashmiris through their own culture.Moreover it syncs with the mission statement of the bank to empower the promising entrepreneurs of the Valley.
