5 minute read
COVER STORY
from BLR Aug 2nd half
by Travel&Shop
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MSU ROCKS THE FASHION WORLD ACROSS GENERATIONS
BY SMITI JAIN NARAYAN
The iconic Mysore Saree Udyog (MSU) showroom stands as a landmark destination on Kamaraj Road, at right angles to Commercial Street where Bangaloreans like to flock to, for all their ethnic fashion needs. After decades of bringing customers the best of sarees and silks curated from across the country, the company continues on its onward journey with the next generation of the MSU family firmly in the driving seat.
Starting with Anil who joined the family business in 1993, to others who came on board 2009 onwards including Aditya, Roshni, Dhruv and Anuj – all are hands-on and infusing the organisation with their young energy, with the older generation stalwarts Kamlesh Talera and Dinesh Talera as the guiding lights to lead the young brigade on.
Mysore Saree Udyog has been a company of pioneers from the beginning, always forward looking and adapting to changing tech and market conditions and adapting to
evolving consumer taste. A testimony of the company’s forward-thinking approach to business is the fact the MSU was the first textile company in India to have barcoding, with appropriate software installed for the company’s needs. E-commerce has been embraced and technology has been used effectively by the management.
With the induction of the new generation, Mysore Saree Udyog went into expansion mode and the iconic store space was increased from 3000 sq ft to 8000 sq ft with more floors added to accommodate shoppers’ needs, including an exclusive designated bridal area as a niche for brides and their families to try out their ensembles. Innovation has been a major factor in the success story of MSU, with various types of growth in every aspect of the business, including many in-house brands which have been developed, with focus on integration of product varieties to match the diverse customer profiles.
In the lifecycle of MSU, one of the key aims has been to bring back the younger lot of customers to the ethnic fold, to appreciate and enjoy pure silks and authentic weaves. MSU
is in sync with modern taste and has a finger on the pulse of youngsters’ aesthetic. Wooing the current generation with their authentic products and sensitising them to the beauty of the Indian textiles like ikkat, or hand embroideries like zari work and other detailing is high on the company’s agenda. In fact, MSU has India’s largest curated fabric floor for intergenerational needs across the spectrum. Many customers are designers themselves, so there is a lot of variety for mix-and-match options, for self-designed stitched outfits to get that unique stand-outfrom-the-crowds ensemble. MSU caters in a very large way to the designer segment, apart from the regular retail shoppers.
MSU is known for their MSU legacy being taken forward by next generation: authentic zari sarees. In fact, Standing: Anil, Aditya & Anuj; Sitting: Dhruv & Roshni they give you a certification of authentication for zari, so you can rest assured on the zari purity.
MSU is a destination store. If you are in or around Bangalore, then it is a must-visit shopper’s paradise. In fact, MSU has been named as being among the world’s top 10 destination stores worldwide by Vanity Fair magazine.
A large part of the MSU clientele is the wholesale customer, consisting of other retailers, fashion designers and boutique owners. The showroom is open from 6:30 am every day to cater to this segment of buyers before the regular retail customers start coming in for shopping, and closes at 9 pm. Designers and boutique owners come from across the country and even from abroad like Switzerland and other places for bulk purchase of fabrics, knowing that they will get the best range of materials and designs with authenticity guaranteed. The company is very much in demand with this B2B sector of customers who swear only by MSU.
It’s interesting that MSU has never done any sales or promotions, for the simple reason that their daily rates itself are competitive, with the option of
buy-back if a customer is able to get the same item elsewhere for a lesser price. The company has relied on word-of-mouth and repeat customer sales to grow exponentially, as each satisfied customer becomes MSU’s biggest advertiser. As compared to regular saree shops, MSU is much more organised with great quality of service and a complete range of all types of silks, sarees and fabrics all under one roof.
MSU appreciates the support of its customers, its weaver community with small looms, handicraft artisans and others who have stayed loyal to the brand all through, even during the trying two years of the pandemic when it was a huge strain to not hive off staff. The brand garnered great support online during the lockdown period.
Apart from online presence, the loyal customers which have been constantly growing by word-ofmouth like to shop at the store itself for the touch-and-feel of fabrics, trials and the sheer variety of all
kinds of silks and sarees and materials and more. Next gen has kept the lines of communication open, and being hands-on at the store, don’t be surprised if you bump into one of them to help you with your choices. MSU staff is also well-trained to give proper feedback from customers to ensure that it reaches the management.
The next generation of MSU family have got onto a running horse. Their focus is to largely expand the online stores, with strategically planned slow and steady growth. More power to them, to keep the MSU banner flying high and the iconic store flourishing.
316, 1st Floor, Mahaveer Mall, K Kamaraj Road, Opp. Commercial Street Entrance, Bangalore – 560 001. Tel: +91 2558 3255, Website sales helpline: +91 8722 8023 03/17 E: sales@mysoresareeudyog.com, ecommerce@mysoresareeudyog.com
