Local apparel brand expands product line

CEBU, Philippines - Locally-owned Simon Apparel is going to expand its product line choices to take advantage of the sustaining growth in the retail sector.

Simon Apparel proprietress Mary Love Deen announced that Simon will open a whole new range of lifestyle products, with emphasis on wellness.

“The trend now is going wellness and lifestyle,” said Deen adding that Simon, which is known for its sophisticated choices of apparel for men and women, will now go beyond fashion in its retail choices, and will now include home accessories, yoga clothes, perfume, eye-wear, cosmetics, beauty products, among others.

Despite the entry of internationally-known apparel brands in the Philippines, specifically Cebu, Deen said local brands such as Simon and her Adina Plus Size brands managed to sustain its name in the market, because of distinct Cebuano consumers’ attitude in patronizing good quality, and affordable local brands.

Simon for instance, which opened its first boutique in Ayala Center Cebu in 2004, has been able to snatch a significant share in the unpredictable apparel market in Cebu, although the market is already flooded with different brands.

The two Simon outlets located in Ayala Center Cebu and SM City Cebu, will soon offer wide range of lifestyle products, Deen said.

She said local brands are not threatened by the entry of equally affordable, yet internationally well-known brands that entered the Cebu market, she said despite the stiff competition, local brands are still seeing promising outlook in the few years.

With over P1 million investment shelled in to open up her own apparel brand—Simon, Deen said her return of investment (ROI) was achieved within a year of operation indicating that the Cebuano market has strong patronage for local brands.

She said aside from affordable and quailty products, consumers now are also demanding for good shopping experience, thus, Deen is also bent on investing to give new look for her two boutiques of Simon, including its sister-brand the Adina Plus Size.

Unlike any other franchise-operated brands, she said locally-developed apparel brands have the advantage of easily adjusting their pricing limits to stay in the competition.

She said because of good retail outlook, and encouraging sales, the brand will expand beyond fashion in apparel and accessories, now it will include a whole range of lifestyle products.

She added that shoppers now want to go to one store to shop, with so many choices, a store should offer a specified theme in order to provide maximum consumer shopping experience.

In Cebu, she noted that there is a fast growing number of middle-range consumer segment. Men market for lifestyle products is also significantly growing, she said.

Deen, started her apparel business carrying goods at the back of her car. Years later, she decided to compete with the apparel giants and opened a mall-based boutique in Ayala and SM shopping malls.

She said as long as there is passion, a bussiness could thrive despite the bottleneck competition.  (FREEMAN)