CHASING ZARA

The day Inditex's Indian joint venture with Tata Group's retail arm Trent opened the first Zara outlet; it sold apparel worth a record 90 lakh, according to industry estimates. The 18,000 sq ft shop at Select Citywalk sells 5-6-crore clothes a month. The average sales at Mumbai's Palladium Mall outlet is similar, while it's nearly 4 crore a month at DLF Promenade shop in New Delhi, industry insiders said.

Inditex refused to confirm this. "Please let us leave this in complete confidentialityLet us say that we are really honored by the good reception that our customers are given us in India," its global spokesperson said.

But other brands' rush toThe day Inditex's Indian joint venture with Tata Group's retail arm Trent opened the first Zara outlet; it sold apparel worth a record 90 lakh, according to industry estimates. The 18,000 sq ft shop at Select Citywalk sells 5-6-crore clothes a month. The average sales at Mumbai's Palladium Mall outlet is similar, while it's nearly 4 crore a month at DLF Promenade shop in New Delhi, industry insiders said.

Inditex refused to confirm this. "Please let us leave this in complete confidentialityLet us say that we are really honored by the good reception that our customers are given us in India," its global spokesperson said.

But other brands' rush to become its neighbour and mall developers' keenness to host it reveals Zara's crowd-pulling power. In January, retail planning consultancy Asipac Projects received requests from some international apparel brands, jewellery major and a cosmetics chain have sought shop space bang opposite Zara outlet at Hyderabad's City Capital mall, which will be operational by 2013 end, an official at retail planning consultancy Asipac Projects says.

keenness to host it reveals Zara's crowd-pulling power. In January, retail planning consultancy Asipac Projects received requests from some international apparel brands, jewellery major and a cosmetics chain have sought shop space bang opposite Zara outlet at Hyderabad's City Capital mall, which will be operational by 2013 end, an official at retail planning consultancy Asipac Projects says.