“You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it” said American Costume Designer Edith Head. What she said is debatable but if there is one area that the Aditya Birla group has made a huge impact on my life then its fashion. Aditya Birla group entered the men’s ready ware segment through the acquisition of Madhura Fashion and Lifestyle Ltd in 1999. With the acquisition of Pantaloons in 2012 and the subsequent consolidation in the branded apparel industry, today, Aditya Birla Fashion Limited is India’s only billion dollar fashion powerhouse. The company has a network of 2714 stores, presence across approximately 18000 multi-brand outlets across India. Aditya Birla Fashion Limited also retails international brands such as The Collective and Hackett London’s. In order to expand its international offering it has partnered with Simon Carter and Ted Baker two of UK’s famous fashion brands.
My wardrobe consists of all the major brands that the group retails such as Louie Phillipe, Allen Solly, Van Huesen and Peter England. There is a brand for every occasion. Be it formals, casuals or even comfort. These brands offer superior quality, great fit and comfort. They are durable and offer great value at affordable prices. They are retailed through stand alone as well as multi brand retail outlets throughout the country. The group also runs the People and Planet Fashion stores which brings all its major brands under one roof. So the nearest store is right around the corner. The in-store experience, sale and post purchase engagements through loyalty programs and discount sales ensures that one is actively engaged with the brands.
Overcoming Challenges
When I was an engineering student in college, my parents would provide me with pocket money for my expenses. At times I would end up saving some of it. That is when I was curious to find out how could I make this money grow. This curiosity led me to the world of personal finance. I primarily used the internet to research about different savings and investment avenues. I read books on personal finance and understood the concept of asset allocation. This knowledge helped me once I started working at an IT firm. When I joined the PGDM program at TAPMI, I decided I can help others too. So I joined Arthnivesh. Arthnivesh is a club at TAPMI which aims to spread financial literacy. Being a member I was involved in helping one of our clients understand his personal financial situation. To begin with the client had limited understanding of personal finance. So my team and I had to start from the scratch. We conducted 3 hour long sessions spread over a month and explained about time value of money, the difference between savings and investments, the concept of risk and return, the concept of retirement planning and the need for insurance . We also informed the client on the effect of debt on savings, the various ways to reduce the cost of debt, how one can avail tax benefits for debt and so on. We would encourage the client to learn about the various products on their own and reach out to us for any clarification or understanding. What was heartening is at the end of it, the client was appreciative of ours efforts and thanked us for providing a foundation and instilling confidence for taking financial decisions on his own. The lesson I learnt is, however large be the challenge with knowledge and right team one can surmount it all.
