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Take time off for a shirt
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Waiting for your flight? Check out Karlsburg shirts at the airport
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Last-minute buy: At Karlsburg you can pick anything from sober to trendy designs
After battling with bumper-to-bumper traffic, you get into the airport just making it on time only to be informed that your flight is delayed. You have a whole extra hour to spend. Nothing like drinking a cup of coffee, reading a novel or just looking at co-passengers — what they chat or look like. After all this or with none of this, you can window shop, even buy things trendy. Karlsburg is a place where you can do that. It gives you shirts that are value for money. Would you believe Bangalore Airport can give you something like this? And after the security check?
The brand name Karlsburg comes from a small town in Germany. The shirts Karlburg offers is men's wear, casual and formal, in sizes up to 46 inches. The shirts come in a wide range of shades that are lively, yet not loud and in fabric that is cool cotton, jute linen, and silk. If you are flashy and like party wear, there is the floral print variety.
The prices are a sell-over given it's an airport. You can pick any shirt priced between Rs. 475 and Rs. 595. If the fabric is silk, you cough up Rs. 775 to Rs. 825.
Says Ranjit Jacob, Managing Director, Karlsburg: "We have deliberately kept the prices low as we would like to cater to a wide market. The idea is not to be exclusive but provide value for money."
Besides, shirts, T-shirts, trousers and a small variety of ties, also on offer are T-shirts coming at Rs. 575 and trousers at Rs. 725 are more than reasonable.
Ranjit says Karlsburg is currently working on producing sizes that will "fit men who have a large abdomen". "For this we plan to shape the shirt accordingly so that it is not tight around the stomach."
Just great looks?
But how are the prices low when the fabric used is not inexpensive? "We have low overheads. Besides, we are catering to men in the age group of 25 and 30 years. Men in this age group are not fussy about brand. They are looking for good fabric, good fit and attractive prices," says Mr. Jacob.
The unusual aspect to the Karlsburg outlet is that it first comes up at the airport and then travels to the city. That's how it's been with the metros. How does the outlet at the Airport here work out? Would it restrict the market only to airport users? "At the airport, a minimum of 2,000 people travel everyday. And a significant number of people visit our outlet as they wait for the boarding announcement. We do have a second outlet within the city, which is accessible to all people."
Rajagopal, a sales person based in Mumbai, who stepped into the outlet to purchase shirts, says the colour range is wide and unique, some of which are not available in other popular brands. "The fabric too is good and you get value for money."
Another customer, Lukose Vallatharai, an IAS officer based in Bangalore says the product is good value for money. "The fabric, colour and fit are good. The shirts are easily comparable in quality to the Rs. 800-shirts from other brands. But given the price range, it would make sense to have the first outlet in the city, outside the airport, so it is accessible to a wider market."
Yet, inside the airport, it seems a good stop over for waiting men. The shop is located at the departure lounge after security check and is open all days between 4.30 a.m. and 10 p.m.
NANDHINI SUNDAR
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