ANANT DAGA

Member:Privilege Clubs(India Retail Forum) (India Fashion Forum)
“Being in retail is like repairing a wheel while driving the car at a speed of 100 miles an hour,” says Anant Daga, referring to the ‘high’ of being in this complex and challenging industry. As head of one of India’s most innovative and pioneering fashion brands, Daga has overseen TCNS Clothing’s remarkable growth trajectory in the past few years. “I think my key professional accomplishment has been creating a winning team at TCNS Clothing, which has resulted in our business growing over seven times in just five years,” he says. 

The company’s flagship brand W has redefined a traditional Indian outfit – salwar kameez -- to something that a woman can wear and look simple yet stylish in. With an aim to provide fashion in a modern retail environment to the Indian woman, W set up its first Brand Store in Delhi in 2002-03 in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. The W stores are designed in line with the brand identity -- spirited, contemporary and innovative to lend a pleasant shopping experience. Today W has about 160-plus EBOs and over 1,000 retail touch points across India. 

True to its promise of being fashionable, the brand unveils five fresh collections in a year, providing an array of exciting fusion wear. W offers fashion leadership in the segment through a signature 'Fusion' design language, which reflects an Indian essence imbued with modernity. 

“We believe W has the potential to be the largest and most preferred womenswear brand in India,” Daga asserts. “We continue to be on a high growth trajectory and are targeting doubling of business in next two years. We plan to open 150 new stores in the period and add exciting new product categories,” he adds. 

Prior to his appointment at TCNS Clothing, Daga spent seven years at Reebok India, where he was Director-Sales at the time of his departure from the sportswear major. 

“I enjoy being in retail because it gives me an opportunity to understand the impact of each and every decision I take in real time. At the end of the day, the cash till in the stores say it all,” he says.

But the job is replete with hindrances and dilemmas, he admits. “The biggest professional challenge I face is effecting continuous process improvements against a high-growth environment.” 

His mantras for business success including sustaining a strong, intuitive connect with consumers, investing in supply chain efficiencies and leveraging technology at every stage to stay ahead of curve.