hen the world�s most powerful man, American President George W Bush, personally chooses to attire himself in a navy blue worsted suit manufactured by Reid & Taylor in Langholm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, the brand can confidently stake a claim to success. And while success is a relative measure, the fact remains that the suiting brand has crafted a neat little success story for itself in India. Even as relative measures go.

The figures bear testimony to Reid & Taylor�s success locally. Last year alone, the brand clocked a 35-per cent increase in sales, which saw it achieve annual sales of Rs 180 crore, a good Rs 50 crore higher than the Rs 130-crore figure for the preceding year (September-August, 2002-03). Since the division of S Kumars Nationwide (SKN) started manufacturing worsted suiting fabric in the country in 1999, it has more than doubled its sales turnover (see graph). Most importantly, the brand has managed to carve out a 15 per cent market share in the ... more