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Pashma’s open-plan kiosk retail concept at Singapore Changi Terminal 3, which opened earlier this year |
Pashma has launched its ultra-luxury Changpa collection of woven pure cashmere wraps made from what the company calls “the purest and finest cashmere fibres in the world”.
Changpa Cashmere is a range of contemporary woven shawls that have a timeless appeal and value, Pashma said. Undyed and processed with natural herbal recipes, the shawls have soft touch.
The cashmere comes from goats living in the mountain ranges of Ladakh, a province in northeastern India, and are reared by a tribe of nomads, the Changpa. The tribe live in a time capsule with their lifestyles intact for the past 400 years. Through meticulous breeding of the goats, they have preserved the pedigree of their livestock which are said to yield the longest and purest cashmere fibres found anywhere on the planet.
However, due to the limited access to modern spinning facilities in India, these fibres were sold to middle-men who in turn sold it to cottage industry vendors who lacked the expertise to spin this delicate fibre and therefore mixed it with wool, thereby compromising the quality of the product.
“Now, with its vertically integrated worsted systems imported from Biella and India’s first dehairing facility, Pashma presents the Changpa Cashmere in its full glory and purity for the first time to the world,” Pashma explained.
The fibres are sourced directly from the nomads who in turn earn a fair and sustainable price for their produce. Pashma has also invested in initiatives for the welfare of the Changpa nomadic tribe to ensure their traditions are maintained.
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Pashma’s new Changpa Cashmere collection is made with hair from goats living in the mountain ranges of Ladakh, a province in northeastern India. The goats are reared by a tribe of nomads, the Changpa |
Pashma launches branded corners at Dubai Duty Free
In retail news, and after completing 10 years of retailing at Dubai Duty Free, Pashma has announced that personalised corners are to begin trading at Dubai Duty Free stores in Terminal 1 and T3.
Said Pashma President Shilu Kumar: “Dubai Duty Free has been the first sales point for Pashma in travel retail and we are therefore absolutely thrilled to be opening the dedicated corner at Dubai Airport.”
The corner will feature Pashma’s latest fit-out and will present the latest collections of scarves and wraps.
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Through meticulous breeding of their goats, the nomadic Changpa tribe has preserved the pedigree of their livestock which are said to yield the world’s longest and purest cashmere fibres |
Luxury kiosk retail concept
Pashma believes its retail format for airports, luxury shopping malls and department stores redefines the economics of small spaces.
The company says it is able to transform spaces of 15sq m to 30sq m into visually arresting areas that house over 300 different styles of luxury scarves and wraps made from cashmere, silk and linen. Price points range from US$79 to US$900.
Pashma scarf kiosks were designed for impulse gift purchasing as well as high-ticket sales, and the open-plan designs aim to facilitate maximum product interaction among shoppers.
The concept was successfully launched at Singapore Changi Terminals 2 and 3 this year and this has been followed by openings in Changi T1 and the Marina Bay Sands Casino in downtown Singapore.
The concept has also been successfully debuted at premium department stores such as Shing Kong Centre, Beijing and Takashimaya, Osaka.
Retailing high price point articles
Over the past few months, Pashma said its luxury scarf kiosks had achieved the highest revenues per unit square foot of space in all its locations relative to neighbouring tenants in the respective locations.
Pashma has achieved higher revenues from these spaces relative to other brands owing to its ability to retail high price point articles; average billing value is in excess of US$200.
The diverse customer profile covers a wide variety of nationality and age groups.
“It [The kiosk retail concept] therefore extends a unique proposition to airport authorities and concessionaires by providing maximum returns and revenues from small spaces that are usually leased under less favourable terms,” the company said.
Pashma intends to roll out this concept worldwide and is currently trialling the concept at Amsterdam Schipol Airport from October to December 2011 in partnership with Gerzon.
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Undyed and processed with natural herbal recipes, the shawls have soft touch |
New store in San Francisco
Pashma is to open its first stand-alone store in North America at Maiden Lane, San Francisco.
The pedestrian street off Union Square is the foremost destination for luxury shopping in San Francisco, housing flagship stores of brands such as Hermès, Paul Smith, Chanel and Marc Jacobs.
The 50sq m space will be transformed into a gallery-like area featuring a wide selection of luxury scarves made from cashmere and silk. The store will also present Pashma’s ready-to-wear collections consisting of fine knitwear made from pure cashmere as well as cashmere and silk blended printed knitwear.
In addition, the store will house the Pashma Arte collection of limited-edition shawls hand-woven and embroidered by expert craftsmen into pieces of textile art.
The store will also feature Pashma’s new fit-out which features “a minimalist layout interspersed by pieces of vintage furniture that express Eastern artistry and opulence with contemporary Milanese sensibilities”, the company said.
The store will also house a photo-gallery that will display the work of photographers from around the world commissioned by Pashma.
The store is slated to begin trading in mid-October with a formal launch on 15 November, 2011.
The store is Pashma’s eighth stand-alone store in addition to its shops in New Delhi, Mumbai and Singapore.
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The images above and below are taken from Pashma’s Spring/Summer 2012 Collection catalogue |
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