San Frisco is restricted only to trousers unlike other brands of Madura Garments--Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Louis Philippe--which have shirts and trousers. The brand will be rolled out in a phased manner and will be available nation-wide by September.

For the first year, the company aims to sell half a million pieces and get a 10 per market share, translating into a revenue of Rs 28.25 crore. This is expected to more than double in the next year.

The new trouser brand is primarily targeted at the Indian male between 18 and 40 years residing in towns with a population exceeding five lakh `who are well informed, contemporary in the way they dress and who seek product superiority and value',according to Madura Garments president George Zacharias.

The trouser brand came about after eight months of extensive studies conducted at 7,500 points in the country. Brand Manager Parag Dani said that while some of the data was gathered from their own showrooms, feedback was also taken from 3,500 tailors as to men's preferences and why they opted for tailored trousers rather than readymades.

While the premium segment such as Allen Solly, had no dearth of customers who preferred readymades and were patient about alterations, the mid-size segment - with a market potential of 4.7 million men - had no patience with pricey brands which needed alterations. This was a segment that had attempted readymades and switched back to tailored goods or had a mixof both with a distinct preference for the latter.

With San Frisco therefore, Madura tried to address the special preferences of the mid-size segment. Currently, for example, all trousers have a closed length of 43 inches, as opposed to the premium categorieswhich offer open length. The study determined that the closed length of 43'' was suitable for 65 per cent of the customers. ``And if customers do not mind a half inch difference in length, either more or less, then 80 per cent of them fit the bill,'' Dani said.

However Madura Garments is aiming for the perfect fit for all, which it will work on after the nation-wide launch. Depending on the logistics and feasibility studies, more variants in lengths will be introduced.

Another example: the San Frisco trousers are available in 12 sizes starting from 28 inches right upto 44 inches and even odd sizes of 31-, 33- and 35-inches, which is quite unusual in the garments industry. Three styling options -- Flat, Pleated and Cargo -- ensure a contemporary look, according to Madura Garments president George Zacharias.

The San Frisco trousers are available in various sub-brands. The `DyeHard' is for fibre-dyed polyester viscose range priced between Rs 495 and Rs 645. The `Light Work' polyester cotton and the `BioEnzyme' treated polyestercotton trousers are available from Rs 565 to Rs 595; the `Heavy Duty Cargo' and `Zero Wrinkle' start from Rs 645 and go upto Rs 695. The San Frisco range will be sold through multi-brand outlets and plans are afoot to set up San Frisco Trouser Points. Peter England and Byford showrooms are currently the retail outlets for San Frisco.