Introduce us to the brand Frontier Bazar.
Frontier Bazar is an ethnic wear brand that has been riding on strong customer loyalty. We are India’s only ethnic wear manufacturers that customise as per customer requirements, and offer a wide variety of lehangas, sarees, suits, gowns and Indo-western clothing range. Our speciality lies in catering to the ever-changing needs of the bridal market in India and abroad.
How did it start?
The foundation of the Frontier Group was laid in 1947, right after partition, by Late Mr. Bansi Lal Batra. He started it from a small shop in Phagwara, Punjab, with an aim to use the expertise of Pakistan’s fashion sense in India. Hence, the name ‘Frontier’ emerged. In the initial days, Frontier Group used to deal in Indian ethnic wear. However, with changing demands, we have diversified into other ethnic wears as well.
How has the journey been so far?
The journey of Frontier Bazar has been an adventurous one. With a start in Phagwara, Frontier Bazar made a launch in Karol Bagh in 2000. Since then, we have never looked back. With continuous efforts and a dedicated team of designers and craftsmen, we have created a niche for ourselves in Indian and international province. Furthermore, at Frontier Bazar, our main focus has been on providing exclusivity to our customers, be it through designs, collection of ensembles and styles or the heritage of quality. Frontier Bazar has remained committed to providing unmatched quality and premium value.
How do you connect with your target audience?
Print and electronic advertisements serve us good to connect with the local audiences. In addition, we reach to the potential customers through outdoor medium as we employ banners, hoardings, besides brochures and promotions through digital media. As a large part of our clientele consist of non-resident Indians, it becomes essential for us to reach them as well. Europe is a big market for us and there we participate in a fashion show called Bridal Asia, besides publicising in Asiana, a fortnightly magazine.
What is your distribution model?
The distribution model is simple. We have exclusive showrooms in Delhi, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. In addition, we act as a wholesale partner for other renowned ethnic wear shops and showrooms on pan-India basis.
What distinguishes Frontier Bazar from its competitors?
With the legacy of over 60 years, we come with an expertise and authenticity of serving elegance. Further, to win customers’ heart, the three-level testing of products’ finishing and honest commitments have yielded us a trustworthy image. Our patrons come to us, even from other countries, because they know that they are not going to get the same quality and design anywhere else.
As a third-generation entrepreneur, what challenges did you face?
As such, it was not very hard to deal with the expectations of our customers as I was born in the family where entrepreneurship flows in the blood. I have been seeing the dedication and hard work that is required to be an entrepreneur. However, when you are handling a business, no matter how new you are, people expect perfection and true commitments. In our business, they take your words on the face-value and trust you to deliver the promises.
What are your expansion plans?
Apart from increasing footfalls in our exclusive showrooms, we strive to embed the name ‘Frontier Bazar’ more firmly. As far as India is concerned, we are shortly coming up with a new exclusive outlet in Rajouri Garden in Delhi. In addition, we are planning to open our first non-Delhi showroom in Chandigarh. However, the deal is still in the initial stage, we will share the details once things will be finalised. Branching from clothes, Frontier Group has made a successful foray into real estate arena in 2008. With a tie-up with Godrej Group, we have come up with a luxurious residential project in Sector-80, Gurgaon. A commercial project and township are also in the pipeline.
How do you deal with inevitable problems?
In our business, problems crop up on a daily basis. Instances such as coping up with contractual workers, power outages, to name a few, make things difficult. Only ethical practices, such as true commitment, products’ timely delivery, uncompromising quality, and design excellence keep us moving.
