BUSINESS

Zeba on expansion mode

By Maitreyee Handique
October 08, 2003 13:31 IST

Mumbai-based Zeba India Ltd has done a fair share of cladding floors, walls, sofas and windows. Bollywood actresses Pooja Bhatt and Monisha Koirala swear by its home furnishing.

Film producers Yash Chopra and Karan Johar allow the Rs 50-crore (Rs 500-million) furnishings company to design sets of films such as Mujhse Dosti Karoge and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

Architects Hafeez Contractor, Shakti Parmar and Prakash Mankar trust it with their interior design solutions.

And now, Zeba is expanding its current portfolio of home furnishings to include a wide assortment of products such as beach umbrellas, silk embroidered lampshades and fabric screens.

Recently, the company also launched a range of Zeba designer bagsĀ  -- cloth beanbags to sit on, ladies' handbag and wine bags.

"The attempt is to expand our customer base," says Johnny Irani, vice president, Zeba India Ltd. The company has two subsidiaries: Zeba Home Europe and Zeba Home.

While the former exports unbranded fabric made-ups (such as tea cosies, curtains, bedspreads) to Bloomingdales, Calvin Klein, DKNY and Pottery Barn, Zeba Home retails its branded products in India. About 40 per cent of its revenue comes from floor covers such as dhurries and carpets, says Irani.

Zeba India's products currently sell out of 10 showrooms nationally. It also retails its products in the UK and Spain. It plans to set up exclusive stores in Noida, Bangalore, London, New York and Boston soon.

Zeba set up a 4,000-sq ft Zeba design studio in Mumbai's Parel in 2001 where personalised service includes help from a shade guide of 400 colours and a design file of 3,000 patterns.

Zeba has also groomed hotel interiors like the Taj, Le Meridien, J W Marriott, The Park and theWelcomgroup of Hotels and boasts of corporate clients like Reliance, Bajaj Allianz, HDFC, Tata Teleservices, Sahara India and Hindustan Lever.
Maitreyee Handique

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