Brands
Arvind signs Indian JV with PVH for Calvin Klein
NEW YORK and BANGALORE: PVH Corp. [NYSE: PVH], the owner of the Calvin Klein trademarks worldwide and Arvind Limited announced that Arvind Brands and Retail Limited, a subsidiary of Arvind Limited, has replaced PVH’s prior joint venture partners in Premium Garments Wholesale Trading Private Limited, the licensee of the Calvin Klein trademarks in India. In connection with the transaction, Calvin Klein, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of PVH, entered into a new license with Premium Garments to distribute Calvin Klein Jeans apparel and accessories and Calvin Klein Underwear products in India.
This new arrangement takes advantage of PVH’s control of the brand vision for these two Calvin Klein product categories resulting from its acquisition of The Warnaco Group, Inc. in February 2013 and Arvind’s operational expertise in the region, and is intended to maximize the market opportunities for these product categories throughout India.
The joint venture will focus on the expansion and enhancement of the existing Calvin Klein Jeans apparel and accessories (including belts, bags, and small leather goods) and Calvin Klein Underwear (including sleepwear and loungewear) businesses.
PVH and Arvind are also partners in a joint venture that licenses PVH’s Tommy Hilfiger brand in India.
“By having Arvind – a true leader in the Indian apparel industry and established PVH business partner – join this venture, we believe we are well-positioned to execute against and expand upon the growth strategy for the Calvin Klein brand in India,” said Tom Murry, Chief Executive Officer of Calvin Klein, Inc.
Mr. Sanjay Lalbhai, Chairman & Managing Director of Arvind Limited said, “Calvin Klein is one of the strongest fashion brands in the world and we are delighted to be JV partners with PVH for Calvin Klein in India. This relationship also strengthens our 20 years association with PVH, which started with the ARROW license and since has been extended to our joint venture with PVH for the Tommy Hilfiger business and the license for IZOD”.
“Calvin Klein substantially strengthens our rich portfolio of brands, said J. Suresh, Managing Director and CEO, Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd. “By combining the strengths of the Calvin Klein brand and Arvind’s operational capabilities in the Indian market, we believe we can build Calvin Klein into India’s largest lifestyle brand over the next five years.”
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
