After being in men's sports and casual wear business for the past 25 years, the Proline brand is venturing into the women's and kids' wear segments.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Rajesh Batra, Chairman, Proline India, said, 'The plans to enter the women's and kids' wear market is at a nascent stage, but we know what influences international fashion through our export business. The new range is expected to be under the Proline brand as well.'

With intentions of launching western wear primarily in the women's and kids' segment, the Rs 50-crore textile company hopes to ride on the advantages it has gained being in the export business over the years to make a splash into the new segments.

'Through our group company in exports, we have an understanding of fashion which we will be using to our advantage as we enter the new segments,' claims Mr Batra.

At the same time, the company has decided to de-focus on bringing in more international brands into the country as a licensee partner. Having withdrawn the K-Swiss brand of sportswear in the past, it has decided to lie low with its Fila brand in the same segment.

'We have decided not to get aggressive with our high-end sports wear range of Fila although we continue to sell it at our stores and a few department stores,' adds Mr Batra.

Meanwhile, the biggest challenge for Proline is to get growth for its Vivaldi brand of shirts which was offloaded to it by Bombay Dyeing when it forged a joint venture with the company a couple of years ago.