Fabindia is an Indian retail chain established in 1960 that sells handmade garments, furnishings, fabrics and products crafted by artisans across rural India. It began as an exporter of home furnishings and opened its first retail store in 1976. As of 2020, Fabindia operated 327 stores in India and 14 internationally. The brand connects over 55,000 rural craftspeople to urban markets, providing skilled employment while preserving traditional handicrafts. Fabindia's products are natural, craft-based, contemporary and affordable.
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Fabindia's Story of Preserving Indian Crafts
1.
2. About the
brand
Fabindia is an Indian chain store retailing garments,
furnishings, fabrics and ethnic products handmade by
craftspeople across rural India. Established in 1960 by
John Bissell, an American working for the Ford
Foundation, New Delhi, Fabindia started out exporting
home furnishings, before stepping into domestic retail
in 1976, when it opened its first retail store in Greater
Kailash, New Delhi. The chairman of the company is
John's son, William Nanda Bissell. As of July 2020,
Fabindia operated 327 stores across India and 14
international stores.
3. Brand
Identity
F A B I N D I A L I N K S O V E R 5 5 , 0 0 0
C R A F T B A S E D R U R A L
P R O D U C E R S T O M O D E R N
U R B A N M A R K E T S , T H E R E B Y
C R E A T I N G A B A S E F O R
S K I L L E D , S U S T A I N A B L E R U R A L
E M P L O Y M E N T , A N D
P R E S E R V I N G I N D I A ' S
T R A D I T I O N A L H A N D I C R A F T S I N
T H E P R O C E S S . F A B I N D I A ' S
P R O D U C T S A R E N A T U R A L ,
C R A F T B A S E D ,
C O N T E M P O R A R Y , A N D
A F F O R D A B L E .
4. tagline
T H E C O M P A N Y ' S T A G L I N E
' C E L E B R A T E I N D I A ' I S
C E N T R A L T O T H E C O R E O F
F A B I N D I A ; O V E R T H E P A S T
F I V E - A N D - A - H A L F D E C A D E S ,
I T H A S S P E A R H E A D E D C R A F T
A S A C O N T E M P O R A R Y
S E N S I B I L I T Y , M A K I N G I T
R E L E V A N T T O T H E W A Y
P E O P L E U S E A V E R Y
T R A D I T I O N A L I D I O M I N T H E I R
E V E R Y D A Y L I V E S .
5. History
In 1958, American John Bissell travelled to India to
advise the All India Handicrafts Board and Cottage
Industries on creating a market for handloom fabrics.
He never left. Two years later, he set up Fabindia
(implying the fabric of India), an India-inspired
brand that drew on the strengths of rural weavers to
bring an ethical, ethnic experience to consumers
looking to wear homegrown fabrics and weaves.
6. Brand vision
At Fabindia we celebrate India, and
endeavor to bring all that we love
about India to customers around the
world.
We will harness the transformative power of a
well-run business committed to profitable
growth in support of Fabindia’s Vision. We
will strengthen and support our community
of customers, designers, artisans, farmers,
makers and entrepreneurs inspired by India.
We will give our customers products that
delight them by interpreting our rich heritage
and traditional knowledge, while protecting
the natural environment.
Brand mission
7. Brand USP
1. The brand has maintained its
Indianness with the authenticity of
hand-woven fabric for over years
2. The brand has provided sustainable
employment for the skilled artisans in
rural areas
3. The autonomy given to employees
has helped induce accountability
among them
4. The fact that the brand strongly
believes in word of mouth marketing
which has proved very effective as the
brand does not advertise
12. Trial Rooms
I n t h e t r i a l r o o m s o f F a b I n d i a w e s e e
n o t o n l y s p a c i o u s a n d c o m f o r t a b l e
s p a c e b u t g r e a t f o c u s o n d e t a i l a n d
f u r n i t u r e .
A l o n g s i d e t h e c o m f o r t , t h e b r a n d
o f f e r s g r e a t d e a l o f p r i d e i n r e f l e c t i n g
i n d i a n c u l t u r e a n d i n f o r m i n g b u y e r
a b o u t t h e s t u f f t h e y a r e b u y i n g .
13. Merchandise
E T H N I C W E A R
W E S T E R N W E A R
F O O T W E A R
J E W E L L E R Y
H O M E L I N E N
H O M E D E C O R
F O O D
F U R N I T U R E
S K I N C A R E
H A I R C A R E
14. Target Customers
F A B I N D I A T A R G E T S T H E
C U S T O M E R O F A G E G R O U P O F
1 8 T O 1 4 , W H O A R E Y O U N G
P R O F E S S I O N A L S , C O L L E G E
G O I N G S T U D E N T S , J U S T M A R R I E D
C O U P L E S H A V E L O V E F O R I N D I A N
C U L T U R E , T R A D I T I O N S A N D
E T H N I C W E A R . T H E S E
C U S T O M E R S M A Y B E R E G U L A R
O R O C C A S I O N A L B U Y E R S
E A R N I N G S O M E W H E R E A R O U N D
3 5 K T O 1 L A K H .
16. fab Cafe
F a b c a f e i s a b o u t b r i n g i n g a s u b t l e y e t s i g n i f i c a n t c h a n g e i n h o w p e o p l e l i v e b y i n t r o d u c i n g
a h e a l t h y d i v e r s i t y i n w h a t t h e y e a t . T h e c a f e a i m s a t s e r v i n g h e a l t h y f o o d t o t h e m a s s e s , b y
u s i n g r e g i o n a l i n g r e d i e n t s b u t w i t h a m o d e r n t w i s t . B y o p t i n g f o r c o n t e m p o r a r y v e r s i o n s o f
l o c a l l y s o u r c e d f o r g o t t e n g r a i n s a n d t w e a k i n g t r a d i t i o n a l i n g r e d i e n t s , F a b c a f e c a t e r s t o
d i f f e r e n t c h o i c e s l i k e V e g a n , w h e a t - f r e e , d a i r y - f r e e a n d m o r e .
T h e e v e r - e v o l v i n g m e n u c o n s i s t s o f i n n o v a t i v e d i s h e s t h a t a r e m a d e u s i n g l o c a l a n d o r g a n i c
p r o d u c e . F a b c a f e f o c u s e s o n s e r v i n g f o o d t h a t i s f r e s h , s i m p l e a n d n u t r i t i o u s . b y f o l l o w i n g
t h e " N o R e f i n e d O i l | N o R e f i n e d S u g a r ” r u l e . T h e c a f é b e l i e v e s i n u s i n g a l t e r n a t i v e h e a l t h y
i n g r e d i e n t s l i k e m i x e d g r a i n s , j a g g e r y , d e s i g h e e a n d a l m o n d m i l k i n t h e k i t c h e n .
17. fabIndia School
T h e F a b i n d i a S c h o o l i s a c o - e d
p r i v a t e s c h o o l f o r p r e - s c h o o l
t h r o u g h C l a s s X I I , l o c a t e d i n B a l i ,
R a j a s t h a n . S t a r t i n g w i t h 1 1
s t u d e n t s i n 1 9 9 2 , t o d a y t h e r e a r e
n e a r 5 0 0 s t u d e n t s w i t h o v e r 5 0 %
f e m a l e e n r o l l m e n t . T h e s c h o o l
e m p h a s i z e s a h o l i s t i c a p p r o a c h t o
e d u c a t i o n , o f f e r i n g e x t e n s i v e
e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r p r o g r a m s a l o n g
w i t h c o m p r e h e n s i v e a c a d e m i c
c o u r s e s .