DA MILANO-brand study

YEAR OF FORMATION:
Since 1989 Da Milano is an integral leather brand that manufactures and retails
high end leather bags and accessories for both men and women

COUNTRIES:
With strong brand recognition in Europe, North America, Asia and
Russia da milano has carved a niche clientele for itself in the Indian
market.

MANUFACTURING AND TANNING INDUSTRY:

Since inception the DA MILANO family has celebrated over sixty
years of uninterrupted work - from leather tanning industry to today's
large manufacturing leather goods concern. Any wonder then our
years of experience, coupled with advanced technology has now
placed us among the leaders in leather industry.

PEOPLE:
They have designers from Italy, England and other parts of Europe.
Pool of Asian craftsmen work under the guidance of Italian
technicians

GLOBAL EXPANSION:
They have become a part of the organized retail sector through
lifestyle, central, reliance trends, saga, airport retail shops etc..

ADVERTISEMENT:
Da Milano has been covered extensively through lifestyle magazines
such as vogue, cosmopolitan, grazia, spice, Elle etc
It has also been featured in one of the leading dailies such as DT, HT
CITY and brunch.

RETAIL SPACE:
17 new boutiques across India
36000 sq ft additional retail space
30 boutiques presently and 38 by the year 2010

PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION
Men: jackets, bags, accessories, shoes, belts
Women: handbags, wallets, shoes, stoles, jacket
Luggage: travel bags, trolleys
Business gifts: folders, computer bags, passport cases, card holders, key
chains,

BRAND POSITIONING:
High end brand

TARGET MARKET:
higher class and above
Niche clientele

COLLECTIONS:
 Da Milano changes its collections 4 times a year that are season wise.
This season their latest collection comprises of:

 Winter collection: Italian leather in plain/ostrich leather print and

metallic crystallized leather. Collection begins at Rs.6500-8500

VISUALS:
.divided in 3 floors i.e. ground floor, first floor and second floor

NO. OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN ONE STORE:

No. of employees 13
 (sales people 6)
 (guard 1)
 (manager 1)
 (assistant manager 1)
 (cashier 1)
 (helper 3)

AREA OF THE STORE:

10,000 sq. Feet i.e. the area which is used by them for sales purpose
Da Milano stores
PRODUCT PROFILE
 PRODUCT STUDY

WOMENS’S COLLECTION
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PRICE RANGE: Average pricing of Da Milano products is Rs.5000
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4 CUSTOMER PROFILE

NICHE market- a market in which a limited and clearly defined range of

products is sold to a specific group of customers
Target group-higher class and above

Location advantages

Manufacturing benefits
 Large livestock population
 A major tanning center

Retail benefits
  Upcoming markets for their target group

Product line study from export point of view

After studying all the products made by Da Milano, we want to export

women’s handbags ,wallets and belts under our brand.

Our business plan:

 To sell Da Milano products in south Africa(Johannesburg) under our

brand
 Once we get a good response we want to set up our own
manufacturing unit for making the leather products alongiwth Da
Milano products

 On achieving the sales of 6000$per month from each store, we will

be capable of investing in a manufacturing and crafting unit of leather.

 The product range sold under our brand name would be the same as
that of Da Milano with the same average pricing on the basis of the
per capita income of the people in Johannesburg.

Reasons for exporting the women’s collection:

We plan our brand to be a women’s brand and to see the response

before having our own setup we need to see the response of women’s
handbags with same average pricing and materials used.

Reasons for selecting south Africa;johannesburg:location advantages

Per capita income-Rs.60,000

Average pricing-Rs.5000

We want to have a manufacturing unit in future in south Africa due to

a benefit of local livestock

Upcoming fashion streets like:

 The largest shopping centre is a Sandon city

 Hyde Park
 Zonkizizwe shopping resort: Zonkizizwe means all nations indicating
that the centre will cater to the city’s diverse mix of peoples and race
 COMPANY PROFILE

No. of stores-3

Store locations-
Johannesburg
Hyde park
Sandon city
Zonkizizwe center

Product line-ladies
bags, wallets and
belts
STORE VISUALS
 A typical da milano store has two window
displays in front displaying the latest collections
as per the season Area of the store-
 The basement used for storage 2000 sq feet
 The first floor used for displaying women’s
handbags, wallets and belt
PRESENTPRODUCT PROFILE
Average pricing-
Rs.5000

Target market-
Higher class and
above

No. of people
employes-40
 FUTURE TARGETS

OPUNC
STRI
L EAT H
SALES GRAPH

12000

10000

8000

6000 sales

4000

2000

0
1st qtr 2nd Qtr

Total investment: 17000$

Average pricing: Rs.5000
Sales in 1st quarters: Rs. 3, 00,000 per month
Avg. sale: 20 pcs per month profit per pc: Rs.1000
Sales in 2nd quarter: rs6, 00,000 per month
Rs average sale: 40 pcs per month
Profit per pc: Rs.1000

By the second quarter the company’s profits would be double and will be
Rs.1, 20,000 per month from each store and it would have sufficient funds to
start up a manufacturing set up of its own
 Our manufacturing procedure

SOAKING
As the initial process of leather manufacturing, salted rawhide from North America is rinsed with water to
remove salt and dirt and also to replace moisture lost in the curing process to soften the hide tissue.
(Required time: 1 day)

DIVIDING
The hide is then cut down the length of the backbone into two sides to improve the
working efficiency of the subsequent processing.
(Required time: half a day)
UNHAIRING AND LIMING
Next, the hide is immersed in the lime solution to easily remove hair and to resolve
unwanted fat and furthermore to open-up the collagen fiber. Liming promotes the
penetration of chemical agents into the hide tissue. Drum liming and paddle liming are
usualbut Tochigi Leather employs pit liming.
(Required time: 5 to 6 days)

FLESHING
This is an operation to remove fat from the flesh side of the hide using a fleshing
machine.
(Required time: 1 day)

DELIMING AND BATING

Deliming neutralizes the hide and bating gives it a smoother grain to facilitate subsequent
tanning process.
(Required time: 1 day)
PIT TANNING
Dipped in a pit filled with vegetable tannin solution for about three weeks, the hide is
tanned to become 　“leather”　 which is immune to decay.
(Required time: 20 to 30 days)

FLATIQUORING
After the tanning, excess moisture is squeezed out of the leather. Then natural
based grease is applied onto the leather in a drum to add flexibility and durability.

(Required time: half a day)

SETTING OUT
The leather is smoothened, first, by a setting machine then carefully by hand.
(Required time: 1 day)
DRYING
The leather is dried in a well-ventilated indoors, avoiding direct sunlight to
become case leather.
(Required time: 10 to 15 days)

SPLITTING
Splitting adjusts the thickness of the case leather depending on the use for bags, belts, etc.
(Required time: 1 day)

DYEING, RETANNING AND FLATIQUORING

Then dyeing, retanning and fatliquoring follow to add color and texture to the
leather using optimum dyestuff and chemical agents according to each end
product.
(Required time: 1 day)
 Post manufacturing process

FINISHING
Finally the leather surface is treated with pigments and top coats to condition its softness, color, gloss,
and touch; a process which calls for personal sensitivity and good taste with creative capabilities. This
process may also include ironing to further adjust its softness and gloss, or embossing to impress a
design to give character to the end products.
(Required time: 10 to 15 days)

LEATHER CRAFTING
Painting

 Leather painting differs from leather dyeing in that paint remains only
on the surface while dyes are absorbed into the leather. Due to this
difference, leather painting techniques cannot be used on items that
can or must bend nor on items that receive friction, such as belts and
wallets. Under these conditions, the paint will crack and flake off. A
flat piece of leather, backed with a stiff board is ideal and common,
though three-dimensional forms are possible so long as the painted
surface remains secured.

 Acrylic paint is a common medium, often painted on tooled leather

pictures, backed with wood or cardboard, and then framed. Unlike
photographs, leather paintings are displayed without a glass cover, to
prevent mold.

Carving

 Leather carving entails using metal implements to compress

moistened leather in such a way as to give a three dimensional
appearance to a two dimensional surface. The surface of the leather is
not intended to be cut through, as would be done in filigree.

 The main tools used to "carve" leather include: swivel knife, veinier,
beveler, pear shader, seeder, cam, and background tool. The swivel
knife is held similar to pencil and drawn along the leather to outline
patterns. The other tools are punch-type implements struck with a
wooden, nylon or rawhide mallet. The object is to add further
definition with them to the cut lines made by the swivel knife.

 In the United States and Mexico, the western floral style, known as
"Sheridan Style", of carving leather predominates. Usually, these are
stylized pictures of acanthis or roses. California, Texas, and a few
other styles are common. By far the most preeminent carver in the
United States was Al Stohlman. His patterns and methods have been
embraced by many hobbyists, scout troops, reenacters, and craftsmen.

Stamping
Examples of geometric stamping on leather.

 Leather stamping involves the use of shaped implements (stamps) to

create an imprint onto a leather surface, often by striking the stamps
with a mallet.

 Commercial stamps are available in various designs, typically

geometric or representative of animals. Most stamping is performed
on vegetable tanned leather that has been dampened with water, as the
water makes the leather softer and able to be compressed by the
design being pressed or stamped into it. After the leather has been
stamped, the design stays on the leather as it dries out, but it can fade
if the leather becomes wet and is flexed. To make the impressions last
longer, the leather is conditioned with oils and fats to make it water-
proof and prevent thE FIBERS FROM DEFORMING.