City shoppers fired up over the wild winter sales

For the young (for whom looking good’ is life’s Number One priority) the sales are wild!’. Radhika, a collegiate, clutches a pair of Lee Cooper jeans (“just Rs 600!”) a Creative Line cardigan (“300 bucks … can you believe it?”) She also got a good bargain on a Regency sweater for her boyfriend.

Woolies appear to exert the greatest attraction on male shoppers who don’t mind hoarding sweaters for the distant future. But women aren’t immune either: a 50 per cent discount has put Pashmina shawls within reach. Ever heard of teflon jackets? Ajay – also college-age – has blown up his budget on one from Study by Janak, but thinks “it’s a steal at Rs 900”.

And no wonder, given the brands on offer. Sweatshirts and pullovers at Rs 400 have but to peep out and they’re grabbed at once. Pure wool executive style’ tweed coats are selling at an unbelievable Rs 600 and one can get a Raymond suit for Rs 1,250, against a pre-sale price of Rs 2,495. But to witness the shopping frenzy at its height, a visit to a swanky sarees-and-suits joints is necessary. “Banarasi sarees … Rs 1,800 and 2,000 … owner’s personal selection” has got blood rushing to the ears of the matronly set; they grapple over pieces that have been dumped, literally, in the middle of the shop at Gulati Silks and Sarees. Chiffon sarees at Rs 450 are pulling the crowd at Bansal Silks in Sector 17.

Another good thing about the sale is the phasing out of fabric. Shops offload their oddments and thaan-ends at this time of the year, meaning dress material can be had at half-price, or sometimes even less. Rajkot sarees and crepes … Rs 2,185 to Rs 1,600 and Rs 450 a suit-piece, respectively.

Chamois is another fabric going ballistic at the moment. Velvets in every shade, starting from Rs 70 and going on to Rs 800 per metre, require careful selection since some are plainly shoddy, irrespective of the price and the alleged’ import label. For Western casual wear, sweatshirts in all brands, from Sierra Leon, Lerros to Hugs, the youngsters are thronging the markets to “grab ’em before anyone else does” at Rs 400. Despite the frenzy, the mood in the bazaar fluctuates from sulky to exuberant. Vinod Jain of Cloth Palace talks of a “slump in the market” and “hardly any clients”, while Deepak Jain of Jainsons grins: “The sale in our casual section is always a hit!”

For the thoughtful shopper, the question inevitably surfaces: if they can sell this stuff at half-price now, then regular prices on textiles represent how much mark-up and how much profit?