In 1978, Vimal was rebranded as Only Vimal, and through an innovative advertising campaign, it was marketed as a premium fabric brand for the youth. In 1979, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani organized the first Vimal fashion show. Vimal became the one-stop destination for the average Indian family's textile purchases: shirting, suiting, saris, dress materials, and furnishing fabrics.
Image courtesy: Reliance Industries Limited.
Shri Dhirubhai Ambani is showing the exporters the Naroda Mill's fabric printing machinery imported from Switzerland.
Image Courtesy: Reliance Industries Limited.
A logo of the Vimal brand, that was launched by Shri Dhirubhai Ambani in the late 1960s. It was named after Shri Dhirubhai Ambani's brother Ramnikbhai's son, Vimal Ambani.
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In 1977, in order to scale up its operations, funds were needed. Unwilling to face red tape from banks, Reliance reached out to the public. Its first public issue was oversubscribed seven times, to the complete astonishment of trade analysts. Small investors now became the backbone of the company.
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Reliance was adjudged as India’s finest composite textile mill by developed country standards by a visiting team from the World Bank. Japan Textile News reported independently, 'Such a scene is hardly seen even in the highly advanced textile-producing countries like Japan.'
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Initially, Vimal was not readily accepted by traders in Ahmedabad and Bombay who were controlled by long-established textile tycoons. Shri Dhirubhai Ambani decided to bypass the wholesaler and take Vimal directly to the customer. In 1972, Vimal opened its first exclusive showroom at Roxy Theatre, near the Opera House, Bombay.
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Due to lack of space in Bombay, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani scouted in Gujarat, his home state, to find a suitable land for a textile mill. In February 1966, he bought a 10,000 sq. yard plot at Naroda. He also bought the plots of factories around it that were facing business losses. Soon, the textile mill at Naroda spread over 125 acres.
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Reliance Naroda began with four German wrap knitting machines and a processing house. The design team was soon churning out 2,200 designs every month. Reliance Naroda mill would lead a textile revolution in India and become the birthplace of 'Vimal'—the most iconic brand in the history of textile manufacturing in India.
Image Courtesy: Reliance Industries Limited.
The establishment of the Reliance textile mill at Naroda marked Shri Dhirubhai Ambani's move from yarn trading to fabric manufacturing. Reliance Commercial Corporation now became Reliance Textile Industries Private Limited. Here, Shri Dhirubhai Ambani is displaying the German warp knitting machinery at Reliance Naroda.
Image Courtesy: Reliance Industries Limited.
