Under the agreement, Indus Clothing will manufacture and market the range of non-character apparel and fashion accessories in India. The product will be retailed through exclusive Disney Jeans stores in high-end stores, malls, key retail chains and multi-brand outlets across the country.

Designed especially for children, the core denim product line will feature tee-shirts, fleece and accessories in nearly 100 fashion styles for kids aged 4-14. The exclusive range will boast of unique apparel and accessories for the young and young at heart.

"Disney aims to create a line of products that meets the quality and value standards of Indian consumers while offering design and styling that will match the international fashion trends. This non character product line aims to extend the brand beyond the popular character franchises and establish Disney as the preferred fashion and lifestyle brand for kids and youngsters across the world," said the Walt Disney Company (India) managing director Rajat Jain.

"The kids branded apparel and accessories market in India was estimated at $600 million in FY '05 and is estimated to grow to $850 million by 2010. While the market is driven by both character and non-character merchandise, non-character segment in India still constitutes almost 85 per cent share of the total market size. This represents a huge opportunity making it a perfect time to launch a powerful non-character brand likes ‘Disney Jeans’ in the country," he added.

Indus Clothing LTD director Harpratap Singh said, "We see a tremendous opportunity in the segment and are delighted to partner Disney in launching a globally successful brand like Disney Jeans in India. Our focus would be to build a strong retail network for the brand and give it a pan Indian presence."

"The kids wear market in India stands at almost 15 per cent of the total apparel market and is poised for a yearly growth of approximately 40 per cent. Currently however, it is almost completely untapped by international kidswear labels and brands," he added.

In addition to an extensive retail push, Indus Clothing will also roll out innovative marketing initiatives to drive optimum product visibility for the consumers.

The Disney Jeans brand is already successful in European markets like France, Italy, Spain and Belgium and is currently available in Asian countries like Taiwan, Thailand and China. The range will be launched shortly in North America, other parts of Europe and Hong Kong.