The United States-based Global Brand Marketing Inc, a leader in fashion footwear and apparels, has selected Chennai as one of its products outsourcing location.

"GBMI will begin outsourcing footwear and apparels for its global requirements from Chennai shortly," Killick Datta, CEO, GBMI, told reporters in Chennai on Tuesday.

The company is currently outsourcing from China, Taiwan, Macau, Korea, Vietnam and Italy.

"The Chennai project is expected to create substantial job potential, similar to our other Asian operations," he said, adding the company would expand its wholesale distribution and retail stores worldwide to include India shortly.

The company which has its presence in 130 countries has produced many a popular international footwear and apparel brands like Diesel, XOXO, Nautica and Mecca.

Datta said the company's sales topped $300 million in 2003 and were projected to touch $400 million in 2004 and $600 million in 2007.