Trent to open 100 Westside stores annually

Tata Group’s retail flagship, Trent Ltd is shifting its focus toward its flagship brand, Westside, with plans to open as many as 100 new stores annually.Having operated roughly 300 stores across 97 cities, the retail network will expand into Tier-II and Tier-III centers, alongside deeper penetration into metro hubs like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

This aggressive push comes as revenue growth moderates for sister format Zudio, amid persistent inflationary pressures and heightened competitive intensity from market rivals including Reliance Retail and Aditya Birla Fashion.To fund this physical footprint and digital expansion, Trent’s board previously approved a Rs 2,500 crore ($260 million) capital raise.

Tech-led operations and omnichannel realignment

Beyond store expansion, Westside is undergoing a digital overhaul to strengthen gross margins.E-commerce operations are targeted to contribute 10 per cent of total brand revenues, up from 6 per cent.Concurrently, the integration of artificial intelligence across design workflows has boosted creative output to 400–500 new styles weekly, while compressing production lead times to just 30 days.

The brand has been opening 10 to 15 stores each year. It is now gearing up to open a hundred stores, says Shailina Parti, CEO, Westside. It aims to give everything a fashion spin.

Launched in 1998 by Trent, Westside offers private-label apparel, footwear, beauty, and home accessories. The brand has 300 stores in 97 Indian cities, targeting 700 locations long-term. It has expanded to major Tier II&III cities. E-commerce constitutes 10 per cent of its total business with AI having accelerated 30-day supply chains.