10 May 2022, Mumbai:

The latest financial data by several top companies shows online retail continues to surge in India despite store footfalls and sales recovering back to pre-COVID levels.

E-commerce sales by India’s largest retailer, Reliance Retail grew to 17 percent as compared to 10 percent a year ago, while sales of Tata-owned Trent surged to 7 percent as compared to 5 percent in FY21.

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Gaurav Jain, Head-Strategy, Reliance Retail says, consumers are shopping through both online and offline channels.

They are using omni-channel capabilities to benefit from the convergence of technology and physical stores.

E-commerce sales galloped during the pandemic due to the restrictions on brick-and-mortar stores and malls, and consumers preferred to shop from their homes.

However, the pace of growth slowed in 2021-22 due to the easing of restrictions and a dip in infection rates.

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Yet, sales by online channels continued to surge.

India’s largest consumer goods maker, Hindustan Unilever’s online sales including e-commerce channels and internal ordering app Shikhar in the March quarter increased by over 20 percent of its overall sales.

Sanjiv Mehta, Managing Director notes, that the company’s D2C website already has 25 million annual visits. Along with the e-commerce platform, its online sales contribute 30 percent to Lakme's business.

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04 May 2022, Mumbai:

Abhinav Mishra has launched his debut bridal couture collection. The collection spans bridal outfits in different shades of red.

The line comprises raditional silhouettes including gold etched lehengas, intricate blouses with motifs, and tulle odhanis worn by brides for their special day.

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Mishra says the collection has been handcrafted in alignment with the heritage and culture of Indian weddings.

It uses elegant techniques like traditional Zari where the thread is woven into fabrics to make intricate patterns and elaborate designs, authentic Rajasthani Tikdi, hand-embroidered Dabka, traditional Nakshi embroidery, and the twisted stitch Marodi along with Gota work as well as the signature Sheesha that the brand is known for.

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Mishra says mirror work has been a big part of his collections since the beginning. He also uses handcrafts in different ways in all collections.

For instance, the technique has been used to create de-constructed motifs with gota and silk threads, and even with prints.

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13 May 2022, Mumbai:

Ethnic wear brand Chidiyaa will present its latest collection at a pop-up shop at Fort in Mumbai from May 20 to 21.

The pop-up will also launch the brand’s spring/ summer 2022 collection titled ‘Soni’ in the city.

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The new collection will feature a range of handwoven linen Zari sarees paired with block printed and Chanderi blouses. Nature-inspired motifs including dragonflies and flowers adorn the sarees along with Chidiyaa’s signature crescent moon icon.

Chidiyaa previously held a large number of pop-up shops across different Indian cities but had to pause its events schedule due to Covid-19.

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The brand re-started its shopping events schedule this March and has held pop-ups in New Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru this spring season.

Chidiyaa retails from its dedicated e-commerce store and specializes in hand-block printed textiles. The brand launched as a womenswear label and later added a menswear line in November 2020.

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CREDITS: As per a Fashion Network report.

05 May 2022, Mumbai:

Traditional Swiss company Victorinox has opened a new brand store at the Palladium Mall, High Street Phoenix in Mumbai.

Victorinox, the manufacturer of the iconic Swiss Army Knife, is further expanding its footprint.

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With its own retail stores and those run by franchise partners, the company enables customers worldwide to dive into the fascinating world of Victorinox.

After the opening of stores in Vienna, Prague, and Lyon in 2020, 2021and 2022 respectively, Mumbai was on the agenda for April 2022.

Victorinox products are now available in more than 120 countries worldwide and the Victorinox brand world can be experienced in stop-in shops and in more than 50 of our own retail stores.

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The new store is located at the Palladium Shopping Mall, in the heart of South Mumbai, with many premium boutiques of well-known brands, notable offices, restaurants, and hotels.

The store offers a long facade in two directions with one inviting entrance, while the broad Victorinox product range is presented across clearly arranged seventy-nine square meters.

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02 May 2022, Mumbai:

Retailers Association of India (RAI) and Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN) have teamed up to implement new diversity, equity, and inclusion policies with RAI-registered retailers.

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The two associations will collaborate on the identification and mapping of job roles at different levels within the industry, appropriate to the type of disability.

They will also encourage retailers to employ more TRRAIN certified Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates at entry and other level jobs over the next five years.

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Since 80 percent of retail jobs are customer-facing, employing PwDs will help create more awareness at a large level, says BS Nagesh, Founder, TRRAIN.

Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, of RAI, adds, that the initiative will not only provide PwDs an opportunity to support themselves and their families but also contribute to the progress of retail as an industry.

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CREDITS: Knowledge & News Network report

12 May 2022, Mumbai:

As per an *Indian Retailer report, the company managed to keep its market intact, with some setbacks, during the peak pandemic as it focused on e-commerce.

In Q2 FY21, the brand managed to pick an impressive pace and continues to expand and capture the market.

ALSO READ Madame expects demand to rise by 38 % Y-o-Y to pre-COVID levels

The brand has also moved into the space of accessories like handbags and sunglasses. This segment has shown a promising trend in the recent past and Madame plans to focus on its growth.

At the same time, the company has also set a goal to expand its digital footprint, leveraging the e-commerce space, by using digital marketing and influencer marketing. It also launched its exclusive online store, Glamly.com, and is working towards its expansion as well.

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The brand currently boasts of more than 140 points of sales across the country and plans to take it up to 800+by the end of the year.

MADAME looks forward to having more than 185 exclusive offline stores by the end of the financial year 2022.

The brand is also focusing on sustainable fashion to have a positive environmental impact. It has been launching an Eco-wear fashion range every year which includes clothing prepared from a biodegradable cotton-based fabric.

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CREDITS: *As per the Indian Retailer report.

04 May 2022, Mumbai:

Husband and wife designer duo, Shane and Falguni Peacock will return to New York Fashion Week in Spring 2023.

The couple’s brand, Falguni Shane Peacock has participated in 10 seasons of New York Fashion Week till Fall/Winter 2015.

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They launched their Indian label in 2016 and ever since become one of the top Indian designers in the business.

As they built their Indian business they also continued to create Western-style clothes.

Currently, they have several collections spanning men’s, Indian bridal couture, western couture, athleisure, and women’s advanced contemporary.

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They’ve also launched a limited-edition collection of hand-knotted rugs and plan to launch beauty and accessories in the future.

Since 2016, the brand has also opened six stores and plans to open four more stores this year. Currently, it has an office in New York and plans to expand operations in the city.

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30 April 2022, Mumbai:

The Souled Store has launched its new store at the Infiniti Mall in Malad, Mumbai.

*This is the brand’s fifth store in Mumbai.

It had earlier opened stores in Colaba, Bandra, Lower Parel, and Thane.

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The store will house casual wear from the brand including exclusive merchandise from partner brands such as Netflix, Marvel, Disney, Warner Bros., IPL, Viacom18, and more.

The Souled Store claims to have a customer base of over 3 million along with 150 plus licenses.

The brand has plans to open 50 stores over the next 3 years.

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The Souled Store is known for creating and curating stunning designs and printing them on all sorts of equally stunning products- from t-shirts to phone covers to backpacks to boxers to mugs to socks to badges to pins to hoodies, etc.

Its funky products are designed and printed specifically to spread happiness amongst consumers.

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CREDITS: As per a Fashion Network report.