23 December 2024, Mumbai

The retail landscape is undergoing a dramatic shift as digitally native, direct-to-consumer (D2C) fashion brands are venturing offline, opening physical stores across the country. Born in the digital realm, these brands are now embracing brick-and-mortar to engage with customers in a more tangible way, offering experiences that blend the convenience of online shopping with the tactile satisfaction of traditional retail.

Market size and growth potential

The D2C fashion market in India is booming. According to a report by Avendus Capital, the market is expected to reach $100 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 25%. This expansion is fuelled by increasing internet penetration, smartphone usage, and a growing preference for personalized shopping experiences.

Source: Avendus Capital

By opening physical stores, D2C brands can tap into a larger market, including consumers who prefer to touch and feel products before purchasing or those who value the immediate gratification of taking their purchases home.

Consumer reception and unique value proposition

Consumers are responding positively to the emergence of D2C brand stores. These brands offer several differentiating factors that set them apart from traditional established brands:

• Unique brand identity: D2C brands often cultivate a strong brand identity and community, fostering a sense of belonging among their customers. They leverage social media and influencer marketing to build authentic connections.

• Personalized experiences: Many D2C brands offer personalized styling advice, curated collections, and exclusive in-store events.

• Focus on sustainability and ethical practices: Many D2C brands prioritize sustainable materials, ethical production, and transparent supply chains, appealing to the growing segment of conscious consumers.

• Omnichannel strategy: D2C brands seamlessly integrate their online and offline channels, offering features like click-and-collect, online returns in-store, and personalized recommendations based on online and offline purchase history.

Should established brands worry?

While established brands still hold a dominant position in the market, they cannot afford to ignore the rise of D2C brands. To remain competitive, they need to adapt and innovate; enhance customer experience, embrace digital transformation and adopt sustainable practices

Presence in retail spaces

D2C brands are strategically establishing their presence in key retail locations in Malls for high footfall as malls provide excellent visibility and access to a wide customer base, High Streets to set up flagship stores building brand image and cater to a discerning clientele and Specialty Retail forcatering to the niche segments

A recent study by ANAROCK Retail revealed that D2C brands accounted for 15% of new leases in prime malls in the first half of 2023, indicating their growing prominence in the retail sector.

Looking ahead

The rise of D2C fashion brands in the offline retail space marks a significant shift in the industry. By offering unique experiences, personalized services, and a strong focus on customer engagement, these brands are redefining the future of retail.

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21 December 2024, Mumbai

Renowned for its timeless elegance and blend of creativity and tradition, iconic global brand Lacoste has strengthened its presence in Mumbai with the opening of its latest boutique at Oberoi Mall in Goregaon.

Designed to deliver unparalled style, quality and comfort, the boutique offers a curated selection of Lacoste’s premium products, including apparel, sneakers, bags, and accessories, states Rajesh Jain, Managing Director & CEO, Lacoste India - Sports and Leisure Apparel. It highlights the label’s commitment to enhance its footprint in India.

Launched in India in 1993 through Sports and Leisure Apparel Limited (SLA), Lacoste has since become a trusted name for its diverse range of offerings, which include apparel, leather goods, footwear, fragrances, sunglasses, and wristwatches. With a vision to grow in a controlled and sustainable manner, Lacoste emphasises on customer satisfaction, talent development, and operational excellence. It aims to create a fashion model to minimise environmental impact while upholding the legacy of quality and innovation.

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20 December 2024, Mumbai

Operated by retail-led mixed-use developer, The Phoenix Mills, Mumbai-based Phoenix Palladium Mall has expanded its portfolio by adding three new fashion brands to its portfolio.

The retailer has roped in brands including Landmark Group’s department store chain Lifestyle, men’s clothing brand Celio and Danish shoe and leather accessories brand Ecco.

Launched in 2009, Phoenix Palladium Mall is spread across 1 million sq ft at Lower Parel in Mumbai. The shopping centre houses over 250 regional, national and global brands such as Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Burberry, Aldo, Allen Solly, Being Human, CaratLane, FabIndia, and Fossil.

Mumbai-based The Phoenix Mills operates 10 malls across across six Indian cities including Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Bareilly. The retail company aims to launch three more malls across the country.

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21 December 2024, Mumbai

India’s premium activewear brand, Strch has launched a new digital film featuring bollywood stars Vaani Kapoor and Rannvijay Singha. The film highlights the brand’s vision to offers consumers a seamless blend of comfort, functionality, and style in activewear.

Strch’s latest offering redefines activewear by using an innovative nylon and spandex blend, moving away from traditional polyester-based fabrics. This unique combination ensures the garments are lightweight, sweat-wicking, and exceptionally soft—designed to support fitness enthusiasts without sacrificing comfort.

In the film, Kapoor highlights the brand’s cutting-edge fabric technology as she performs her fitness routine. She emphasises how Strch’s designs, tailored for unhindered movement, are a game-changer for women’s fitness apparel.

The film also introduces Strch’s men’s activewear line, with Singha sporting the brand’s thoughtfully crafted nylon and spandex shorts and T-shirt. Demonstrating the garments’ body-hugging and quick-drying properties, Singha effortlessly moves through his gym routine, embodying the ease and confidence Strch aims to deliver to all its customers.

Prithvi Bhagat, Founder, Strch, says, the digital film showcases the brand’s commitment to enable individuals to move freely, confidently, and stylishly. It revolutionises the activewear segment through its use of lightweight fabrics like nylon and spandex.

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20 December 2024, Mumbai

Having opened its maiden India store in Bengaluru recently, circular fashion brand Virgio aims to open more stores across the country in 2025.

Located at the M5 Ecity Mall Electronic City, the brand’s debut store houses its entire collection of sustainable apparel, including everyday essentials, statement pieces, and exclusive limited-edition designs. It also offers educational programs on sustainable fashion, personalised style consultations and exclusive seminars.

More than just a place to shop, the store functions as a meeting point for sustainability, style and social responsibility, says Amar Nagaram, Co-founder. It offers customers an opportunity to explore the brand’s collections in person and discover its production process and sustainability initiatives, he adds.

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19 December 2024, Mumbai

Expanding its retail footprint in the Indian market, premium Japanese lingerie brand, Wacoal has opened its largest store in Mumbai. Located at Phoenix Palladium, the store offers an extensive collection of Wacoal’s premium intimate wear.

Looking at India as an important growth driver for the brand, Wacoal plans to establish a robust presence in the country through a multi-channel retail approach. The brand plans to open specialised stores, multi-brand outlets, and e-commerce platforms across the nation. Its new concept flagship store represents the brand’s dedication to deliver a unique shopping experience, says Pooja Merani, Chief Operating Officer, Wacoal India.

Hirokuni Nagamori, CEO, Wacoal India adds, the new store reaffirms the brand’s commitment to not just offer a premium lingerie range to Indian women but also ensure a great fit, comfort and exemplary service synonymous with Wacoal Internationally.

Having forayed into the Indian market with its first store in December 2015, Wacoal currently has 18 exclusive brand outlets in India. The brand also retails through its website, e-commerce platforms, large format store and multi-brand outlets across the country.

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21 December 2024, Mumbai

Strengthening its retail presence in South India, California-based footwear giant Skechers has opened its third store in Kozhikode, Kerala, Located at the Lulu International Shopping Mall, the new 1,503 sq ft outlet marks a significant step in the brand’s expansion strategy for the region.

The store opening coincided with Skechers’ eighth Community Goal Challenge, held from December 17 to 19, 2024 which brought together fitness enthusiasts and athletes. The event featured South Indian actress Malavika Mohanan and saw participants collectively complete a 1,000-kilometer run at the store.

As part of the event, Skechers donated 100 pairs of children’s shoes to the PT Usha Foundation, an organisation dedicated to nurturing athletic talent in India.

According to Rahul Vira, CEO, Skechers Asia, the new store is ideal for the global brand—in one of India’s growing markets, with income and exposure to a large population from outside as well as within the country. Kozhikode’s rich sporting culture also makes it the perfect place for the brand’s Community Goal Challenge, reflecting its core values of community, fitness, and support for young athletes.

The Kozhikode outlet features Skechers’ newest lifestyle footwear collections, with dedicated sections for performance technologies and styles catering to various needs, including fashion, sports, casual, work, and children’s footwear. Designed to offer comfort and style for every age and activity, the store highlights the brand’s commitment to innovation and quality.

With the opening of this store, Skechers now operates 427 retail outlets across India, including major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata. Globally, the brand’s collections are available in 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, online platforms, and approximately 5,300 exclusive retail outlets.

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20 December 2024, Mumbai

Mumbai-based, digital-first brand, The Souled Store plans to expand its retail network to 200 stores by December 2026. Of these, the brand aims to open 60 stores by 2024-end which it plans to expand to 120 stores by December 2025, notes Harsh Lal, Co-founder.

Commencing its operations in 2019, The Souled Store currently operates 36 stores across 21 cities, spanning metros, Tier-I, and Tier-II locations. Having faced a severe financial in its initial five years, the brand grew into a Rs 30 crore business by 2018. It currently ships around 20,000 orders daily and has over 8 million registered customers on its platform.

Having a strong presence in the North, South, and West, The Souled Store has fewer stores in the Central and Eastern regions. It plans to expand in these regions over the next few years. The brand is also collaborating with quick commerce platforms to run pilots and experiments.

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19 December 2024, Mumbai

A leading brand known for its innovative travel products, Mokobara has entered into the Jaipur market with its first store at Vaishali Nagar. Marking a significant step in its journey of growth and expansion, this is the brand’s 25th store in India.

Known for its attention to detail and commitment to quality, Mokobara offers travel products ranging from super-silent ninja wheels to color-matched premium zippers. The brand’s products are known to be both stylish and functional at the same time. They are subjected to rigorous quality testing including airport mishandling scenarios. Redefining travel gear, Mokobara makes every journey a memorable experience with its unique designs and quality.

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20 December 2024, Mumbai

Being held from December 19-20, 2024 at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, the 9th edition of the Garment Show of India (GSI) aims to foster new business opportunities by connecting leading entrepreneurs, industry stalwarts, and stakeholders from across the globe. The event seeks to highlight India’s growing strength in the global textile market by focusing on B2B sourcing for apparel, fashion accessories, and home textiles.

Organised by Gagan Marwah and Deepti Marwah, Co-Founders, the show is being in a hybrid format, enabling both domestic and international audiences to participate in it. The show is expected to attract over 5,000 visitors from both domestic and international markets. Inaugurated by Deepti Marwah, the show focuses on the themes of sustainable fashion, sourcing challenges, and enhancing the competitiveness of Indian suppliers.

Emphasising on the importance of leadership and innovation, Vineet Gautam, CEO, Bestseller Group, stated, even though the introduction of new categories and involvement of corporate sectors has made the industry more dynamic, it still needs to focus on speed, talent, development and government support to boost growth.

Alpana Rajdan, Representative, Falabella, stated, Indian manufacturers need to evolve to boost sourcing from the country. They need to focus on quality and embrace change to turn India into a global sourcing hub.

Jasveen Kaur, Industry Veteran, added, establishing better connectivity between Noida and Gurgaon can help manufacturers boost business by 80-90 per cent, and also secure long-term partnerships.

Emphasising on the need for innovation, Ritesh Sharma, Head, Reliance Trends, said, India needs to focus on improving productivity an sustainability. It needs to match the standards of international markets, he added.

Sharing his vision for future growth Lalit Thakural, Chairman, NAEC, said, the government needs to establish apparel and textile parks in Uttar Pradesh to boost capacity and exports. Availability of hardworking labor from states like UP and Bihar will help Noida become a global leader in apparel manufacturing, he adds.

A milestone event for the apparel industry, the Garment Show of India 2024 reinforces India’s position as a global apparel powerhouse. The event sets the stage for the industry’s future growth through its focus on sustainability, innovation, and collaboration.

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19 December 2024, Mumbai

Multi-brand Indian fashion boutique Ogaan has organised a festive pop-up in Kolkata to showcase winter collections from upcoming designers across India.

Being held on December 19, 2024, the pop-up features some of the coolest contemporary collections from brands including 63 East, Happi Space, Ofrida, Studio Moda, Vaayu, etc.

Mumbai-based womenswear brand 63 East presents its playful, textile driven apparel at the pop-up. Made from cotton and other 100 per cent locally sourced materials, the boutique’s clothing is made in fair trade factories, according to its website.

Ofrida's latest collection 'Nomadi' mixes bold patterns in soft, neutral tones and features fluid tailored trousers, trench coats, and smart casual separates. Kolkata based brand Vaayu retails its brightly colored sets with subtle prints and soft drapes.

Ogaan has also launched Payal Khandwala’s latest collection of 'Timeless Brocades' from her 'Release 12' across stores in Hauz Khas, Malcha Marg, Banjara Hills, and Kolkata. The collection mixes metallic prints and tailored shapes for a modern take on heritage brocades.

Founded in 1982 by Kavita Bhartia in New Delhi, multi-brand boutique Ogaan houses a wide range of premium and luxury Indian labels including Punit Balana, Nikasha, Studio Rigu, Raw Mango, One Not Two, Mati, Aseem Kapoor, Yam India, Five Point Five, and Deme by Gabriella, etc. Along with its boutiques, Ogaan also operates an e-commerce store.

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