Global fashion giant G-III Apparel Group has partnered with All We Wear Group (AWWG), a company housing popular brands like Pepe Jeans, Hackett, and Façonnable. This collaboration opens doors for these international labels to enter the booming Indian fashion market.

G-III takes stake in AWWG, eyes European and Indian expansion

The US-based company has acquired a 12% stake in AWWG, a Madrid-based fashion holding company owned by M1 Group, L Catterton, and founder Carlos Ortega. This strategic partnership allows G-III to leverage AWWG's expertise in Spain and Portugal to expand its own brands like DKNY, Donna Karan, and Karl Lagerfeld, across these European markets.

India - A key target market for G-III brands

Significantly, G-III plans to utilize AWWG's established presence in India to introduce its key brands, with DKNY likely taking the lead, to one of the world's fastest-growing fashion landscapes. This move positions G-III to capitalize on the immense potential of the Indian fashion industry.

Mutual Benefits: AWWG gains access to North America

The partnership is a two-way street. AWWG, in turn, will benefit from G-III's strong operational base in North America. This will empower them to expand their existing brands – Pepe Jeans, Hackett, and Façonnable – into the lucrative North American market, further solidifying their global footprint.

Industry leaders combine forces

"This partnership with AWWG accelerates our strategic goals," said Morris Goldfarb, Chairman and CEO of G-III. "We gain a strong international presence and a talented team to grow our European business, while also supporting AWWG's expansion in North America."

AWWG's CEO, Marcella Wartenbergh, expressed similar enthusiasm. "G-III's expertise and investment will be invaluable as we expand our brands in North America," she said. "We are confident that together, we can propel the growth of both our companies across the globe."

A fashionable future for India

This collaboration between fashion heavyweights paves the way for the introduction of renowned international brands into the Indian market. India can soon expect to see popular labels like DKNY, Pepe Jeans, and Hackett grace store shelves, offering a wider range of choices and catering to evolving fashion trends.

SudhirSekhri, Chairman of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), congratulated Prime Minister NarendraModi on his historic third consecutive term. Sekhri praised Modi's progressive vision, which he believes has laid a strong foundation for India's future growth.

Sekhri highlighted that the positive domestic outlook, coupled with a favorable political regime, will create a conducive business environment in India. He emphasized that the Modi government's third term paves the way for the bold reforms eagerly awaited by the industry.

Mithileshwar Thakur, AEPC Secretary General, also extended his congratulations, noting that the political continuity will bring stability and predictability, crucial for robust growth and investment. Thakur expressed confidence that India's aspirational goals will be achieved under Modi's dynamic leadership, leading to the emergence of a stronger nation.

Sekhri thanked the government for its continued support to the apparel industry and expressed optimism about the sector's future, highlighting its role in creating employment, especially for women.

Women’s ethnic wear brand Soch’s flagship sale event the ‘Red Dot Sale’ offers double digit discounts at its stores in 68 Indian cities, and also online

The sale event offers discounts of upto 50 per cent on the brand’s evening and occasion wear ranging from kurtas and tunics to sarees and lehengas. Accompanied by a campaign spanning the social media platforms YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, the sale offers clothes priced from Rs 698 onwards.

India’s ‘largest evening-occasion wear ethnic brand for women, Soch has a total of 175 brick-and-mortar’ outlets across India and also retails from its direct to customer e-commerce store.

Ethnic wear and lifestyle brand Biba has made its debut in the US with the brand’s first brick-and-mortar outlet in New Jersey.

Situated in a one-storey building on the Oaktreee Road, the store retails both everyday and occasion wear for women. The store has a cream and red façade with marble style floor, dark wood and bronze accents in the interiors.

Besides offering a wide selection of ready to wear kurtas and anarkalis in bright cotton prints, the store also retails fusion style garments such as tunics and shirts launched with Biba’s summer 2024 collection.

Biba’s aims behind launching the store in the US was to connect with non-resident Indians in the area as well as other customer demographics while also increasing the brand’s visibility across the globe.

Renowned kidswearbrand, The Baby Atelier’s flagship retail outlet in Bengaluru introduces a diverse array of organic products for toddlers and kids', along with comprehensive design services for children's rooms. Departing from traditional approaches, The Baby Atelier revolutioniseschildren's spaces by offering seamless solutions that combine contemporary trends and interactive designs while ensuring maximum functionality, longevity, and enjoyment.

Recognising the evolving needs and preferences of children from infancy to adolescence, The Baby Atelier offers home design and furnishing solutions for children aged 0-15 years. Blending timeless designs, modern functionality, and eco-friendly materials, these innovative spaces create safe, fun, and practical environments for children. The brand strives to achieve a cohesive look by providing holistic services encompassing space design, including composition, color schemes, furniture, accessories, and furnishings.

Focusing on eco-friendly solutions, the Baby Atelier uses organic fabrics and sustainable materials. Extending beyond bed and bath linen, the brand’s product rangeincludes furniture, interactive play items, rugs, lamps, and nightwear. Designed with simplicity, durability, and a minimalist aesthetic, these products allow parents to effortlessly update their kids’ spaces. Adding a stylish flair to any room, the Baby Atelier offers parents a plethora of options to choose from.

Expanding its product offerings, footwear brand Language has launched a new leather footwear range for men. Lightweight in construction, these comfort shoes blend craftsmanship with ergonomic design. They have been constructed with premium materials and feature lightweight soles, a leather lining and cushioned comfort footbeds to support the customers feet.

Featuring a ‘Jameson Moccasin’ made from Nappa leather, the ‘Macklin Loafer’ range has been designed for office and formal wear while the ‘Finlay Moccasin’ range has been made in a more flamboyant style. Other models in this new line include the ‘Stefan Loafer’ and ‘Martin Loafer’.

Launched at Language’s exclusive brand outlets in Nungambakkam Chennai, Express Avenue Chennai, Sarath City Mall Hyderabad, Lulu Global Mall Bengaluru, Lulu Mall Kochi, Pavilion Mall Ludhiana, and HiLite Mall Kozhikode, etc, the collection is also available in the brand’sdirect to customer e-commerce store. The brand Language also retails from over 300 multi-brand outlets across India with retailers including Metro Shoes, Viz, Mochi, Centro, Regal Shoes, and Delco as well as online with Amazon India.

Men’s and women’s casual wear brand Superdry has expanded its brick-and-mortar in Benglauru with a new exclusive brand outlet in the Phoenix Mall of Asia.

Designed to mix technology with in-store engagement, Superdry’s new store features product categories including apparel, footwear, rucksacks and bags, accessories, and lifestyle goods featuring Japanese inspired graphics. The brand retails alongside other labels including Hidesign, Armani Exchange, Tanishq, Giva, Gant, Mango, Allen Solly, Only, and Jack & Jones in the mall at Yelahanka.

Operating in India with the retail arm of Reliance Industries, Reliance Retail, Superdry currently has 200 points of sale across 50 cities in the country. Since 2012, Reliance’s wholly owned, UK based subsidiary Reliance Brands UK has acted as Superdry’s exclusive franchise partner in India.

Marking a significant milestone in its Indian retail journey, global leader in sports footwear and apparel, Reebok has launched two new stores in Chennai, Anna Nagar and Phoenix Marketcity, respectively.

Launched under the banner of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL), these stores will help the brand meet the rising demand for premium sportswear in Chennai.

Boasting a contemporary and welcoming design, both stores showcase Reebok's signature collections in the brand’s core categories of Running, Training, Walking and Lifestyle. The store offers an extensive selection of high-performance athletic footwear, stylish activewear, and essential accessories designed to elevate their fitness journeys.

ManojJuneja, CEO, Reebok India, says, the launch of these two stores symbolises the brand’s deep-rooted commitment to fostering a thriving sports and fitness culture in Chennai. The store launch also consolidates Reebok’s market position as a leading provider of sportswear and fitness solutions in India.

To cater to the diverse fashion needs of its global customers, men’s fashion brand, Indian Threads has expanded its new top-of-the-line wear range.

Besides being rich in detail and quality, the products offered by the brand are also affordable. One of the brand’s hallmark products is the white formal shirt for men, a timeless and versatile garment for formal occasions. Crafted with high-quality fabrics and meticulous attention to detail, this piece effortlessly combines style and sophistication.

In addition to formal wear, Indian Threads has also introduced a range of casual half-sleeve shirts in various colors and patterns. Besides, the company has added polo T-shirts to its product basket. Available a range of vibrant colors, these T-shirts are perfect for casual outings, weekend getaways, etc. Through this range, the company aims to redefine every day style for men in India continuously, says Vishal Porwal, a company spokesperson.

Besides trendy designs and affordable clothing, Indian Threads also offers comfortable wear that fits perfectly and is made from top-of-the-line fabric. The brand currently offers a 10 per cent discount, allowing shoppers to buy with the promo code - PREPAID 10. The company also offers Buy Now, Pay Later plans to make it even more inclusive.

Fashion in India is a unique blend of tradition and modernity. But in a rapidly evolving market, staying ahead of the curve is key to success. This is where fashion forecasting steps in, emerging as a game-changer for the Indian apparel industry. For decades, Indian fashion relied heavily on international trends. However, with a growing domestic market and a discerning consumer base, the need for homegrown forecasts is becoming increasingly important. Fashion forecasting, in essence, is predicting what silhouettes, colors, fabrics, and styles will resonate with consumers in the coming seasons.

Decoding the future, stitch by stitch

Traditionally, trend analysis relied on intuition and a keen eye for detail. However, fashion forecasting takes a more scientific approach now. Forecasters meticulously research social, economic, and cultural shifts, analyze consumer behavior, and study global fashion trends. They also utilize tools like social media listening and big data to understand what's trending and what's desired. In fact, fashion forecasting is like a crystal ball for the fashion world. By analyzing cultural shifts, economic trends, and runway whispers, forecasters predict what colors, fabrics, and silhouettes will be hot in the coming seasons. This foresight empowers Indian brands and manufacturers to:

• Design with demand in mind: Forecasting helps create collections that resonate with consumer preferences, reducing the risk of unsold inventory and boosting sales.

• Optimize production cycles: With a roadmap of upcoming trends, businesses can plan production efficiently, ensuring timely delivery and avoiding costly last-minute changes.

• Stay competitive: Forecasting keeps Indian fashion on par with global trends, allowing domestic brands to compete effectively in the international market.

• Celebrate Indian sensibilities: Local forecasters can incorporate the rich heritage of Indian textiles, silhouettes, and embellishments into their predictions, fostering a unique and authentic Indian fashion identity.

• Sustainability in style: Forecasting can highlight eco-friendly materials and production processes, catering to the growing demand for sustainable fashion.

• Localizing global trends: Forecasters can adapt international trends to Indian sensibilities, incorporating cultural motifs and fabrics.

However fashion forecasting is not just about blind prediction; it's also about strategic planning. By embracing this tool, the Indian apparel industry can reduce waste by producing what consumers actually want reduces fabric waste and leftover inventory. Boost profitability as informed design choices lead to higher sales and brand recognition. And empower innovation as forecasting can inspire fresh design ideas and push the boundaries of Indian fashion.

While the Indian fashion industry is increasingly embracing fashion forecasting, there's still room for growth. Investing in indigenous forecasting agencies that specialize in the Indian market will be crucial. Additionally, fostering collaboration between forecasters, designers, and manufacturers can create a more streamlined and efficient fashion ecosystem.

The bottomline is, fashion forecasting offers a powerful tool for the Indian apparel industry to navigate the ever-changing landscape of fashion. By leveraging its potential, Indian fashion can not only thrive domestically but also emerge as a major player on the global stage.

In order to tackle environmental challenges, Metro Brands aims to expand the recycling of its old, discarded footwear (ODF) in partnership with ReCircle and other partners.

The partnershipnot only aims to reduce waste and carbon emissions but also encourage circular economy toattain self-sustainability via precise, measurable targets.

With an annual footwear production ofaround 21 billion pairs, discarding of old footwear has come out as a major environmental issue. Often ignored and inappropriately disposed of, ODF often worsens environmental degradation by adding to landfills and ocean pollution. This venture aims to enable informal waste workers to boost their earnings, enlarge their businesses, and create employment opportunities, while at the same time diverting old shoes away from landfills and oceans.

Sharing his enthusiasm over the partnership with ReCircle and other CSR partners, Aziz Fidai, Head of CSR and Sustainability, Metro Brands, highlights its importance in conveying the environmental impact emerging from the spreading out of the footwear industry.

From 5 per cent in FY2021–22, Metro Brands increased its ODF processing to around 50 per cent in FY 2023–24, with ReCircle dealing out 1,300 tons of old discarded footwear. The company plans to accomplish 75 per cent coverage relative to the new footwear pairs sold this year, with inclusive coverage targeted by FY 25–26.

Rahul Nainani, CEO and Co-Founder, ReCircle, a clean-tech leader specialising in resource recovery, emphasised the importance of this partnership in showcasing the potential of circularity and sustainability in facing local environmental challenges.

A specialty footwear retailer that opened its first store in Mumbai in 1955, Metro Brands offers a diverse range of branded products for men, unisex, women, and children, providing to casual and formal occasions. Apart from footwear, the company sells accessories like handbags, belts, and wallets. Operated under its own brands including Metro, Mochi, Da Vinchi, Walkway,and J. Fontini, as well as representing third-party brands like Crocs, Fila, Clarks, Fitflop, Puma, Skechers,and Adidas, Metro Brands presently runs 836 stores across 193 cities in India.

From the current 200, fashion accessories brand Lavie aims to increase its multi-brand store count presence to over 1,000 stores in the next few years, says AyushTainwala, CEO.

Operated by Bagzone Lifestyles, Lavie also plans to increase its EBO count by opening 50 EBOs annually, addsTainwala. The brand operates over 120 EBOs including full-fledged stores as well as kiosks alongwith its subsidiaries, Lavie Sport and LavieLuxe.

Currently experimenting with exports to the UK and the Middle East markets, the retailer also plans to expand its business in the global market within this fiscal year. It is currently experimenting with exports to the UK and the Middle Eastern markets.

Launched in 2009, Lavi’s name was derived from the French phrase ‘La Vie en Rose’, which means ‘life in pink hues’. The offline-first brand ventured into online in 2014. The brand’s sales ratio between online and offline channels, currently stands at 50: 50,and is expected to remain constant in the future, adds Tainwala.

In addition to EBOs and the online website lavieworld.com, Lavie and its sub-brands are currently available through multi-brand outlets (MBOs) such as Shopper Stop, Lifestyle, and Pantaloons, as well as on various online marketplaces including Amazon, Flipkart, TataCLiQ, Nykaa, Ajio, and Myntra.