23 March 2023, Mumbai 

Reliance Retail has announced the opening of the fifth store of its premium fashion and lifestyle brand, AZORTE, at Airia Mall in Gurugram.

With 22,000 square feet of retail space, the store is set to cater to all consumer segments and revolutionize shopping experiences in Gurugram. The AZORTE store has been designed with the shopper in mind, offering industry-first tech-enabled interventions such as mobile checkout, smart trial rooms, fashion discovery stations, and self-checkout kiosks to ensure a seamless shopping journey.

Additionally, smart fitting rooms allow shoppers to complete their look and request additional sizes and other products at the touch of a button. Customers can also choose to use self-checkouts instead of queuing up at manned counters.

The store will feature the latest global and domestic fashion trends, with a unique twist on style that includes footwear, fashion accessories, and more. Interactive screens placed strategically across the stores are RFID-enabled and act as virtual styling assistants.

Reliance Retail stated that the AZORTE store offers an elevated customer experience through tech-aided solutions, with the added benefit of in-store fashion consultants who provide a human touch.

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10 March 2023, Mumbai 

Pariz is a fashion and lifestyle metaverse to be launched that provides immersive and authentic experiences of shopping and collaboration through multichain technology.

The Pariz metaverse promises to offer an exceptional experience to users, particularly fashion enthusiasts, by bringing the shopping and socializing experience to a virtual platform. The Pariz metaverse is set to revolutionize the way people shop, collaborate and interact in the fashion and lifestyle industry.

The launch will also mark the unveiling of MetaStores, a platform designed for the first cohort of fashion brands within Pariz metaverse. With MetaStores, fashion brands will have access to a global audience, allowing them to connect with customers and showcase their products in an immersive and engaging manner. The aim is to connect with a younger audience, particularly the GenZ market.

Trace Network Labs, a metaverse company, has announced launch of Pariz through its partnership with YourStory, a media technology company for startups.

Pariz metaverse would be launched at Techsparks, one of India's leading startup-tech events, on March 22, 2023.

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09 March 2023, Mumbai 

ASUS India has opened its 200th store in Nehru Place, New Delhi, which marks a significant milestone for the company.

The store, which is spread across 500 square feet, will strengthen ASUS India's retail presence and showcase its commitment to the Indian market. The company's strategy includes an aggressive marketing approach, attractive pricing, a variety of products, and rapid retail expansion in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, resulting in a robust brand strategy.

ASUS India, believes that India is an important market for the company, and they are opening stores in high-traffic locations that are easily accessible to meet the diverse needs of consumers. And the in-store purchase experience is crucial in engaging with customers and surrounding them with incredible solutions.

ASUS aims to add at least 20 stores every quarter this year, with the goal of reaching 300 stores in total. The new store will also have designated ROG gaming zones equipped with the latest technology tools required for esports, which gamers can enjoy free of cost.

The brand currently has eight ROG exclusive outlets in the country. Additionally, ASUS is targeting suburban markets in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to establish multiple touchpoints, providing convenience and accessibility to its customers.

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28 February 2023, Mumbai 

DLF Ltd, one of India's largest publicly listed real estate companies, has announced that it will invest Rs 200 crore to expand its mall at Vasant Kunj in Delhi, with a dedicated shopping area for luxury products.

DLF plans to develop 300,000-400,000 sq. ft. of space as a luxury retail area next to DLF Promenade. This additional space will cater to the growing demand for luxury retail post-Covid and help DLF get international and domestic luxury brands as tenants.

DLF has several expansion plans and new development phases lined up for the mall, and is set to introduce new brands and infrastructural changes that are expected to revolutionize the mall industry.

DLF Promenade aims to introduce three new consumer experiences in the coming years, including a creche for parents to leave their kids, gaming and engagement zones for teenagers, and a variety of brands for consumers to choose and shop. The mall has also launched the biggest Zara store in Delhi, featuring a beauty section.

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17 March 2023, Mumbai 

THG Ingenuity and GOAT Brand Labs have entered into a partnership to assist direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands in India to improve their digital presence and reach global audiences through e-commerce channels.

THG Ingenuity has an established track record of driving e-commerce growth for leading global brands and hopes to replicate this success with Indian brands.

As part of the collaboration, THG will work with Indian DTC brands to help them make informed decisions backed by data and expand their global reach through e-commerce channels. The partnership aims to help Indian brands grow exponentially in the e-commerce sphere and become market leaders in their respective categories.

GOAT Brand Labs, founded in 2021 by Rishi Vasudev and Rameswar Mishra, has a diverse portfolio of brands, including fashion, personal care, beauty, jewellery, sports, and nutrition. The partnership with THG Ingenuity is expected to help these brands strengthen their DTC presence in India and expand their global footprint, particularly in the US and GCC countries.

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 08 March 2023, Mumbai 

Luxury rental services are becoming increasingly popular in India, as more consumers look to access high-end fashion without paying the hefty price tag.

The luxury rental market is set to expand at a CAGR of 11 per cent globally from 2021 to 2031, with many players entering the market to cater for products such as high-end bags, shoes, clothes, and more at a fraction of the cost of the product.

The luxury rental market is driven by Gen Z and millennial consumers and the growing popularity of luxury brands in India. The market is also seeing equal participation from men, who are practical about their wedding attire and understand they will probably never re-wear it.

However, the rental business model still faces inventory problems, transportation issues, and the need to ensure authenticity and quality of rentals over an extended period. Cheaper replicas also eat away at the business, with bustling lanes of Delhi offering second-hand copies at affordable prices.

Despite these challenges, luxury rentals can help combat the overconsumption crisis by offering a more cost-effective alternative to traditional retail. Additionally, the luxury rentals can also serve as a way for consumers to "try before they buy," potentially leading to increased sales of full-priced items in the long run.

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28 February 2023, Mumbai 

Tencel brand partnered with Intimasia 2023 to showcase the future of intimate wear in India. Intimasia, held in Mumbai from 20th to 22nd February 2023, was South Asia's largest B2B fashion expo in the intimate wear category, with over 200 brands, 100 raw material suppliers, 15,000 retailers and distributors, and 500 delegates present in the 120,000-square-foot venue.

Products from lingerie to sportswear and accessories such as lace, packaging, retail software, display solutions, and machines were exhibited.

Lenzing’s Tencel brand exhibited innovations at the event, with its lyocell and modal fibers in high demand in the Indian intimate wear market. These fibers, made from sustainably harvested wood, offer superior comfort, smoothness, and temperature regulation, and effectively absorb moisture while creating a less favorable environment for bacteria growth. National and international brands have adopted these fibers as they offer more value than existing fibers like cotton and are becoming more cost-competitive.

Avinash Mane, Commercial Director of Lenzing fibers, South Asia, commented on the brand's commitment to expanding the Indian intimate apparel market through TENCEL INTIMASIA, stating that the event provided an excellent platform for networking.

The event featured panel discussions with industry experts and showcased product demonstrations and collection debuts, bringing together producers, wholesalers, suppliers, retailers, and other industry experts.

The Indian innerwear and comfort wear market, valued at INR 600 billion, is expected to reach INR 900 billion by 2026, offering significant growth opportunities.

Yusuf Dohadwala, the Chief Organizer and CEO of Intimate Apparel Association of India, stated that the success of INTIMASIA has set a new milestone for the Hosiery & Knitwear Industry, with record participation from both exhibitors and visitors. He further emphasized that the show displayed India's preparedness to increase exports for the intimate wear industry and replace China soon.

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15 March 2023, Mumbai

Brand Concepts Limited’s Bagline, the premium multi-brand travel and lifestyle store, has announced its expansion into South India with two new stores opening in Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

The Bengaluru store is situated on the second floor of the Mantri Square Mall, while the Hyderabad store is located on the first floor of the Sarath City Capital Mall in HITEC City.

The new stores will showcase the exclusive Tommy Hilfiger Travel Gear collection, featuring an extensive range of luggage, backpacks, business cases, and wallets, to the South Indian market.

Bagline currently operates retail stores across several cities in India, with 24 exclusive brand outlets nationwide. The expansion into Bengaluru and Hyderabad is a significant part of Bagline's robust expansion plan to cater to the South Indian market.

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04 March 2023, Mumbai 

Decathlon, the French sportswear brand, is currently in discussions with the Indian government to allow it to retail products from other brands in its brick-and-mortar stores in India. This move would make the company a multi-brand retailer, which is the model it operates in several other countries.

Decathlon has been operating in India for some time now, but they have only retailed their own labels so far. This is because the Indian Foreign Direct Investment regulations prohibit 100% FDI in business-to-customer multi-brand retail. This means that international businesses must either partner with Indian companies for their B2B multi-brand operations or cater exclusively to the business-to-customer market. The government has implemented this policy to prevent foreign brands from undermining local businesses.

Decathlon believes in offering the widest choice of sporting products and categories will benefit consumers, including products from other local and global brands. Therefore, they are requesting that single-brand retailers in India be allowed to offer up to 20 per cent of their inventory from other brands across their sales channels.

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