After finalising a new franchise deal with the local e-commerce giant Myntra, Next plans make its debut in India by setting up both online and in physical stores across the country. Its partnership with the e-commerce company empowers Next to expand its omnichannel footprint throughout the region.

As per the agreement, Myntra will launch eight to ten Next-branded outlets in key cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. Additionally, it will upgrade Next's digital presence by making its range of menswear, womenswear, and kidswear collections available online.

Myntra will also introduce other esteemed brands from the Next portfolio, such as Reiss, Joules, and Fat Face. Lord Wolfson, CEO, Next, cites India's rapid growth as a key factor in its decision to expand in the country. Nandita Sinha, CEO, Myntra, adds, the e-commerce company aims to fortify Next's omnichannel presence in India by leveraging its expertise in fostering adoption for global brands.

Beyond India, Next is actively pursuing similar franchising and licensing opportunities across Asia, aligning with its broader strategy for international expansion.

Sportswear brand Asics has expanded its retail presence in India by opening a brick-and-mortar outlet in the Lulu Mall in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Offering a world-class collection of sports gear and lifestyle footwear, the store has an open façade with a large digital screen to the right showing the various sports that Asics caters to. A segment inside the store caters to the sport of running and offers jogging shoes and clothes for both men and women. Other sports represented in the store include cricket and tennis among others. 

Headquartered in Kobe, Japan Asics was originally launched by Kihachiro Onitsuka as a basketball shoe manufacturer. The brand retails in India through a mix of franchise stores, multi-brand outlets, its own e-commerce platform and multi-brand platforms, Business Standard reported.  

Department store chain Shoppers Stop has expanded its retail network in Uttar Pradesh by launching its first store in Kanpur.

Housing over 500 brands international, national, and exclusive brands across multiple categories, the store will further the retailer’s expansion strategy, says Kavindra Mishra, CEO, Shoppers Stop.

Committed to making shopping a joyful experience, Shoppers Stop aims to become an integral part of the Kanpur community, offering families a wide range of premium brands across all categories, along with a delightful shopping experience, Mishra adds.

Operating over 108 department stores in more than 56 cities, Shoppers Stop was founded in 1991. The retail also operates seven premium home concept stores, 88 speciality beauty stores of MAC, Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Jo Malone, Too Faced, SS Beauty, and 23 airport outlets. 

Sportswear brand Puma has teamed up with Gurugram-based nonprofit Clothes Box Foundation to repurpose pre-loved apparel and shoes and distribute them to communities in need.

A part of the brand’s new initiative, Steppin’24, Puma’s move encourages customers to donate their gently-used clothing and footwear at select brand stores across the country.

On being collected at the brand’s stores, these donated items are screened by Clothes Box Foundation. Some of them are donated directly to the underprivileged, while others are repurposed into accessories, blankets and clothing ahead of distribution. As a token of appreciation, Puma awards shopping vouchers for each of these donations made.

According to Manisha Agarwal, Director and Head – People & Organisation and Strategic Initiatives, Puma India, says, this initiative epitomises the brand’s ethos of 'giving back to society' besides reflecting its unwavering dedication to foster positive change. By collaborating with an esteemed organisation like Clothes Box Foundation, Puma strives to not just increase awareness on circular economy but also contribute towards its social responsibility as a brand.

Sajan Veerr Abrol, Founder, The Clothes Box Foundation, adds, the collaboration would help the Foundation reduce the need for new raw materials, thus lowering carbon and water footprint, achieving inclusive circularity at large.

Expanding its footprint across India, Reliance Retail's omni-channel beauty retail platform, Tira opened its 11th store on Peddar Road in Mumbai.

Managed by the Othr Lab, a Dubai-based retail consultancy specialising in emerging beauty, wellness, and lifestyle brands in the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, Tira offers a curated selection of makeup, skincare, fragrance, and bath products at the new store. Equipped with cutting-edge features such as AI fragrance finders, smart mirrors, and personalised consultations, the store promises a unique shopping experience.

A subsidiary of Reliance Industries (RIL), Reliance Retail initially launched Tira as an e-commerce platform in February 2023. Following its online success, Tira expanded its reach with physical stores, starting with its flagship outlet at Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, in April the same year. Subsequently, it opened its second Mumbai store at Infiniti Mall, Malad.

With a recent expansion into the Northern region, Tira celebrated the opening of its 10th store at DLF Avenue Mall, Saket, New Delhi. Offering a diverse range of over 150 Indian and global brands, Tira continues to solidify its position as a premier beauty destination in India.

A subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures, (RRVL), Reliance Retail (RRL), oversees an extensive omni-channel network comprising over 18,771 stores and digital commerce platforms spanning grocery, consumer electronics, fashion and lifestyle, and pharmaceuticals.

A well-known fashion brand known for fusing style and social responsibility, Being Human has opened its fourth outlet in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Having entered the Bangladesh market on Sep 14, 2022 through a franchise model, Being Human, has since then has quickly expanded across the country. The brand opened its first store in the country in Banani.

The franchise rights for opening these stores across Bangladesh were obtained by Rehan Rahman, and Mohaimin Mostfa, Co-founders, Crimson Cup Bangladesh .

The brand’s latest store in Wari offers clothes are reasonable rates. The designs of these collections are top notch and the store aims to serve discerning youth population of Bangladesh that is perfectly aligned with the latest fashion trends. The brand also plans to expand its store network beyond Dhaka

Retail brands including Manyavar, Reliance Trends, Raymonds, Pantaloons are opening their stores in spiritual cities like Ayodhya, Varanasi, Amritsar, Puri, Tirpupti and Ajmer.

As per a report by real estate consultant CBRE, fashion retail chains are capitalising on the surge in spiritual tourism across 14 cities in India.

Titled, 'Decoding Real Estate through the Spiritual Tourism Lens', the report identifies Amritsar, Ajmer, Varanasi, Katra, Somnath, Shirdi, Ayodhya, Puri, Tirupati, Mathura, Dwarka, Bodh Gaya, Guruvayur, and Madurai as key cities witnessing this retail boom.

Catering to the growing tourist population, many retail brands are setting up stores in both established mall clusters and high-street locations in these cities.
These include Manyavar, Reliance Trends, Raymonds, Market99 and Pantaloons who have opened their stores in Ayodhya while Varanasi is also witnessing the a number of new stores being set up by brands like Zudio, Reliance Trends, Manyavar, Pantaloons and Shoppers Stop.

According to Anshuman Magazine Chairman & CEO, India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, this expansion in store network is being boosted by the rapid development of spiritual tourism in India alongwith government initiatives to boost tourism and improve connection between pilgrimages.

The rise of online retail platforms offering easy access to faith-based products and services is also boosting this growth, adds Magazine.

Ram Chandnani, Managing Director, Advisory & Transaction Services, CBRE India, notes, guided by a commitment to cater to the unique needs of spiritual travellers, these initiatives aim to bolster infrastructure, safeguard heritage sites, and ultimately drive regional economic growth.

The Q4 FY24 revenues from operations of prominent retail chain V-Mart Retail increased by 12 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs. 668 crore as compared to Rs. 594 crore in Q4 FY23.

The company's primary retail arm, V-Mart recorded a 12 per cent rise in revenues to Rs. 653 crore in Q4 FY24 Rs. 582 crore in Q4 FY23. Digital marketplace LimeRoad recorded a 24 per cent rise in revenues to Rs 15 crore compared to the Rs. 12 crore reported in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

The same-store sales growth (SSSG) for the quarter stood at 6 per cent, with V-Mart recording a 4 per cent growth and Unlimited, a retail brand focused on South India, achieving a notable 13 per cent growth.

In terms of store count, V-Mart Retail inaugurated nine new stores during the quarter, comprising 8 under the V-Mart brand and 1 under Unlimited. However, the company also shuttered 19 stores across various states, resulting in a net reduction of 10 stores. As of March 31, 2024, the company operates a total of 444 stores, with 365 under V-Mart and 79 under Unlimited.

For the full financial year 2023-24, V-Mart Retail reported a 13 per cent Y-o-Y growth in revenue, reaching Rs. 2,784 crore compared to Rs. 2,465 crore in the previous financial year. V-Mart's revenue grew by 11 per cent, while LimeRoad's contribution rose significantly by 319 per cent compared to the previous year.

Men’s and women’s western wear brand Cantabil Retail shot its latest campaign for Spring/Summer 2024 at Prachin Buri in Thailand. To be launched on Youtube, the campaign will help the brand connect with Indian shoppers.

Expanding Cantabil Retail casual wear range, the Spring/ Summer collection of the brand blends fashion with comfort. It offers button down shirts, smart trousers, and tailored blazers for both men and women. The collection also features a wide range of denim jeans in different washes and cuts. 

Established as a menswear brand in the year 2000, Cantabil Retail India expanded into womenswear in 2017. Describing itself as ‘India's foremost family-wear brand, Cantabil Retail sells its garments from direct to customer e-commerce store. The brand is also present on multi-brand online platforms such as Amazon, Nykaa, Tatacliq, and Myntra, etc.

Renowned western wear brand Beverly Hills Polo Club has expanded its store network in India. The brand has launched two new shop-in-shops In partnership with Apparel Group India. These new shop-in-shops are located in Shoppers Stop’s outlets in Hyderabad and Ahmedabad respectively.

Beverly Hills Polo Club’s third shop-in-shop is located in Shoppers Stop, Ahmedabad. It showcases the brand's distinctive range of apparel and accessories besides offering a diverse selection of men's casual and semi-formal wear.

Meanwhile, the brand’s shop-in-shop in Hyderabad is nestled within the Shoppers Stop department store at Inorbit Mall. The store offers patrons a comparable product range, featuring vibrant polo shirts and trendy denim selections.

This current expansion of Beverly Hills Polo Club follows the successful launch of its inaugural shop in shop in Mumbai's R City Mall earlier this year. Through this expansion, the brand aims to increase the brand’s visibility among Indian consumers.

Headquartered in the UAE, Apparel Group offers a diverse portfolio of brands, including Charles & Keith, Skechers, Aldo, Inglot Cosmetics, and Tommy Hilfiger, among others, to the Indian market. Headquartered in Mumbai, the group has a vast retail network comprising over 2,025 stores for more than 80 brands. It also has a global workforce exceeding 20,000 individuals.