Rapport x Sole Search collaborative store unveiled

Rapport x SoleSearch collaborative store was recently launched in Hyderabad.

Mokobara opens second retail store in Bengaluru

The premium travel and lifestyle brand Mokobara recently launched its second retail outlet - in the heart of Bengaluru.

KAZO expands in South India

KAZO Fashion has recently opened its new store in Forum Mall, South Bengaluru. The store size is 1,043 sq ft and it marks its expansion in south India, promising an extraordinary and versatile shopping experience for all fashion enthusiasts.

Blissclub expands retail footprint in Mumbai and Bengaluru

Omnichannel, activewear brand for women Blissclub, recently opened two more premium exclusive brand stores at Phoenix Market City, Kurla - Mumbai and on 100 Feet Road Bengaluru. The Mumbai store is around 700 sq feet and Bengaluru one is 1,500 sq feet.

A FUSION OF TRADITION AND MODERNITY

Known for his contemporary and innovative designs rooted in traditional Indian craftsmanship, Bikaner-born Punit Balana's creations often reflect the rich cultural heritage of his home state, Rajasthan. Today, his eponymous label is a name to be reckoned with in the fashion industry.

WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS SHAPING INDIA'S FASHION INDUSTRY

Owing to factors such as rising disposable income, deeper internet penetration and a large young population, to mention some, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing fashion markets.

A brand from a refined atelier

Forty-five years after it was founded, major leather goods brand Hidesign competes with the likes of Charles Keith. Today, the company operates 103 stores, is in the process of opening another 4, and has spread its presence across 25 countries.

NICHE FRAGRANCES FROM UAE

UAE-based My Perfume Group was started with one multi-brand trading store in 1993. But its presence has gone global. In 2014, it launched My Perfumes Select as a new age brand that, it says, embraced rich ancient perfumery traditions of the Middle East while embracing the modern global fragrance cultures. Later in 2023, buoyed by the worldwide success, it decided to launch the brand in Mumbai. \"Mumbai is a highly dynamic city and is the financial and commercial hub. It is also one of the fastest growing economies and the fashion capital of India as well,\" Mustafa Firzo, Managing Director, My Perfumes Group, informs Images Business of Fashion. Excerpts.

CONSCIOUS BRANDS AND STAYING RELEVANT

The consumer value system is influenced by various factors, including personal values, cultural norms, social influences, and economic considerations. As the world evolves, these sentiments only get stronger and number of socially conscious consumer is going to increase.

THE GREAT PROMISE IN INDIA'S FASHION MARKET

India has taken over China as the most populous country and its economy is fifth largest in the world. It's believed that it could become the third largest by 2032. What does it mean for the country's fashion industry which has grown phenomenally over the years?

DIPTI TOLANI: WEAVING TOGETHER A BUSINESS

Dipti Tolani began her entrepreneurial journey in 2017 without any connections or network. Prior to launching Salt Attire, she worked as a Consultant working on Financial Risk in New York. She has also worked with HSBC as a software developer for their OTC Derivatives Platform. For her, it was literally weaving together a business, one stitch at a time. Five years into the business, Founder & CEO of the women's fashion brand is a respected name in the Indian fashion market. Images Business of Fashion reached out to her to find out her journey.

JUTTIS THAT SPEAK CHARM

Shirin Mann Sangha claims to be an accidental entrepreneur. As a child she admired her mother wearing juttis and always loved the craft. But the idea of making struck her when she could not find the right juttis for her own wedding. She founded Needledust in 2014. Over the years, it has gained a prominent position in the jutti market, captivating customers both in India and internationally.

'We will add at least 10 more stores this year'

HRX (Hrithik Roshan Extreme) was strictly an online brand until last year. It offers a range of products including t-shirts, track pants, jackets, tights, as well as sports accessories such as footwear, and backpacks for men and women. Its store collections are inspired by the Bollywood actor's everyday choices for workouts. The brand, jointly owned by Hrithik Roshan and Exceed Entertainment, was launched first on Myntra.com in November 2013 with an athleisure line for men. Recently, the active lifestyle apparel brand has secured an official fan merchandise partnership with four teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has unveiled physical stores. The brand's journey signifies the success story of a home-grown sportswear. In an email interview with Images Business of Fashion, Afsar Zaidi, Co-founder of the brand said, In the course of the journey we evolved, made mistakes, corrected the course, outshone competition, ma strong community, garnered enough love and finally once all the chief milestones- in terms of business, product and consumers were covered, we decided to go omni. Excerpts

SPORTSWEAR MARKET WHERE FASHION MEETS FUNCTION

With increasing awareness about the importance of physical activity, more people are taking up sports and fitness activities. As a result, India’s sportswear market has registered significant growth over the years.

Classicuir: Designed in Paris, made in India

Founded by Priyanka Sethi, Classicuir caters leather products that combine 'timeless old style with modern design and they are designed in France and made in India'. The brand says its target audience is working class women and housewives in the age bracket of 28-55, women who love travelling and with household incomes of at least ₹30,000.

How D2C Brands Maximize Sales with Data-Driven Insights

This D2C business model has also provided brands with an enormous amount of data that they can use to improve their sales and marketing efforts. One of the key advantages is that it allows brands to have complete control over the customer journey, from product development to marketing and sales.

TIMEX: Staying true to its core belief

Helped by higher demand that now needs fresh capacity-enhancing investments, India has outpaced Europe as Timex Group’s second-largest market by revenue. The US-based watchmaker, which has a manufacturing at Baddi, on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, plans to increase its capacity for both domestic and overseas sales, harnessing the unit’s potential as a sourcing hub. The company, which is the official timekeeper for Gujarat Titans, produces watches under its own brand Timex and also other premium fashion brands including Versace, Guess, GC, Nautica and Salvatore Ferragamo, among others. Recently, it announced the acquisition of Mumbai-headquartered premium watch retail brand, Just Watches, for an undisclosed sum. As part of this deal, Timex India will be taking over all the physical stores of Just watches along with their e-commerce platform-justwatches.com. To find out more, Images Business of Fashion interacted with Deepak Chhabra, Managing Director Timex Group India. Edited excerpts of the interview.

Curating FASHION that speaks

Shoppers Stop, India's leading fashion and beauty destination, 'curates fashion that speaks to the hearts of its customers. It takes great pride in its large presence in the retail sector, with 102 (including airport doors) stores spread across 50 cities in India. In an exclusive interaction with Images Business of Fashion, Venu Nair, MD and CEO, Shoppers Stop said, \"With increasing usage of social media, the fashion aspiration of tier 1 and tier 2 towns is on a high. Customers want to be updated with latest fashion and beauty trends and are ready to invest.\" Excerpts

Bata India Q4 net profit up 4.2% at ₹65.62 cr

Shoemaker Bata India reported a 4.22 percent rise in consolidated net profit to ₹65.62 crore for the fourth quarter ended March, 2023.

Abhishek Ganguly quits Puma, launches Agilitas Sports

After quitting Puma, Abhishek Ganguly along with Atul Bajaj and Amit Prabhu have announced their entrepreneurial venture Agilitas Sports.

Korean brand Laneige ropes in Athiya Shetty as India face

Laneige, skincare the Korean brand, has announced Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty as its first-ever brand face in India.

Vogue Eyewear launches campaign featuring Taapsee Pannu

To mark its 50th anniversary this year, Vogue Eyewear has unveiled a new campaign featuring the India brand face - Taapsee Pannu.

Allen Solly opens new store in Bengaluru

Allen Solly, casual workwear brand from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., has opened its largest flagship store in Bengaluru at HSR Layout.

Bengaluru gets another Zara store

Zara has launched a new store at Forum Mall in Bengaluru. The store spreads across more than 23,000 sq. ft. and is sprawled across two floors housing all sections.

Bunny Corset introduces summer collection

Bunny Corset, a name in exquisite corsets, has introduced its summer collection.

Personal Touch Skincare launches Elysium

Personal Touch Skincare launched Elysium, an eye cream that has been formulated with cutting edge technology, top-of-the-line ingredients and unparalleled results to address all your eye concerns'.

Kazo introduces Spring Summer collection

Kazo, a women's fashion brand has recently launched its spring summer clothing collection. The brand claims that the printed wrap mini skirt is a standout item in the new collection, featuring a herringbone print and tie-up design.

Purplle: Making beauty accessible

Started as a beauty marketplace, Purplle.com today has grown into a community that enables beauty for all, says Manish Taneja. The business expanded to fill the gap in the market with home-grown private D2C brands that make beauty products affordable and accessible to women across India, Taneja, its Co-Founder and CEO informs Images Business of Fashion in an interview.

HUMAN FACES OF FASHION: UNVEILING THE EMOTIONAL PERSONAS OF 3 STAKEHOLDERS IN FASHION RETAIL STORES

Every fashion brand has its own unique identity, which is a reflection of the people behind it. And behind every successful fashion retail brand are individuals who are passionate, resilient, and emotionally invested in their work.

We are all about fashion

In May 2005, ALDO was introduced to India with the first store opening in Mumbai, Phoenix High Street. Since then it has further expanded and has its presence in all major cities across India. As an extension to the ALDO brand, ALDO Accessories stores were launched. Apparel Group India Pvt.Ltd has been the partner in India. The brand has roped in Bollywood actor Janhvi Kapoor as its ambassador. It has recently launched its Spring-Summer collection. N Bobo Meitei interacted with Abhishek Bajpai, CEO of Apparel Group India, to discuss a range of topics. Excerpts