_large.jpg)
09 January 2025, Mumbai
Portuguese denim pioneer Salsa Jeans has expanded its retail network to nine high-traffic locations just fourteen months after its market entry. This acceleration aligns with a pivotal shift in the Indian apparel landscape, where the denim sector is forecasted to reach $9.15 billion by late 2026, growing at a robust annual rate of 8 per cent to 9 per cent. By securing premium real estate in tier-one hubs—including recent openings in Noida, Gurugram, and Delhi - the brand is positioning itself to capture the ‘premiumization’ trend currently reshaping urban consumer habits.
Omnichannel synergy with Lyskraft Group
The expansion is underpinned by a wholesale partnership with Lyskraft Group, the omnichannel fashion firm founded by industry veterans Mukesh Bansal and Mohit Gupta. This collaboration leverages Lyskraft’s $26 million seed-backed infrastructure to bridge the gap between physical touchpoints and digital commerce. João Martins, Executive Director, noted, the operation targets the 80 million Indian households projected to enter the middle class by 2030. While many global labels struggle with localized sizing, Salsa Jeans distinguishes itself through technical innovation in ‘fit-focused’ denim, a segment estimated to command 22 per cent of the premium market share as consumers move away from mass-market fast fashion toward durable, specialized apparel.
Navigating fragmentation and high-growth segments
The Indian denim market remains a ‘fragmented yet lucrative’ frontier, with women’s denimwear emerging as the fastest-growing category at an 11.3 per cent CAGR. Salsa Jeans faces a competitive landscape dominated by established players like Levi Strauss - which reported record Indian sales in 2025 - but finds a unique niche through its European craftsmanship and innovative silhouettes like the ‘Push Up’ and ‘Shape Up’ collections. The primary challenge lies in scaling supply chain efficiency to match rapid store rollouts; however, the brand’s presence in luxury enclaves like Phoenix Palladium in Mumbai and Select Citywalk in Delhi provides the necessary brand equity to sustain high-margin growth in a price-sensitive environment
Portuguese Denim Specialist Salsa Jeans is an international fashion label renowned for technical denim innovations. Operating in 50 countries, it specializes in specialized fits for the premium segment. In India, the brand aims to double its store count by 2027, leveraging a surge in urban disposable income and its partnership with the tech-enabled Lyskraft Group.
Get in Touch! 
