Soch Apparels accelerates Southeast Asia expansion with launch of three stores in Malaysia
09 January 2025, Mumbai
Soch Apparels has fortified its global footprint with a high-momentum entry into the Malaysian market, launching three stores simultaneously across Kuala Lumpur, Klang, and Johor Bahru.
This expansion follows a successful North American debut in Canada, signaling a calculated move to capture a share of the global ethnic wear market, which is projected to reach approximately $123.6 billion by late 2026. By targeting Southeast Asia, where cultural heritage and celebration drive nearly 30 per cent of apparel demand, Soch is positioning its ‘aspirational yet accessible’ product architecture to meet a significant market gap in organized ethnic retail.
Executed through a franchise partnership with Venturist Sdn. Bhd, the brand’s entry leverages local expertise to navigate regional sizing preferences and tropical climate-specific fabric curation.
Scaling via franchise synergy and omni-channel speed
With a domestic network of over 175 stores, Soch is now executing an ‘Offline First, Digital Fast’ strategy to drive international unit profitability. Vinay Chatlani, CEO, notes, Malaysia provides a foundation for the brand to be recognized as a ‘global leader with contemporary cultural relevance.’ This international push coincides with a robust digital expansion, where the company is targeting Rs 90 crore in online sales for the current fiscal year - a 65 per cent Y-o-Y growth. While logistical costs and regional competition remain operational hurdles, the brand's high trading density (exceeding Rs 16,000 per sq ft in India) suggests strong potential for rapid capital recovery in high-potential urban corridors across the Middle East and the UK in the coming months.
Founded in 2005 in Bengaluru, Soch Apparels specializes in designer women’s ethnic wear including sarees and lehengas. Operating a predominantly independent model, the brand has scaled to 68 Indian cities. Its current growth roadmap prioritizes doubling e-commerce revenue contributions to 30 per cent by 2030 while maintaining disciplined, profit-focused physical retail expansion.
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