Ergonomically designed footwear brand FitFlop has opened its third EBO in India in partnership with Metro Brands. Located in the Sky City Mall in Borivali, Mumbai, this new store follows the launch of the brand’s second store in the country at Lulu Mall, Kochi.

Spanning 524 sq ft, the store aims to serve the growing local community by providing a space focused on customer comfort, accessibility, and service. David Schuttenkopf, Chief Commercial Officer, FitFlop, says, with 12 freestanding concept stores now operating across the country and four more planned for this year, the momentum is truly exciting. The brand’s shared vision with

Metro Brands continues to bring it closer to consumers across India, he adds.

Both of FitFlop's stores in Mumbai and Kochi offer the brand’s complete product line for both men and women. The UK-based brand is known for blending biomechanical engineering with stylish footwear designs.

The brand’s Mumbai store brings its latest global design concept to life and introduces an all-new collection that’s high on style and powered by comfort-engineered products, notes Nissan Joseph, CEO, Metro Brands.

An Indian brand specializing in loungewear and comfort apparel, Sweet Dreams has reached a milestone by opening its 50^th EBO, demonstrating a strong commitment to its physical store strategy.

Established in 1989, Sweet Dreams offers a wide range of products including athleisure, sleepwear, innerwear, and kidswear.

Hitesh Ruparelia, Chairman and Managing Director, highlights, the EBO model is a key driver in the brand's push towards higher-end products and increased profitability. Currently, about 11 per cent of the company’ sales come from its own stores, and the firm aims to expand this number, explains Ruparel, According to him, these stores provide much better profit margins—significantly exceeding the company's average of 28 to 30 per cent—because it eliminates reliance on intermediaries and has greater control over pricing and promotions."

Sweet Dreams has adopted a consistent, non-discounted pricing strategy across all its stores, which Ruparelia believes has helped reduce overall discounting. Today, consumers are willing to invest an extra Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 for superior quality and comfort. While traditional retailers might still focus on discounts, modern shoppers prioritize value, he notes.

Online sales account for 15 per cent of the company’s business, with their website generating approximately Rs 5 million in revenue each month.

Following a successful public offering last year, where they raised 649.8 million rupees, Sweet Dreams is financially stable and profitable. According to Ruparelia, they don't currently require additional external funding to support their store expansion plans.

Uniqlo is deepening its footprint in India with a new vocational training centre aimed at empowering disadvantaged youth. Launched in collaboration with Plan International, the Job-Oriented Vocational Training Centre in Dwarka, Delhi, targets individuals aged 18-29 from low-income households.

Backed by a 120 million Japanese Yen donation from Fast Retailing, Uniqlo’s parent company, the three-year initiative will provide training in sewing, retail, and financial literacy.

Uniqlo currently operates 15 stores in India, with plans for expansion. It also exports Heattech and T-shirts made in India. Retail internships for trained youth are being considered.

The move comes as Uniqlo strengthens its presence across Asia, North America, and Europe, aligning with Fast Retailing’s global growth strategy.

Women's fashion brand Forever New has launched its Spring/Summer 2025 collection, titled ‘The Summer Odyssey,’ with a campaign featuring its global brand ambassador, Triptii Dimri.

Showcasing lightweight materials, stylish matching sets (co-ords), flowing maxi dresses, and waistcoats, the collection captures the spirit of the season with its breezy silhouettes, vibrant colors, and dreamy patterns.

Dhruv Bogra, Country Director, Forever New India, states, the collection reflects Forever New's leadership in fashion and style within the women’s apparel market. With the launch of this collection, the brand continues to meet consumer demand for fresh and innovative designs by creating high-quality pieces that enhance the modern woman's wardrobe.”

Dimri adds, this collection feels like an extension of my own wardrobe—feminine, graceful, and effortlessly chic. Priced between Rs 4,500-Rs 12, 000, the Summer Odyssey collection is now available on the Forever New website and in their retail stores across India.

India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart has launched official sports merchandise in partnership with the Fancode Shop.

The partnership enables customers to shop for official sports merchandise on a dedicated Fancode Shop on Flipkart’s by using a combination of Supercoins and other payment instruments.

Additionally, it also provides Flipkart Supercoins’ users with a direct access and exclusive offers to official merchandise from IPL teams like Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, etc.

Gaurav Arora, Vice President – Payments, Flipkart, states, this partnership not only enables sports enthusiasts to benefit from their purchase of the official merchandise but also maximizes their savings through Supercoins.”

Prasana Krishnan, Co-founder, Fancode adds, by partnering with Supercoins, through this partnership the e-tailer aims to make official sports merchandise more accessible to fans across India. It enables millions of Flipkart users to acquire authentic gear from their favorite teams and tournaments at affordable prices.

Launched in 2019, Flipkart’s multi-brand rewards ecosystem Supercoins offers customers reward points on their purchases. 

To offer international design styles at affordable prices, premium men's clothing brand, Engyne is foraying into India's growing menswear retail market. The Bengaluru-based brand is launching its Spring-Summer 2025 collection exclusively online through a direct-to-consumer (D2C) approach.

The brand will sell its products through its official website, with plans to launch mobile apps for Android and iOS shortly after. The initial product range features essential wardrobe items made from Supima cotton and blended yarns, using fabric textures such as mis-jersey, micro-pique, interlock, jacquard, and French terry. Each piece is designed with careful attention to finishing, durability, and practicality, incorporating advanced printing techniques and embroidery.

Founded by Gnanaprakash, Karthikeyan K., Karthikeyan P, Ramesh Kumar, and Dinesh D.—industry experts with previous experience at global brands like Diesel and Guess — Engyne intends to fill a gap in India’s fashion scene where high-quality menswear isn't always widely accessible.

Karthikeyan K, Director, Engyne, states, more than just fashion; the brand aims to change people’s expectations of premium quality.  The company’s team has implemented a vertically integrated manufacturing model to manage both quality and costs internally. Dinesh D, Director,  explains, having its own vertically integrated manufacturing facility enables the brand to manage every stage of produc

tion – from selection to final stitching. This enables it provide high-end craftsmanship at a much lower price, he adds.

With its business model focused on quality control and affordability, the brand aims to set itself apart from fast fashion by offering products that are durable and wear-tested. The brand plans to expand its product line to include shirts, chinos, jackets, and denim in the next season. It is also exploring opportunities for international distribution, with a focus on showcasing Indian-made products that meet global standards.

The market value of India's quick commerce sector has increased fivefold to $6-$7 billion since 2022 with the sector currently handling over two-thirds of all online retail orders, says a new report from Bain & Company and Flipkart..

Led by companies like Zomato's Blinkit, these rapid delivery platforms currently represent a significant chunk of the e-retail pie, accounting for one-tenth of all online spending in 2024.

The report predicts, this growth trajectory will continue with the market expanding by over 40 per cent annually through 2030. This growth is likely to be fueled by companies expanding their product ranges, reaching new geographic locations, and attracting a wider customer base.

As Bain and Flipkart's report, this dramatic rise of quick commerce has been one of the most defining hallmarks of India's e-retail market over the last two years. The quick commerce sector today, boasts over 20 million regular online shoppers and provides employment to more than 400,000 people.

However, the sector faces potential roadblocks, the report points out. Companies in this sector may have to struggle to earn a profit as they expand beyond major metropolitan areas. They may also face intense competition from established e-commerce giants like Flipkart.

To ensure long-term, profitable growth, these companies need to adapt their business models for markets beyond major metros, manage rising competition, and optimize supply chains, the report advises.  In essence, they need to find ways to make their operations financially viable in smaller cities and towns, while also effectively competing with larger, more established players, it adds.

Omnichannel fashion retailer, Nykaa Fashion has added global lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret to strengthen its brand portfolio on the platform.

The partnership will result in Victoria’s Secret lingerie, sleepwear and athleisure range being made available to Indian consumers through Nykaa’s website, mobile app and stores across India.

The e-commerce retailer will offer bras, panties, lace sets, silky robes, pyjama sets, leggings, sports bras, tank tops, and sweatshirts from the brand on its platform. .

More than just introducing a globally renowned brand in India, this collaboration helps Nykaa Fashion reshape its consumers’ fashion experiences, says Adwaita Nayar, CEO of Nykaa Fashion.

Abhishek Bajpai, CEO, Apparel Group India adds, through this partnership, the group aims to connect with a broader audience and serve the fashion-forward generation, all while staying committed to its core principles of quality, style, and innovation

A retailer of intimate wear in India through the UAE-based fashion and lifestyle conglomerate Apparel Group, Victoria’s Secret has launched a number of EBOs across the country’s metros and also operates its own e-commerce store.

Decathlon Sports India registered a 2.24 per cent rise in revenues to Rs 4,008.26 crore during FY24 ending March 31, 2024.  Recovering from a loss of Rs 18.61 crore in FY23, the company registered a profit of Rs 197.19 crore during the year.  

Their total income for FY24 increased to Rs 4,066.40 crore, a five-year high for the company in India, almost reaching half a billion US dollars.

Decathlon Sports India has been recording consistent growth over the years, with the company’s revenue rising from Rs 2,897.77 crore in FY22.  A subsidiary of the French parent company, Decathlon is primarily engaged in the business of selling sports gear, apparel, and accessories.

The company has also stepped up their advertising expenditure by 33 per cent to Rs 87.49 crore rupees. Most of their Rs 3430.67 crore sales were generated from their physical stores, while their B2B sales totaled Rs 117.68 crore. However, their e-commerce sales contracted by 2.2 per cent to Rs 437.07 crore during the year.  

Decathlon started its manufacturing operations in India in 1999 with the brand opening their retail stores in 2009. So far, the company has invested about Rs 100 million in the country and plans to invest another €100 million in the next five years.