First stores to open in Mumbai and Delhi next year
Arvind has announced that its subsidiary, Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd., has tied up with Gap Inc., to open Gap stores in India. The first stores are expected to open in India’s two largest cities – Mumbai and Delhi – starting with Gap’s Summer 2015 collection for adults, kids and babies. Arvind plans to open about 40 franchise-operated Gap stores in India.
“India is an emerging, vibrant market and an important next step in our global expansion strategy,” said Mr. Steve Sunnucks, Global President of Gap. “Gap is loved around the world for our American casual style and enduring value and quality, and we are so pleased to bring our brand and products for customers in India.”
As the world’s second most populous country with more than 1.2 billion people, India represents an important platform to bring American casual style to consumers around the world.
“More than half of India’s population is under 25 and they are actively embracing fashion in today’s retail environment,” said Mr. Ismail Seyis, Vice President of Gap Global Franchise. “We are thrilled to know that our brand awareness is very high, and there is a deep affinity for Gap in India. We look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the marketplace and consumer needs to create the best possible Gap brand experience for the local consumers.”
Mr. Sanjay Lalbhai, Chairman & Managing Director of Arvind Ltd., observed: “We have a long and successful association with Gap as their vendor partner. Now I am delighted to extend this partnership to retail and bring Gap stores to India. We see the addition of Gap in our portfolio as a significant step to becoming the leading apparel retailer in India”.
Said Mr. J. Suresh, Managing Director & CEO, Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd.: “Gap has a huge recall in India and is a favourite of many Bollywood stars in movies. Our goal is to leverage this huge awareness, to quickly scale up and build a large business for Gap Franchise in India”.
Since launching its first franchise-operated store in 2006, Gap Inc. has quickly expanded the international reach of its brands, which now includes over 300 franchise-operated stores along with more than 3,200 company-owned stores. The Gap brand now has a presence in nearly 50 countries, thanks to the rapid acceleration and commitment to the global expansion strategy.