The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
After two years operating its fully-owned subsidiary in the India market, US sportswear giant Under Armour is planning to appoint a local distributor to manage its operations, according to a report in The Economic Times.
Under Armour made its India debut with an exclusive online deal with Amazon in 2017, before setting up its wholly-owned business in 2019. Franchisees currently operate 20 Under Armour outlets around the country.
Under Armour joins several other international brands, including denim labels Lee and Wrangler, that have shuttered their fully-owned Indian subsidiaries in recent months. Both Lee and Wrangler earlier this year appointed Bengaluru-based omnichannel specialists, Ace Turtle, as their local distributor and master franchisee for India. Ace Turtle has said it aims to double Indian sales of Lee and Wrangler over the next two years by extensively focusing on online channels.
The pandemic has also led to a change of India partnerships for a host of global brands including Gap Inc, New Balance, Promod and Guess. Last year, blaming the pandemic, Gap and its India franchisee, Arvind Fashions, ended their partnership, six years after the latter signed on as Gap’s master franchisee for India.
This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features Latin American mall giants, Nigerian craft entrepreneurs and the mixed picture of China’s luxury market.
Resourceful leaders are turning to creative contingency plans in the face of a national energy crisis, crumbling infrastructure, economic stagnation and social unrest.
This week’s round-up of global markets fashion business news also features the China Duty Free Group, Uniqlo’s Japanese owner and a pan-African e-commerce platform in Côte d’Ivoire.
Affluent members of the Indian diaspora are underserved by fashion retailers, but dedicated e-commerce sites are not a silver bullet for Indian designers aiming to reach them.