Inspired by Salman's 'Being Human', Julian Assange to launch line of clothing in India

Relying on India's enthusiasm for brands and online shopping, 43-year-old Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is all set to launch his range of clothing and accessories in the country.

According to a report in The Times of India, Assange is hopeful that this move will be successful on account of him being a symbol of rebellion.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is all set to launch his range of clothing and accessories in India. AP

Much like Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara's line of clothing being popular in India, Assange too hopes he will strike a chord in the heart of the Indians.

Talking about the popularity of brands in India, Gaurav Marya,  the company which is working for the entry of brand Wikileaks into the country, told Times of India, "Look at 'Being Human' by Salman Khan. Slowly but surely, it has ballooned into a Rs 100-crore business without any major investment in marketing and advertising. Similarly, during the general elections, Namo merchandise created a huge stir."

The report added that Wikileaks would distribute T-shirts and sweatshirts with taglines like 'Leaks exposing injustice' and 'Enemy of the state'.

Arvind to open 40 Gap stores in India

Retailer Arvind Ltd said it hopes to generate sales of Rs.1,000 crore from its franchise agreement with US retailer Gap Inc. Arvind also bagged rights to sell Gap online, a deal that was earlier expected to go to online fashion retailer Myntra. Arvind, which sells owned brands such as Flying Machine and Excalibur as well as licensed brands such as Arrow and Tommy Hilfiger, will invest more than Rs.400 crore over the next five years to open 40 Gap stores in India. The first few stores will be launched in Mumbai and Delhi in May 2015, said J. Suresh, managing director of Arvind Lifestyle Brands, Arvind’s retail unit. 

Lacoste to expand footprint through the franchise route

French brand, Lacoste, has decided to aggressively expand its India footprint through the franchise route. The company is looking to increase its store count to 90, adding 20-25 franchise stores in cities like Surat, Kochi, Lucknow and Jalandhar. Lacoste’s product portfolio includes: clothing, footwear, leather goods, perfumes, eyewear and watches.

A symbol of relaxed elegance, Lacoste was created in 1933 by famous tennis champion René Lacoste. Lacoste India is a strategic alliance between Lacoste and Sports and Leisure Apparel (SLA). SLA has the exclusive rights to manufacture Lacoste branded garments in India and distribute/market in India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It also has exclusive rights to distribute/market Lacoste branded footwear in the India and Maldives.

Established in 1993, the company considers India, an important market for growth. It is focusing on emerging markets of the world including China, Brazil and India. Currently, it enjoys presence through 45 points of sale pan India, covering 15 Indian cities, including one at Maldives.

Aviraté to open 9 stores

Aviraté, a premium international women’s western apparel brand retailed exclusively in India by Fashion 365 Retail, a subsidiary of Sri Lankan Timex Garments, is expanding its footprint across India with a total investment of Rs 20 crore. 

The brand will also enter the Far East, West Asia and Australia in the next two years with separate investments. 

The Aviraté brand from privately held Timex Garments is one of the top five apparel manufacturers of Sri Lanka with sales revenues of Rs 1,200 crore (FY2012). The firm derives 90 per cent of its revenues from garment exports to international brands such as Espirit, Wallis, M&Co, Jones New York, Diesel and Marks and Spencer. 

Timex Garments has already invested Rs 10 crore in India in stores and stocks and will invest an additional Rs 10 crore to open nine more company owned stores across India in the next financial year. The firm will open four more stores across Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Chandigarh in the next six months. 

India’s retail sector is currently estimated at around $450 billion, and organised retail accounts for around five per cent of the total market share, out of which the demand for ready made and western outfits is growing at about 40-45 per cent annually.