Gap returns to India

7 Jul 2022 , 04:00 PM

To introduce the American clothing retailer to India, Reliance Retail and Gap Inc. have agreed to a franchise arrangement. After parting ways with Arvind Fashions in 2020, Gap will visit India once more.

The design house's official retailer in India will be Reliance Retail, which will combine upscale shops with online marketplaces. Reliance Retail stated in a press release about the long-term deal that "the partnership is aimed at leveraging Gap's position as a leading casual lifestyle brand and Reliance Retail's established competencies in operating robust omnichannel retail networks, scaling local manufacturing, and driving sourcing efficiencies."

"At Reliance Retail, we take great satisfaction in offering the newest and greatest products to our clients, and we are excited to announce the addition of legendary American brand Gap to our range of fashion and lifestyle products. According to the press release, Akhilesh Prasad, CEO of fashion & lifestyle at Reliance Retail, "We feel that Reliance and Gap complement each other in their ambition to provide industry-leading fashion items and retail experiences to their consumers.

According to Adrienne Gernand, managing director of global licensing, international, and wholesale at Gap Inc., the firm is looking forward to expanding the Gap brand in important overseas markets.

As we continue to expand our business portfolio through our partner-based strategy, partnering with local specialists like Reliance Retail in India enables us to provide our relevant, purpose-driven brand to clients throughout the world.

Reliance Retail is a division of Reliance Retail Ventures (RRVL), the holding company for all of the Reliance group's retail businesses. For FY22, RRVL recorded a net profit of Rs 7,055 crore and combined revenue of Rs 199,704 crore. Through a franchising deal with Arvind Fashions, Gap first entered India in 2014 and left six years later.