Iconic American sportswear brand GAP has forged a tie-up with Reliance Retail, according to a formal press statement released by the Retail Giant. Gap was founded in 1969 by Ron Fisher with a simple idea—make it easier to find a pair of jeans that fit with a commitment to do more.
“At Reliance Retail, we pride ourselves in bringing the latest and best to our customers and we are happy to announce the addition of iconic American brand, Gap to our fashion and lifestyle portfolio. We believe that Reliance and Gap complement each other in their vision to bring industry leading fashion products and retail experiences to their consumers,” said Akhilesh Prasad, CEO, Fashion & Lifestyle, Reliance Retail Ltd.
“We look forward to growing the Gap business across key international markets,” said
Adrienne Gernand, Managing Director of International, Global Licensing and Wholesale at Gap Inc. “Partnering with regional experts, like Reliance Retail in India, allows us to deliver our relevant, purpose-driven brand to customers around the globe, while continuing to diversify our business portfolio through our partner-based model.”
International, iconic, fashion, bridge-to luxury brands such as Armani, Versace, Calvin Klein, among others have already been operating in India for over a decade through various joint ventures. Big daddy Levis set it’s foot in India in the mid-90s through a distribution model followed by Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, Pepe Jeans, etc. and over time have created their own Indian entities. Even during the last peak pandemic period, many of these brands didn’t shut down their doors, rather found innovative ways to reach customers such as Shopping by Invitation, assisted shopping & styling, etc.
The fashion retail market in India is estimated at USD 60 Bn and is considered the sixth largest in the world by market size and globally, is around USD 551 Bn.
Gap is a lifestyle brand that includes adult apparel and accessories, Gap Teen, Gap Kids, babyGap, Gap Maternity, Gap Body, GapFit, Yeezy Gap and Gap Home collections. The brand connects with customers online and in company-operated and franchise retail locations globally, and also serves value-conscious customers with exclusively designed collections for Gap Outlet and GapFactory Stores. Gap Inc., a collection of purpose-led lifestyle brands, is the largest American specialty apparel company offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands. The company uses omni-channel capabilities to bridge the digital world and physical stores to further enhance its shopping experience. Gap Inc. is guided by its purpose, Inclusive, by Design, and takes pride in creating products and experiences its customers love while doing right by its employees, communities, and planet. Gap Inc. products are available for purchase worldwide through company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Fiscal year 2021 net sales were $16.7 billion.
