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Tag: Reliance Brands

  • Steve Madden taps Shanaya Kapoor as first India brand ambassador

    Steve Madden taps Shanaya Kapoor as first India brand ambassador

    MUMBAI: Steve Madden is rolling the dice on Hindi cinema’s next generation. The American footwear and accessories brand has named actress Shanaya Kapoor as its first-ever brand ambassador in India, marking a calculated bet on youth appeal as it deepens its retail footprint across the subcontinent.

    Kapoor, whose style straddles contemporary trends and accessible glamour, will front the brand’s autumn-winter 2025 and spring-summer 2026 campaigns. The partnership, brokered through Reliance Brands, aims to position Steve Madden’s shoes and handbags as tools of self-expression for a generation that treats fashion as identity.

    “Steve Madden has always been a go-to brand for me—it’s where I find pieces that are both fashion-forward and incredibly versatile,” says Kapoor. “I am honoured to be their first brand ambassador in India.”

    The announcement arrives alongside the brand’s latest campaign, Step Into Your Story, which pitches its products as declarations of individuality rather than mere accessories. It’s standard-issue empowerment marketing, but Steve Madden reckons India’s fashion-conscious youth will buy it—literally.

    Reliance Brands, which operates over 1,590 stores across India, is banking on Kapoor’s reach to crack a market where aspiration meets affordability. Steve Madden already sits in its sprawling portfolio alongside Burberry, Versace and Tiffany & Co.

    For Kapoor, it’s another rung on the ladder. For Steve Madden, it’s a wager that star power still shifts product. Time will tell if the shoes fit.

  • Darshan Mehta, luxury retail titan, passes on after sudden heart attack

    Darshan Mehta, luxury retail titan, passes on after sudden heart attack

    MUMBAI: Darshan Mehta, the man who draped India in designer labels, has tragically died at 63, succumbing to a sudden heart attack. The former managing director & chief executive of Reliance Brands Ltd. (RBL), Mehta was a titan of the fashion and retail world, a true pioneer who shaped India’s luxury landscape.

    For over 17 years, Mehta steered RBL, transforming it into a powerhouse that brought more than 90 global brands to India, from Valentino to Versace, Armani to Zegna. He had an eye for style and a flair for deals, bringing in those high end labels that, only he saw would thrive.

    He’d only just stepped down from his executive role in November 2024, shifting into a mentor’s chair at the Reliance Group. But even in a non-executive capacity, he remained a key player, mentoring the new crop of executives and sniffing out new opportunities.

    Before his Reliance reign, Mehta was president of Arvind Brands Ltd., where he was instrumental in crafting India’s early organised apparel retail scene. 

    Known for his sharp wit, strategic mind and an uncanny sense of the markets before any of the trends appeared, he truly was a legend of the Indian fashion scene.

    Mehta’s legacy is immense. He was, in essence, the fashion professional who introduced India to high-end luxury, long before the country was ready for such things. A sad loss for India’s high-street.

  • India’s fashion powerhouses celebrate 25 years of Lakme Fashion Week

    India’s fashion powerhouses celebrate 25 years of Lakme Fashion Week

    MUMBAI: India’s fashion world threw a dazzling bash as Lakme Fashion Week marked its 25th anniversary with a glittering gala that brought together the country’s design royalty. The spectacular event, hosted by Lakme, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Reliance Brands on 30  March, was a runway romp through a quarter-century of catwalk history.

    Kareena Kapoor KhanHollywood actor and former White House staffer Kal Penn played master of ceremonies, bringing his trademark wit to proceedings as Hindi cinema heavyweight Kareena Kapoor Khan made a triumphant return to the ramp. Draped in white, the superstar—who has twice been the face of Lakme—delivered a nostalgic speech that had fashion-watchers swooning.

    The silver jubilee extravaganza featured a who’s who of Indian fashion, with 30 celebrated designers including Rajesh Pratap, JJ Valaya, Namrata Joshipura, Varun Bahl, Manish Malhotra, Ashish Soni and Tarun Tahiliani strutting their sartorial stuff. Former Lakme models including Lisa Ray, Lisa Haydon, Indrani Dasgupta, Sarah Jane Dias, Shimona Nath and Archana Akil returned to strut down memory lane, reviving the magic of past finales.

    FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi  raised a toast to the “design-soaked journey. This year the celebrations were robust, reflecting on how we shaped design and its sinuous curves through crafts and heritage. Let’s raise a toast to the future, forward with insightful and innovative ideas that will change our relationship with style. “  

    The fashion gurus

    Lakme India vice president  Sunanda Khaitan  highlighted the brand’s “unprecedented” commitment to democratising fashion. She added: “Lakmes longstanding and consistent commitment to furthering fashion in India is  unprecedented. It has given fashion designers, makeup artists, and models a world-class platform to showcase their creativity. While fashion may sometimes feel like it’s only accessible to a select few, Lakme’s contribution to LFW has made it a cultural phenomenon, merging fashion and beauty. For the past 25 years, Lakme, through innovations debuted each season, has led the charge on beauty, bringing beauty trends to India. We have collaborated closely with the best fashion talent in the country to curate their collections, complementing the beauty trends for the season.”

     

    Said Reliance Brands  group vice-president Jaspreet Chandok:  “The platform’s 25th anniversary was not just a celebration, it was a powerful reflection of how far Indian fashion had come and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead. This Gala brought together pioneers and pathbreakers of the industry in an unprecedented showcase of design excellence. From iconic designers to global talent like Kal Penn joining us as host, the evening was a historic tribute to creativity, culture, and collaboration.” 

    With supermodel Ujjwala Raut hosting the red carpet alongside fashion pundit Jessel Tank, the evening was a feast of fabrics and famous faces—proving that after 25 years, India’s premier fashion showcase remains as catwalk-crazy as ever.

  • Vikas Purohit named CEO new business ventures at The Times of India

    Vikas Purohit named CEO new business ventures at The Times of India

    MUMBAI: The Times of India (BCCL) has appointed Vikas Purohit as CEO new business ventures, entrusting him with spearheading new growth initiatives. In this role, he will identify high-potential business opportunities, craft strategic plans, and lead execution to build scalable, profitable ventures.

    Purohit brings a wealth of experience, having previously led Meta India’s small business group, supporting over 10 million enterprises. He has also served as CEO of Tata CLiq Fashion and held key management positions at Amazon Fashion, Reliance Brands, and Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail.

    An alumnus of IIT BHU with a PGDBM from IIM Bangalore, Purohit’s expertise in digital commerce and retail makes him a formidable force in business innovation.

  • Akshat Arora takes on role of marketing director at Third Wave Coffee

    Akshat Arora takes on role of marketing director at Third Wave Coffee

    MUMBAI: Akshat Arora has stepped into the position of marketing director at Third Wave Coffee, effective January 2025. With over 13 years of experience in brand management and client relations, he brings expertise in digital marketing, e-commerce, influencer partnerships, and experiential marketing to the team.

    Arora holds an MBA in marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies and a bachelor’s in business economics from Maharaja Agrasen College. His previous roles include leading marketing efforts for Tim Hortons India, where he served as head of marketing and product, and driving digital initiatives at Bisleri International. He also served as Reliance Brands (Steve Madden)-marketing head and Jaguar Land Rover marketing manager for around three years each.

     Said Third Wave Coffee CEO Rajat Luthra: “Akshat’s extensive experience and innovative approach to business strategies makes him an invaluable addition to our team. Given the opportune stage the brand is at, we look forward to partnering with him as we embark on the next phase of our journey. We are confident that Akshat’s leadership will elevate our marketing strategies and deepen our connection with coffee enthusiasts nationwide.”
     
    “Third Wave Coffee has already defined India’s coffee culture with its specialty coffee offerings and customer-first approach. My focus would be on creating a deeper preference for the brand and driving brand love as we continue to innovate and grow. Together with the team, I am committed to strengthening the brand’s legacy of transforming how India experiences coffee,” said Arora.

    In his new role, Akshat will spearhead initiatives to enhance brand resonance, expand digital outreach, build consumer engagement through offline and online channels and strengthen the brand’s competitive edge in an increasingly dynamic market. His appointment comes at an exciting juncture as Third Wave Coffee celebrates the milestone of opening its 125th cafe and continues its expansion across India, reinforcing its leadership in the specialty coffee sector.

    (Updated 21 January 2025 with inputs from Third Wave Coffee.)

  • Reliance Brands acquires Rhea Retail for $30 million

    Reliance Brands acquires Rhea Retail for $30 million

    MUMBAI: Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Brands Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, has acquired Rhea Retail Pvt. Ltd. Reliance acquired 100 per cent stake in the company for $30 million (Rs 203.46 crore)in an all cash deal. 

    Rhea was incorporated in 2007 and is in the business of selling of products in India for expectant mothers and in general merchandise for children. The company’s turnover for  FY 2017-18 stood at Rs 200 Cr.

    With this acquisition, Reliance Brands will expand its product portfolio. 

    The acquisition of Rhea does not fall under related party transaction and none of the promoters / promoter group / group companies have any interest in Rhea.

    Reliance Brands has a portfolio of over 40 international brands. These include luxury, bridge-to-luxury, high-premium and high-street lifestyle segments such as Gas, Diesel, Marks & Spencer and Steve Madden.

    In 2017, Reliance Brands acquired a 46.6 per cent stake in Genesis Luxury Fashion Pvt. Ltd, which operates brands such as Michael Kors, Armani and Canali.

  • Zee Learn CEO KVS Seshasai resigns

    Zee Learn CEO KVS Seshasai resigns

    BENGALURU: Zee Learn CEO KVS Seshasai has resigned from his post on 25 January, 2016.

     

    Seshasai’s resignation has been accepted by the board.

     

    He will be relieved from the services of the company with effect from close of business hours of 1 February, 2016.

     

    Seshasai replaced Navneet Anhal when he joined Zee Learn in January 2014. Prior to joining Zee Learn, Seshasai, an alumnus of IIM Bengaluru, was business head of Kenneth Cole & Thomas Pink at Reliance Brands.

     

    Zee Learn is the education arm of the Subhash Chandra led Essel group and has diversified education companies namely Kidzee, Mount Litera Zee School and Mount Litera School International.

  • Zee Learn CEO KVS Seshasai resigns

    Zee Learn CEO KVS Seshasai resigns

    BENGALURU: Zee Learn CEO KVS Seshasai has resigned from his post on 25 January, 2016.

     

    Seshasai’s resignation has been accepted by the board.

     

    He will be relieved from the services of the company with effect from close of business hours of 1 February, 2016.

     

    Seshasai replaced Navneet Anhal when he joined Zee Learn in January 2014. Prior to joining Zee Learn, Seshasai, an alumnus of IIM Bengaluru, was business head of Kenneth Cole & Thomas Pink at Reliance Brands.

     

    Zee Learn is the education arm of the Subhash Chandra led Essel group and has diversified education companies namely Kidzee, Mount Litera Zee School and Mount Litera School International.

  • Scarecrow wins creative duties of Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden and Quiksilver

    Scarecrow wins creative duties of Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden and Quiksilver

    MUMBAI:  Scarecrow Communications has been appointed as the creative agency to handle three of the fashion world’s most renowned brands – Kenneth Cole, Steve Madden and Quiksilver – as they foray to scorch up the Indian fashion scene. 

    The accounts were awarded to Scarecrow without any pitch process. All three brands have entered India through a joint venture with Reliance Brands, a source from Reliance brands confirmed.  

    Scarecrow Communications founder director Manish Bhatt is thrilled to add some glam quotient to the agency’s clientele. “What makes this triple acquisition really exciting is the fact that while all three brands are iconic, each has a unique tone of voice. They all have done some really brave, clutter-breaking work, globally. It’s indeed a privilege to work on brands with such great legacy.”

    Steve Madden and Kenneth Cole marketing head Kavita Khiara added “Increasingly fashion consumers expect from the brands that they adorn the same tonality that is the signature to its clothing and accessories ; bringing in a freshness and yet carrying forward the soul of the brand is a communication challenge that we see the team at Scarecrow well adept at handling.”

     

     Scarecrow Communication senior creative director Sarvesh Raikar said, “Fashion advertising has really evolved, globally. We have seen apparel catalogues sold as music albums! Not just ATL and digital, but even retail and promo-led communication offers huge scope for innovations today. Our young, tech-savvy and highly talented team makes us believe these brands are right up our alley!”

     

     The agency has won numerous awards and recognitions in a short span. The latest being named as the Agency of the Year at Mirchi Kaan Awards, that was held on 17 April, 2014, where many of the country’s big agencies were also contenders.