Abercrombie & Fitch to Enter India

American retail group Abercrombie & Fitch is entering India through a multi-year franchise partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private, Ltd. to expand the global reach of its brands in the country.

In a statement, Abercrombie & Fitch said that Myntra’s business-to-business wholesale entity, Myntra Jabong, will develop the Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands’ presence in India, including brick-and-mortar retail stores, regional e-commerce sites, and branded digital storefronts operated by a network of licensed and independent third parties.

Myntra Jabong is described as one of India’s leading players in the fashion and lifestyle space, making it well-positioned to help grow A&F Co.’s brands.

Fran Horowitz, chief executive officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., said: “With the strength of A&F Co.’s brands today, we are thrilled to partner with Myntra Jabong to more deeply engage with new and existing customers in India. It’s an incredibly dynamic and diverse market, and one where we see tremendous long-term potential as we continue to pursue global brand growth.

“Staying close to our customers and putting them at the centre of everything we do has been the foundation of our transformation and the key to our success in recent years. In Myntra Jabong, we have found a like-minded partner whose expertise and capabilities will allow us to go to market with these same strategies in India.”

Commenting on the partnership, Nandita Sinha, chief executive officer of Myntra, added: “We are delighted to bring the much-sought-after and iconic brands, Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister, renowned for their commitment to enduring quality and exceptional comfort, to India, for our fashion-forward customers.

“We will apply Myntra's fashion and tech expertise to connect Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister with the country's thriving fashion audience and help them scale as we have done with numerous other global brands. The Indian lifestyle market offers potential to global brands, and we are pleased to be their preferred partner in crafting their India growth journey.”

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates more than 750 stores across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites abercrombie.com and HollisterCo.com.