Premium Italian denim brand Replay has forayed into the Indian market through a strategic distribution partnership with Reliance Brands, with the first store set to open in Gurugram.

Manu Sharma, Business Head, Replay India at Reliance Brands Ltd, said: “We plan to open four stores in Mumbai and New Delhi this year. This is in line with our strategy. We first look at opening stores in the top 3-4 retail destinations to gauge consumer feedback. We then chart out a strategy to scale up the retail footprint of the brand further.”

After Delhi and Mumbai, the company will next look at taking the brand to cities such as Hyderabad, Pune and Bengaluru. The company expects to ramp up the retail footprint of the brand to 10 stores by the end of the next financial year.

“Replay is among the key authentic denim brands in Italy. It has been growing at a fast pace and its unique styles will resonate well with Indian customers.” he added.

Reliance Brands will also make the Italian denim brand available exclusively on its online fashion platform Ajio.com.

Sharma said that over the next two years, the company’s strategic focus will be on building the brand through presence at the right retail locations and growing brand awareness in the country through a 360- degree marketing plan.

“The overall branded apparel market in India is growing in double digits. While new consumers are getting added at the entry level, the early adopters of branded apparel want to upgrade to premium fashion styles. So there is a strong potential for growth,” he added.