MAM
Fashion retailer GUESS relaunches the brand in India
Mumbai: The US-based global fashion brand GUESS has announced the relaunching of its retail presence at the DLF mall of India in Delhi-NCR.
The store opening brings back GUESS to the consumers who love the brand for its iconic range of denims, dresses, apparel, shoes, handbags, accessories and more, the brand said in a statement. The store itself has been aesthetically designed, providing plenty of space for showcasing the brand’s themed total looks and imagery, it added.
“Even though our brand has penetrated well in several countries, we are always eager to spread our wings to newer markets,” said GUESS CEO, Carlos Alberini. “Inspired by the rapidly evolving style preferences and buying habits of the new-age consumer, we have launched the ‘Athleisure’ collection which had zero penetration in the pre-covid era, but now this category represents seven per cent of our apparel sales. These figures are significant as quarantine consumers are clearly choosing comfort-driven apparel with a considerable shift towards fitness,” Alberini added.
“We are thrilled to welcome shoppers to our new store at the DLF mall of India,” said Gaurik Group’s Manoj Nair. “Besides its strategic location, the store sales reinforced that customers always appreciate quality and on-trend styles – no wonder they unanimously #LoveGUESS. We are now on our way to launch in all the major metros across India through the rest of the year. As people’s habits, tastes, and needs evolve, we will continue to innovate and find new ways to engage with our customers.”
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
