Brands
Nykaa partners with Apparel Group to enter Gulf markets; sees it as a multi-year growth opportunity
Mumbai: Nykaa, the Indian fashion and cosmetics retailer, has tied up with the Middle East based fashion and lifestyle retail giant, Apparel Group. With this strategic alliance, the former aims to utilise the latter’s robust retail infrastructure network and deep market relationships to recreate its beauty retail platform and build distinctive Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) focused beauty offerings in UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.
The joint venture will create an omnichannel, multi-retail brand for the Middle East with Nykaa holding a 55 per cent stake in the new entity and the remaining 45 per cent will be owned by Apparel Group.
As per reports, Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayyar believes that the per capita consumption of beauty is very high in the GCC region, and the company views it as a multi-year growth opportunity.
As per Elara Capital senior vice president – research analyst of media, consumer discretionary and internet Karan Taurani’s margins in the GCC market is far superior as compared to India (around 48-50 per cent gross margin). Nykaa’s gross merchandise value (GMV) contribution from private labels currently is 11.2 per cent, which can potentially lead to 10-15 per cent higher sales volume for this segment in the near term due to new market expansion, he points out.
“As per our assessment, this joint venture will thereby have a positive impact of one-two per cent on growth rates for the overall beauty and personal care (BPC) segment; it may be margin dilutive initially due to investment in the overseas market (creating brand awareness) but will impact earnings positively, once they achieve scale,” says Taurani.
Elara Capital has estimated 23.7 per cent revenue compound annual growth (CAGR) for the Nykaa BPC segment in the upcoming years, he adds.
For the record, Nykaa has 112 retail stores in India (as of 30 June), catering to approximately 28,000 pin codes and offering over 4,500 brands across platforms. Apparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is home to over 75 lifestyle and beauty brands with over 2,000 stores in 14 countries.
Brands
Uniqlo India signs Jasprit Bumrah as brand endorser
Cricketing star fronts new LifeWear campaign highlighting comfort and simplicity.
MUMBAI: Jasprit Bumrah just bowled a perfect yorker into fashion because when the fastest bowler in the world picks Uniqlo, even off-field style gets a pace attack. Uniqlo India has roped in Indian cricket icon Jasprit Bumrah as its brand endorser, kicking off the partnership with a fresh campaign that brings the brand’s LifeWear philosophy to life, clothing engineered for simplicity, quality and effortless comfort in daily routines.
The 30-second film shows Bumrah in relaxed, everyday moments away from the crease highlighting how the AIRism Oversized T-shirt slips seamlessly into his off-field life. The narrative quietly mirrors his journey as a fast bowler, built on consistency, instinct and the kind of fit that feels right from the first wear and only gets better with time.
Jasprit Bumrah said, “In my day-to-day life, I prefer clothing that feels comfortable and effortless, especially when I’m spending time off the field. That’s why I’m happy to be partnering with Uniqlo, the brand’s approach to everyday clothing feels like a natural extension to my personal style.”
Uniqlo India marketing director Nidhi Rastogi added, “We are proud to partner with cricket world champion Jasprit Bumrah and welcome him to the Uniqlo family. His focus on excellence, authenticity and quiet confidence reflects the essence of Uniqlo’s LifeWear philosophy.”
The campaign is now live across digital channels, social media, in-store displays and outdoor platforms, with the film and imagery rolling out alongside the announcement.
In a world where pace often means rushing, Bumrah and Uniqlo are reminding everyone that the best things in life and on the body come from calm, consistent comfort that simply shows up every day and gets the job done.
