Brands
Superdry signs up Idris Elba as brand ambassador
MUMBAI: SuperGroup is making Idris Elba, The Wire actor, the face of a new premium range of clothing, following a difficult few months in the US.
Unveiling a new strategy, the company behind the fashion brand Superdry said that Elba would be designing the new line alongside the brand’s founder and design director, James Holder.
The premium range will be available online and in shops from autumn/winter 2015. SuperGroup CEO Euan Sutherland said that he hoped Elba’s profile would help re-launch the Superdry brand in the US, where it had a difficult start.
Sutherland said Superdry still appealed to the 18- to 24-year-old market but many shoppers had “grown up with the brand” and Elba, 42, would appeal to that older generation as well.
“He epitomises what we are: British, grounded and cool. Idris Elba is a big man in the US and he will automatically reposition Superdry in people’s minds,” said Sutherland.
The brand, known for its heavily logoed T-shirts, expects to open a handful more stores in the UK and will focus on expanding in mainland Europe in the year ahead. Eleven more stores will open in Germany, taking the total to 30, and the company is also looking to expand in Austria, Poland, Spain and Italy in the next five years.
Elba has starred as Detective John Luther in the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Elba has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film, winning one, as well as earning four Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Elba has appeared in films such as American Gangster,Takers, Thor, Prometheus, Pacific Rim and Thor: The Dark World.
Brands
Spring House partners Refex Mobility for member commuting benefits
Ride perks for 10,000 plus members across 25 plus Delhi NCR workspaces.
MUMBAI: For many professionals, the workday begins long before the first email, somewhere between a cab cancellation and a surge priced ride. Spring House Workspaces is attempting to smooth that daily commute. The managed office space provider has partnered with Refex Mobility to introduce exclusive ride benefits for its members, extending its ecosystem beyond desks and meeting rooms to the journey that gets professionals there.
The initiative will cover more than 10,000 members across over 25 Spring House workspace locations in Delhi NCR. These centres collectively see an average daily footfall of more than 2,000 professionals, including entrepreneurs, startup teams, freelancers and corporate employees.
The collaboration comes at a time when urban commuters increasingly face challenges such as ride cancellations, unpredictable availability and fluctuating surge pricing. By integrating mobility services into its offering, Spring House hopes to provide members with a more reliable commuting option tailored to their daily routines.
Under the partnership, members will receive exclusive ride benefits on the Refex Mobility platform, allowing them access to more predictable transportation options for their work commute.
Spring House Workspaces founder and CEO Mukul Pasricha said reliable travel plays a crucial role in ensuring professionals can focus on work rather than logistics.
“At Spring House, our goal has always been to create an ecosystem that supports our members throughout their workday. Reliable commuting plays an important role in ensuring professionals can focus on their work without the added stress of unpredictable travel. This partnership allows us to extend greater convenience to our community,” he said.
Refex Mobility currently operates a fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles, facilitates over 5,000 rides daily and serves more than 100 corporate clients with structured mobility solutions designed for professional travel.
The move reflects a broader shift in the coworking sector, where workspace providers are increasingly expanding their value proposition beyond office infrastructure. By integrating services that simplify everyday routines, from commuting to community engagement, brands like Spring House are repositioning themselves as end to end professional ecosystems rather than just shared office spaces.
