Kim Kardashian's shapewear and loungewear brand SKIMS has announced its entry into the Indian market through an exclusive partnership with Reliance Brands Limited, the luxury retail arm of Reliance Retail. According to reports from Reuters, the partnership was announced on August 5 and will bring the brand's first physical stores to Delhi and Mumbai as part of a phased national rollout. Under the agreement, Reliance Brands Limited will operate SKIMS across both physical and digital channels in India, marking the brand's entry into what it describes as one of the world's fastest-growing luxury and premium consumer markets. As reported by Reuters, this launch comes as global companies race to enter India's burgeoning fashion and beauty markets, with Indian beauty retailers rushing to bring international brands to the country as Gen Z and millennial consumers gravitate to global beauty trends and celebrity-backed brands. This launch continues SKIMS' global retail expansion following recent openings in London and Dubai, with Hong Kong and Seoul to follow.
Co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian and Jens Grede, SKIMS has built a global following by reimagining the foundations of everyday dressing across women's underwear, shapewear and loungewear categories. As reported by Reuters, the brand positions itself around fit, comfort and inclusivity, with a portfolio that has expanded to include a men's line and a collaboration with Nike under the NikeSKIMS label. Kim Kardashian, who serves as Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, stated that the brand has received a strong response from Indian consumers even before its official launch. "We built SKIMS on the belief that everybody deserves to feel comfortable and confident in what they wear," she said. "The excitement we've seen from our community in India has been truly incredible, and we can't wait to welcome them in our stores for the very first time." For the brand, India was a natural step in its global expansion strategy, with the company saying its products are designed around fit, comfort and inclusivity, combining technical innovation with elevated design. SKIMS currently operates stores across the US and Mexico in addition to its global online business.
The India launch is strategically timed to capitalize on the country's growing appetite for premium global brands, according to Reuters reports. Rising disposable incomes, a large and digitally active young consumer base, and increasing demand for international fashion labels have made India one of the most sought-after expansion markets for global fashion brands. SKIMS will initially open in Delhi and Mumbai, with expansion across further cities and channels to follow as the rollout progresses. This will be a phased approach, beginning with stores, followed by expansion into other cities and channels over time. The rollout will begin with stores in Delhi and Mumbai before expanding to other cities and channels over time, forming part of SKIMS' broader international expansion strategy. As reported by Reuters, the partnership marks SKIMS' entry into the Indian market as the brand continues its international retail expansion, with India representing a significant opportunity amid rising demand for premium global fashion brands and growing consumer preference for comfort-led and functional apparel.
According to Reuters, Reliance Brands Limited is a unit of Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries (RELI.NS) established in 2007 with a mandate to launch, scale and nurture global fashion and lifestyle brands in India across the luxury to premium spectrum. The company currently operates over 1,855 doors across India and has made global acquisitions including Hamleys, the world's oldest toy retailer, now operating across 12 countries with more than 175 stores. Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, emphasized that SKIMS speaks directly to a new generation of Indian consumers who want fashion that is both aspirational and made for them. "SKIMS has changed how the world thinks about shape, comfort, and inclusivity, and it speaks directly to a new generation of Indian consumers who want fashion that is both aspirational and made for them," she said. "We are proud to introduce SKIMS to India and to build it here for the long term." Jens Grede, co-founder and CEO of SKIMS, added that Reliance Brands's experience in building international brands in India made it the right partner for the company's expansion plans.
The SKIMS entry comes at a time when India's shapewear market is experiencing robust growth, with a mix of homegrown direct-to-consumer brands, including Underneat, and international labels vying for customers. As reported by Reuters, this launch adds to Reliance Retail's growing foreign brand portfolio, which already includes singer Rihanna's Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin, designer brands such as Stella McCartney, and Italian luxury house Valentino. Indian beauty retailer Nykaa (FSNE.NS) has also teamed up with pop singer Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty this year as well as Shiseido Group-owned NARS Cosmetics, demonstrating the broader trend of global companies entering India's beauty and fashion markets. SKIMS was founded in 2019 and has been expanding its global retail footprint with recent store openings in London and Dubai, after raising $225 million in funding that valued the company at $5 billion.
