Reliance Retail and ASOS confirm exclusive tie-up for India own-brands launch

Rumours of a Reliance Retail-ASOS link-up earlier this spring were confirmed on Thursday as the two companies said they’re partnering to launch ASOS own-brands in India.

Under the licensing agreement, Reliance Retail will be the exclusive retail partner for ASOS across all online and offline channels in India. 

This is a first for ASOS — which owns Topshop as well as a raft of other own-labels — in that it’s never struck a country-wide exclusive retail partnership before.

Reliance Retail will establish a multichannel presence for the British fashion e-tailer’s “curated portfolio of fashion-led” proprietary brands in the country in a long-term partnership that they said is “aiming to redefine the fashion landscape in India”.

“This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in Reliance Retail’s commitment to offering unparalleled choices and bringing world class retail experiences to Indian consumers,” the company added.

Giving us more detail, it added: “Leveraging its extensive experience of operating omnichannel retail networks, Reliance Retail will introduce ASOS’s… own-brand labels to the Indian market through a multichannel presence for ASOS and a diverse array of retail formats, including exclusive brand stores, multibrand store expressions, and digital commerce platforms.”

It believes that “as a destination for fashion-loving 20-somethings, ASOS aligns seamlessly with Reliance Retail’s unparalleled strength in operating India’s largest omnichannel retail networks, promising to revolutionise the way Indian consumers discover and engage with the latest global fashion trends”.

As mentioned, this is a global first for ASOS and it’s certainly picked a strong partner for its Indian venture. Reliance Retail is part of Reliance Industries Limited that operates an integrated omnichannel network of almost 19,000 stores and digital commerce platforms across grocery, consumer electronics, fashion & lifestyle and pharmacy.

It’s the only Indian retailer in the global Top 100 and among the fastest-growing retailers globally, based on Deloitte’s Global Powers of Retailing 2023 study. Its turnover last year was around $37 billion.