Days after confirming their plans to foray into standalone apparel stores, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Retail is planning a new foray into the lifestyle segment. Christened as Reliance Lifestyle, the stores will retail national and international brands of cosmetics, watches, home and design accessories, books, optics, etc.
“Initially, the company plans to roll out stores in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai. In the second phase, we will move into tier I and II cities across the country. The target is to set up over 100 Reliance Lifestyle stores across the country by this fiscal-end,” a Reliance spokesperson told Indiaretailing.
The company has roped in Surender Gnanaolivu as vice president of lifestyle business merchandising for Reliance Lifestyle in order to handle the operations.
The spokesperson confirmed the industry buzz that the company is in talks with Procter & Gamble to source cosmetics from them as private labels within Reliance Lifestyle outlets. “We are also in talks with international watch manufacturers such as Breitling from the United States, Perryroche from France, and Kolber from Geneva, in order to be their watch distributors for the Indian market. Likewise, talks are on with national watch players as well,” company officials added.
Mukesh Ambani is leaving nothing untried for accomplishing his retail mission, it seems.
– Vishnu Rageev R, Bangalore Bureau
