RELIANCE BRANDS Ltd (RBL) has inked a long-term distribution agreement with Valentino to bring to India the most established Italian Maison de Couture.

Through this long-term partnership, RBL will partner with Valentino to open its first boutique in Delhi, followed by a flagship store in Mumbai. The first store is due to open in 2022, with the flagship store in Mumbai to follow in the coming months. The stores will stock a complete range across womenswear, menswear, footwear, and accessories of the brand.

The new long-term distribution deal will allow brand presence through a renewed store concept geared toward adapting to the changes in the retail market. Experiential design will provide customers with a global experience and a bespoke client experiential journey.

“Valentino needs no introduction in India. Founded by the legendary Italian fashiondesigner Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino has gone throughimpactful creative evolution under the current Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli andCEO Jacopo Venturini heralding the brand into contemporary luxury while leveraging its heritage as the most established Italian Maison de Couture,” said Darshan Mehta, MD of Reliance Brands Limited. “The brand’s infectious romanticism, signature codes and bold use of colour has strong resonance in India. This partnership will help make the brand more accessible to its Indian customers and build a new tribe of Valentino connoisseurs.”

“We are pleased to join forces with India’s leader in luxury retail, RELIANCE BRANDS LIMITED (RBL) and proud to work together to expand our shared vision and voice in this important market, rife with new opportunities. The upcoming store opening represents a significant step in Valentino’s global strategy, and we are honored to be part of the country’s growing retail market, allowing the company and the Valentino Community to grow in a solid way, according to our values and brand culture. As per the new business model, we are leveraging the strong relationships between the brand, it’s sales force and the customers, hinged on our Couture values - obsession for detail, creativity and client centricity - that together with human capital and teamwork are at the core of the company culture and the main drivers of its evolution. We look forward to bringing Valentino’s renowned collections and our one-of-a-kind customer journey mindset to India,” said Jacopo Venturini, CEO of Maison Valentino.