Italian brand Valentino is venturing into the country through Reliance Brands Limited. The company has sealed a long-term distribution agreement with the Italian couture brand to bring its presence to India.

Through this long-term partnership, Valentino is set to open its first boutique in Delhi, followed by a flagship store in Mumbai. The first store is due to open in 2022 by the end of the summer, followed by the flagship store in Mumbai in the coming months. 

The upcoming Valentino stores will see a range of womenswear, menswear, footwear, and accessories. This new deal will allow the brand’s presence through a renewed store concept, aiming toward changing the Indian retail market. 

Speaking about the brand’s entry in India, Darshan Mehta, MD of Reliance Brands Limited explains, “Valentino needs no introduction in India. Founded by the legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino has gone through impactful creative evolution under the current Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli and CEO Jacopo Venturini heralding the brand into contemporary luxury while leveraging its heritage as the most established Italian Maison de Couture. 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.”

Venturini thinks that the upcoming store represents a significant step in Valentino’s global strategy. “We are honoured 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, its 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,” he says. 

The upcoming Delhi boutique at DLF Emporio, will carry Valentino’s womenswear and select men’s accessories while Mumbai’s flagship store will host the entire Valentino universe – a complete range of womenswear, menswear, footwear, and Valentino Garavani accessories of the brand that include shoes, bags, small leather goods, eyewear, scarves, ties, and fragrances.

Valentino is currently present in over 144 locations through 212 Valentino directly operated boutiques.