After a two-year break brought on by the pandemic, the fashion industry resumed its old grandeur in 2022. Throughout the year, fashion people were still in the headlines for a variety of good, bad, and ugly reasons. With a lot of happenings going around, this year indeed was quite an interesting one!
From the ace designer Sabyasachi taking his heritage out of India by opening a new store in New York to many established international brands making their way through the Indian market, let’s take a quick recap of the biggest newsmakers of 2022.
Sabyasachi opened his eponymous store on the streets of New York
On October 16, renowned Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee unveiled a brand-new site in New York City. The designer from Kolkata revealed inside views from the lavish flagship store even before it was opened on Christopher Street at 160 in New York City. After his failure, the designer made a powerful comeback post-pandemic. “I hate failing. It was the right place at the wrong time,” Sabyasachi said of an early foray into the American market in 2007, “so I said ‘fine, I’ll go back,’ and when I come back to America on my own terms, I will.” What followed has been a sort of fairy tale rise that most fashion designers can only dream of.
Victoria's Secret opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Mumbai
Victoria’s Secret opened its first-ever offline store in India. The new store featured the brand’s newest collection in Mumbai’s Phoenix Palladium mall. Known for its lingerie and beauty items featuring modern, fashion-inspired collections, fragrances, body care, and loungewear, basically, all the things which we love. The global footprint of the brand is more than 1350 stores located worldwide and with the opening of this store customers in India will have hands-on products.
Valentino tied up with Reliance on launching their flagship stores in Delhi and Mumbai
Valentino came to India after Reliance Brand Limited (RBL) in September inked a long-term distribution agreement with the most established Italian Maison de Couture. The stores stock a complete range of 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.
Kay Beauty's co-founder Katrina Kaif wins ‘Beauty Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at Business Icons of India 2022
Katrina Kaif had trailblazed her way into the world of entrepreneurship with her brand Kay Beauty earning the title of India’s most loved make-up brand in March this year. She was also the first Indian celebrity to venture into the beauty space. And what a successful run it has been so far! Inspiring millions of women in the country, Katrina has led Kay Beauty by demonstrating strong values of leadership and entrepreneurship.
Deepika Padukone became the first Indian celebrity to join Cartier and Louis Vuitton as a global brand ambassador
The amazing actor and then producer Deepika Padukone has achieved a lot this year. Not only she launched her own skincare line but also turned into an international sensation and was welcomed aboard as the face of the luxury jewellery brand, Cartier and became the first Indian celebrity to join the fashion luxury brand Louis Vuitton family as a global brand ambassador.
Bulgari Jewellery announced Priyanka Chopra Jonas as their global brand ambassador
Italian luxury company Bulgari jewellery had signed actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas as a global ambassador for its brand. Welcoming her to their family, Bulgari quoted, "Priyanka Chopra Jonas joins the Bulgari family. The unstoppably talented actor, film producer, and activist makes her entrance as Global Ambassador in bold Bvlgari jewellery."
Anushka Sharma came onboard as L’Oréal Paris' brand ambassador
L’Oréal Paris announced Bollywood actress, Anushka as their newest brand ambassador after many other actors in India. This year she was seen as a new face of the science-baked and dermatologist-validated skincare innovations that L’Oréal Paris’ will be pioneering in the Indian market.
Paris Hilton launched her ravishingly raunchy perfume 'Ruby Rush' in India
An American socialite and international jet-setter Paris Hilton is busy promoting her new launch of perfume. Traveling to different counties and cities, Paris arrived in India to launch Ruby Rush and suddenly became the talk of the town. Hilton picked the ideal outfit for the product launch at the Phoenix Palladium mall in Mumbai's Lower Parel district, a red jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and sheer silver gloves, bringing out the best of desi and elegant moods.
Reliance Brand Ltd. to bring international brands in India and partners with Indian brands
Reliance Brand Ltd. (RBL) is on a role by bringing international fashion houses to Indian one after another. They signed up with Italian brand Valentino to open new stores in Delhi and Mumbai followed up by Balenciaga’s launch in India by 2023, Tory Burch and many more.
Not on RBL is getting their hands on international designer brands, they also partnered up with Indian labels like House of Masaba, Rahul Mishra and bought 51% stakes in Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
Aditya Birla Group join hands with France’s Galeries Lafayette to open luxury stores in Delhi and Mumbai
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL) and luxury French market department store chain Galeries Lafayette have joined up to launch premium department stores and a specialized e-commerce platform in India. The Indian company said that it will open two flagship stores, holding more than 200 high-end designer labels, one in Mumbai by 2024 and the other in New Delhi a year later.
Estee Lauder buys American fashion label Tom Ford for $2.8 Billion deal
Giants Estee Lauder announced earlier a framework that stretches the company's depth by buying Tom Ford. Estee Lauder Cos Inc announced that it has reached an agreement to purchase the American luxury brand Tom Ford for $2.8 billion, which is the biggest move in the company's history. Although the market for luxury goods has remained stable, there are signs of gaps as some buyers tighten their funds in retaliation to decades-high inflation.
Sushant Divgikr aka Rani Ko-He-Nur bagged third runner up position at London’s Drag Competition
Returned from LONDON where I represented India at the @queenofuniverse and placed 3rd runner up in the WORLD!
As a transgender person it was a moment I will never forget as I put my country on the global map becoming the first drag queen from India to do so.
Jai ho #teamindia pic.twitter.com/HP3L707DGW— Sushant(RANI)Divgikr (@thedivasushant) January 25, 2022
Representing India at a global level Sushant Divgikr aka drag queen Rani Ko-He-Nur made it big at the Queen of Universe drag competition in London. Adding another feather to their multifaceted hat, Ko-He-Nur bagged the third runner-up position in the competition.
What a year it was! Who was your newsmaker for the year?
