Reliance brings yet another international luxury brand to India with Balenciaga

Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) has signed a franchise agreement with luxury brand Balenciaga to bring the best of global couture to the Indian market

August 4, 2022: Armed with a long-term franchise agreement, Reliance Brands Ltd. (RBL) will be Balenciaga’s sole India partner to launch the brand in the country. This is RBL’s second partnership with the parent group Kering, which houses Balenciaga.

 
Founded by Spanish-born Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1917 and established in Paris in 1937, the original house of Balenciaga defined modern couture with its many innovations to form and technique. Demna Gvasalia, artistic director of Balenciaga since 2015, continues to uphold the vision of the brand through boundary-pushing collections, which have expanded to include women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories, and objets d’art. 
 
The brand is heavily endorsed by Kim Kardashian, who recently walked the ramp for Balenciaga’s couture show, along with stalwarts Nicole Kidman, Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid and Naomi Campbell.
 
“Few brands have actually embraced the opportunity for creative reinterpretation and reinvention quite like Balenciaga. Their avant-garde and ingenious creations, bold use of the logo, and a consequent cult in the fashion industry has already created a strong footing throughout the world. It’s the most opportune time to introduce the brand to the country as the Indian luxury customer has matured and using fashion as a form of creative expression of their individuality,” said Darshan Mehta, MD of Reliance Brands Limited. 

 
This partnership comes right at the heel of RBL’s Valentino partnership. 
 
A brand that has seamlessly transitioned from heritage to modern times, Balenciaga’s unprecedented interactions with the expanding digital realm, material developments, and today’s social responsibilities keep it at the forefront of modernity.