The brand has made a comeback to the Indian market by opening its first store at Pacific Mall, Netaji Subhash Place, New Delhi in partnership with Ace Turtle
New Delhi: California-based casualwear brand Dockers that has re-entered India by launching its first retail outlet at Pacific Mall, Netaji Subhash Place, New Delhi in partnership with Ace Turtle is looking to launch 20 stores in about two years, Berry Singh, COO & Co-founder, Ace Turtle told IndiaRetailing.
“In the first year of operation we are looking to open five stores. The brand will be present in other offline and online channels,” Singh added about the American brand’s plans after reentering the Indian market.
“One of the big strategies for Dockers globally is the international expansion and India being the key market, is a perfect platform to expand the footprint,” he added further.
Dockers, a division of Levi-Strauss, entered India in 2000 and exited the market in 2004. The semi-formal khaki brand, again re-entered the market in 2005 and exited yet again in 2009 due to the consumer’s deviation from the khaki category to denim wear and formal pants with blended fabrics.
With its 1000 sq. ft store at Pacific Mall the brand reintroduces its range of denim wear and formal pants in the country. The brand will also be launching a dedicated e-commerce website by end of February to enable online shopping across India.
“We intend to leverage our unique technology-driven operating model and omnichannel commerce expertise to take Dockers® to millions of Indian consumers through relevant online and offline channels,” said Nitin Chhabra, chief executive officer, Ace Turtle, speaking about the company’s plan for Dockers.
“Our tech-enabled pan-India reach, data-driven approach and deep consumer understanding will aim to unlock new opportunities presented by the dynamic Indian fashion retailing market,” he added further explaining the technology led retail experience model at the store.
The store has electronic shelf labels with QR codes, which, when scanned, directs customers to the website, where they can style the product and check the other product features.
The store also has smart cameras that identify customers entering the store by age, gender, and shopping behaviour. “With the help of technology, we are trying to remove a lot of manual operational tasks done by back-end teams. We also have an app called Connect and the entire retail operations is done through the app,” Singh explained.
Sharing the brand’s perspective, Natalie MacLennan, CEO, Dockers® said, “We are incredibly excited to reintroduce Dockers® to India, marking a significant milestone in our global expansion journey. The Indian market presents a tremendous opportunity for us to connect with a new generation of consumers who appreciate quality, comfort, and style. Our partnership with Ace Turtle will ensure that we deliver the authentic Dockers® experience to consumers across the country.”
The retail store will provide an immersive shopping experience for fashion enthusiasts with a vibrant space designed to reflect the Californian spirit.
Dockers was launched in San Francisco in 1986. Today, the brand is available in more than 50 countries.
