Socks-first brand Bonjour targets 50 stores, global entry in FY26, Rs 350 crore in 2 years

Bonjour is set for continued growth, with plans to expand into tier-2 and beyond, enhance its digital presence, and focus on sustainability

Bengaluru: Socks may have once been the last item you would think about when getting dressed, but today they are taking center stage. From quirky pop-culture prints to performance-driven fabrics, socks have stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

While many fashion brands have ventured into the socks category, one brand was ahead of the curve, starting in this niche and recognising the potential nearly 40 years ago.

Bonjour, India’s first multinational socks brand, was established in 1988 in Delhi by Raj Kumar Jain, a B-tech graduate turned entrepreneur. 

Initially operating from a rented factory in Delhi, the company now stands as the only vertically integrated brand in the sector, with complete control over the entire production process—from yarn manufacturing to packaging—spanning a massive 250,000 sq. ft. of factory space.

In 2007, Bonjour launched its first exclusive brand outlet (EBO), and about a decade ago, it ventured into the online space. Today, it serves over 17,000 retailers and 180 distributors across India and has expanded to more than 17 EBOs in regions like Delhi-NCR, Dehradun, and Ambala.

With its relentless drive for innovation and quality, Bonjour is set for continued growth, with plans to expand into tier-2 and beyond, enhance its digital presence, and focus on sustainability, ensuring it stays at the forefront of the market.

In an exclusive conversation with IndiaRetailing, Raj Kumar Jain, Founder and Managing Director of Bonjour Group, shares insights into the brand’s journey, business strategy, wide product portfolio, and upcoming plans for retail expansion.

Edited excerpts…

What made you choose socks as your starting point?

After completing my engineering, I was actually looking into manufacturing sock machines. I had several discussions and visits lined up with an Italian company for a possible collaboration. Unfortunately, India wasn’t quite ready at the time, and the Italians didn’t see enough potential in the market, so the partnership didn’t materialise. 

Without that collaboration, it didn’t make sense to move forward with making the machines. But by then, I had already explored the European market, learned a lot about socks, and developed a genuine interest in the space—which led me to the idea of launching a socks brand in India. 

What kind of initial investment went into starting the brand?

The initial investment was modest, as this was a family-driven endeavor. It was a bootstrapped venture, especially at a time when the concept of external investors had yet to gain momentum. With just a few lakhs to our name, we laid the foundation and built from there. We have not sought any external funding thus far, but depended on bank loans to support our growth.

Which product did you launch with initially?

After spending two years exploring a potential collaboration, I realised that the Indian market was still dominated by synthetic socks, with most people owning just a couple of pairs and not seeing socks as a wardrobe priority. In contrast, Europe had already embraced colourful designs and natural fibres like cotton and wool. 

That insight pushed me to introduce high-quality cotton socks blended with Lycra—something the Indian market hadn’t really seen before. Bonjour was the first brand to bring this to life, and I took the product to high-end retail stores. The response was fantastic.

What sales channels are you currently using?

On the offline front, we operate exclusive stores and are present in multi-brand outlets (MBOs), including small local stores and large-format retailers such as Lifestyle, V-Mart, and several others, especially in the Southern region.

Online, our presence spans our own D2C website, major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, as well as quick commerce services like Zepto and Blinkit.

What is your retail expansion plan for the coming years?

We aim to open around 50 exclusive stores in the NCR region, with a store every 10 to 15 kilometers. It’s not the kind of product people plan long trips for, so we see the potential to set up these many in NCR soon.

Our focus is primarily on high street locations, where we already have a strong presence. While around 25% of our expansion may be in malls, high streets—especially in tier-2 towns—continue to be more promising and better aligned with our customer base.

In terms of general trade, currently, We serve over 17,000 retailers and collaborate with more than 180 distributors across India. For fiscal year (FY) 2026, we’re planning a strong promotion with the aim of adding 5,000 to 7,000 new offline retailers.

We’re strongly focused on expanding into tier-2 towns, as these markets are evolving rapidly. Our immediate plan is to expand outward from our base in NCR. In the first phase, we will cover states like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, followed by further expansion into Western and Southern India.

Can you share your current stock-keeping-unit (SKU) range across categories?

We provide approximately 3,000 SKUs across various categories, including socks, top wear, bottom wear, innerwear, and accessories such as caps, stockings, belts, handkerchiefs, gloves, face masks, and travel bags.

Initially, we started with socks, and by 2007-2008, we realised that a store focused solely on socks might not be enough, so we decided to add garments for men, women and kids to the mix. 

Our exclusive stores typically range from 400 to 1,000 sq. ft. Generally, around 35–40% of the space is allocated to socks, the rest to garments, and about 10% is dedicated to our tactical garment range. We typically update our collections twice a year, with seasonal releases for winter and summer, while also adding new items in between.

Which age group is your target audience?

In terms of demographics, our primary focus has been on consumers aged 25 and above. However, now we are putting a strong emphasis on creating a brand look and feel that resonates with the 18-25 age group.

What are your top three strategic priorities for the brand? 

We are focusing on three key priorities for growth: innovation, ease of availability, and sustainability. 

Our primary goal is to introduce cutting-edge garment technologies to the Indian market, as consumers are still largely underserved when it comes to world-class textile innovations. We aim to deliver products that combine exceptional comfort, durability, and superior design. 

Additionally, we’re focused on enhancing the accessibility of our products for customers, ensuring they are easy to find and purchase. Sustainability is also a core focus, as we continue to prioritise eco-conscious practices in all our operations.

What is the current financial standing of the brand?

We have adopted a backward integration model, overseeing our own yarn production, garment manufacturing, and sock production. These integrated divisions currently contribute a total revenue of approximately Rs 250 crore, and we have set our sights on reaching Rs 350 crore in the next two years.

Will you be foraying into any global markets?

We are focused on expanding into international markets within the next year. We have been in talks with Dubai as a potential market and are also exploring the US market as part of our global growth strategy.