Reliance Retail has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with Israeli apparel company Delta Galil, aiming to make significant inroads into India’s lingerie market. Delta Galil, known for its portfolio of global innerwear brands, will bring its international expertise to India, collaborating with Reliance to design and manufacture lingerie products. This partnership positions the joint venture as a direct competitor to Page Industries, the current market leader known for brands such as Jockey and Speedo, according to a report by The Economic Times.
“Delta Galil’s reputation as a global innovator in intimate apparel and activewear aligns seamlessly with Reliance Retail’s commitment to delivering quality and innovative products to Indian consumers. Together, we are poised to elevate the consumer offerings in the intimate apparel and activewear segments across our retail platforms,” stated V Subramaniam, Managing Director, Reliance Retail Ventures Limited welcoming Delta Galil as a key strategic partner into the Reliance Retail portfolio.
Founded in 1975, Delta Galil holds licenses for several prestigious global brands, including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Columbia. The company has recently expanded its portfolio by securing partnerships with Adidas and Polo Ralph Lauren. Delta Galil operates three research and development centers focused on fabric innovation in Israel, performance socks in Oregon, and bras in China. The company’s intellectual property portfolio includes seven registered patents, 12 pending applications, and eight active technology trademarks.
Delta Galil’s CEO, Isaac Dabah emphasised the strategic significance of the collaboration saying, “Reliance Retail is one of the fastest-growing retail companies in the world and we are extremely proud to partner with the company as we look to tap into India’s dynamic consumer market. This collaboration will allow us to combine our product design, innovation and manufacturing prowess with Reliance Retail’s extensive retail network and distribution reach, paving the way for accelerated growth of the intimate apparel and activewear categories throughout the country. We look forward to embarking on this journey with Reliance to an initial launch with Delta family lifestyle stores and the Athena brand for men’s and ladies’ intimates, over the next 18 months.”
This strategic alliance is set to bolster Reliance’s growing presence in the Indian lingerie sector. In recent years, Reliance has acquired several lingerie brands, including Clovia, Zivame, and Amante, which together generated over Rs 2,000 crore in sales in FY24. Additionally, Reliance markets its own private label lingerie through Reliance Trends and has existing joint ventures with international brands Marks & Spencer and Hunkemoller International.