Apparel Group Brings Australian Brand Cotton On to India Via Strategic Partnership

Apparel Group is bringing Cotton On to India through a new strategic partnership, aiming to plug the Australian high street giant into one of the world’s fastest growing, youth driven fashion markets. The rollout will follow a phased omnichannel model, combining stores, a dedicated Indian e-commerce platform, and key marketplace placements.​

Aussie lifestyle meets Indian retail boom

Under the deal, Apparel Group India will introduce Cotton On’s relaxed, Aussie lifestyle aesthetic, casual womenswear, menswear, kids, body, and accessories, to a consumer base that skews young and increasingly brand aware. The company calls India one of the largest and fastest growing young premium buying populations globally, with a clear appetite for global style and lifestyle led fashion.​

Cotton On, already operating in more than 20 countries with around 1,300 stores and 20,000 team members, sees India as a major new chapter in its international footprint. The partnership lets it tap local operational know how rather than building a standalone network from scratch.​

How the partnership is structured

Cotton On plans to use a simplified operating model, building from its established northern hemisphere assortment to speed up time to market and reduce complexity. On the ground, Apparel Group will run distribution through its existing logistics network and state of the art facilities across India, supporting faster replenishment and rollout.​

Apparel Group India already manages 300+ stores and 20+ brands across 50 cities, including Victoria’s Secret, Crocs, Aldo, Bath & Body Works, Tim Hortons, and more. Plugging Cotton On into that platform is framed as a “landmark” expansion of its portfolio.​

Abhishek Bajpai, CEO of Apparel Group India, said, “We are proud to bring Cotton On to India as we continue to expand our portfolio of globally relevant lifestyle brands for the new Indian consumer. India has one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing young premium-buying populations, with a clear shift toward global style, value, and lifestyle-led fashion — and Cotton On fits this opportunity strongly. At Apparel Group India, we focus on building brands for long-term scale through disciplined retail execution and deep consumer insight. This partnership reflects our growth ambition and our commitment to creating differentiated, high-energy retail experiences in the market.”

On the Cotton On side, CFO Michael Hardwick said, “India is an incredibly exciting market for Cotton On, with a vibrant youth population and strong demand for international lifestyle brands. Partnering with Apparel Group India allows us to enter the market with speed, confidence and a model built for long term growth. Their scale, retail expertise and distribution capability make them an ideal partner as we bring Cotton On to millions of new customers.” 

Bianca Ginns, Managing Director, Cotton On Brands, stated, “India marks a significant new chapter for Cotton On as we bring our relaxed, optimistic Australian brand to millions of new customers. We’re inspired by the energy and creativity of India’s youthful population and we’re looking forward to sharing our effortless, on trend fashion that reflects Cotton On’s Aussie lifestyle.”

Brand purpose and the Cotton On Foundation

The partnership also includes a plan to localize the Cotton On Foundation, the brand’s social impact arm, created in 2007. Globally, the foundation has raised more than ₹1,100 crore to support initiatives in education, mental health, and the environment, with funding driven by product tie-ins and customer participation.​

Both partners say they will work together to bring the Cotton On Foundation to life in India, tying market entry to community impact as well as retail expansion. That aligns with broader consumer interest in brands that combine accessible fashion with visible social responsibility.​

Why this matters for India’s fashion landscape

For India, Cotton On adds another global youth focused brand to a market where international labels are vying for share across malls, high streets, and digital platforms. The omnichannel model, stores plus dedicated e-commerce and marketplaces, points to an approach built for scale and longevity rather than short term hype.​

For Apparel Group, the deal reinforces its positioning as a gateway operator for foreign brands, leveraging regional experience from the GCC to India and beyond. For shoppers, it signals more casual, Aussie inspired choice in the middle of the market, at a time when lifestyle driven basics and easy separates are becoming everyday uniforms for young urban consumers.