OVS, Italy’s leading fashion brand, opened its doors in India with the launch of its flagship store at Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden. The mall is one of Delhi’s most iconic shopping destinations, celebrated for its dynamic mix of international brands, immersive experiences, and trendsetting lifestyle offerings. The grand opening marks a major milestone in OVS’ global expansion, bringing Italian design, craftsmanship, and contemporary style to Indian customers.

Ahead of the official store opening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in front of a cheerful crowd of customers eagerly waiting to step inside. The first 100 shoppers received exclusive gifts, including a gift hamper on purchases of INR 6,000 or more.

Italian fashion brand OVS has debuted in India with a 9,000 square feet flagship store at Pacific Mall, Tagore Garden, Delhi.
The launch featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, exclusive gifts for early shoppers, and a pop-up tram-themed installation previewing OVS’ Italian style.
The brand aims to blend Italian design, affordability, and sustainability for fashion-conscious Indian consumers.

Spread across 9,000 sq. ft., the new OVS store drew a strong turnout of Delhi shoppers and fashion enthusiasts, who explored the brand’s diverse collections for the first time. From everyday essentials to statement pieces, the store reflects OVS’ mission of making Italian design, modern style, and trend-forward fashion accessible to all.

Ahead of the store launch, OVS unveiled an exclusive pop-up installation inside the mall from 20th September to 21st October designed to offer shoppers a first-hand preview of the brand’s Italian style and design sensibilities. Styled like a vibrant European tram, the experiential space showcased curated apparel from OVS’ latest collections, allowing visitors to interact with the brand and get a sense of its quality and aesthetic.

Reflecting on the global significance of this launch, Carmine Di Virgilio, Global Chief Retail Officer, OVS, said, “India is one of the world’s most exciting fashion markets, and we’re thrilled to bring OVS here. With our blend of Italian design, affordability, and sustainability, we aim to offer style that’s accessible and meaningful. ‘Love People, Not Labels’ is at the heart of what we do, celebrating individuality and connecting authentically with our customers. This launch is an important milestone in our international growth journey and underlines our commitment to serving fashion-forward customers across diverse markets.”

Mr. Sundeep Chugh, Managing Director, OVS India added, “The overwhelming response to our debut in Delhi is a testament to the city’s appetite for international fashion experiences. Our flagship store offers a modern, seamless shopping experience that reflects our Italian roots while catering to the tastes of Indian consumers. OVS will quickly become a trusted name for those who seek quality, style, and value, all under one roof.”

Inside the new store, shoppers can discover an extensive range of offerings, from everyday essentials to premium collections such as OVS mainline, PIOMBO, B.Angel, Les Copains, Utopja, Altavia and BST. Each collection is thoughtfully designed and developed by the OVS design team, combining modern aesthetics with high-quality fabrics to meet the evolving preferences of style-conscious Indian consumers.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)

India’s Maharashtra state recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Abu Dhabi Ports and the Investment Resource & Presidential Office of Abu Dhabi.

The MoU envisions investments up to $2 billion across sectors like shipbuilding, ship-breaking, water transport, port infrastructure and sports management, State Minister of Ports Development Nitesh Narayan Rane posted on X.

India’s Maharashtra state recently signed an MoU with Abu Dhabi Ports and the Investment Resource & Presidential Office of Abu Dhabi.
The MoU envisions investments up to $2 billion across sectors like shipbuilding, ship-breaking, water transport, port infrastructure and sports management.
The initiative aligns with Maharashtra’s long-term plan for blue economy-led growth.

The initiative aligns with Maharashtra’s long-term plan for blue economy-led growth.

“It is a proud moment for us as we are developing the maritime ecosystem in the state. The total investment envisaged is ₹56,000 crore, but apart from that there are strategic MoUs in areas of technology and human resources. With these MoUs, we will move towards achieving our aim of making Maharashtra a maritime superpower,” Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

In total, 15 MoUs have been signed in this sector, with the largest allocation of ₹420 billion for the expansion of Dighi Port. JSW Infrastructure Ltd plans to invest ₹3,7.09 billion in expanding its Jaigad and Dharamtar ports.

Further commitments came from Chowgule Group, Synergy Shipbuilders, and Goa Shipyard to set up shipbuilding facilities in the state.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

Indian fabric and fashion retail company Raymond Lifestyle Limited has reported an 8 per cent year-on-year (YoY) rise in total income to ₹1,865 crore (~$211.52 million) in the second quarter (Q2) of fiscal 2026 (FY26) ended September 30, driven by strong domestic consumption.

EBITDA rose 7 per cent YoY to ₹259 crore (~$29.37 million), maintaining a margin of 13.9 per cent. This was achieved despite a deliberate increase in advertising expenditure—a strategic investment aimed at strengthening long-term brand equity and enhancing consumer engagement.

Raymond Lifestyle Limited has reported an increase of 8 per cent YoY in Q2 FY26 revenue to ₹1,865 crore (~$211.52 million), driven by robust domestic demand.
EBITDA grew 7 per cent to ₹259 crore (~$29.37 million) with a 13.9 per cent margin.
Branded Textile revenue rose 10 per cent, while Branded Apparel grew 11 per cent.
Strong home market demand offset export challenges from US tariffs.

This growth in EBITDA reflects not only the higher sales volume generated by the resilient Indian consumer but also the benefit of an improved product mix, scale benefit and better operating leverage combined with selective pruning of under-performing stores. The company effectively capitalised on buoyant domestic sentiment, Raymond said in a press release.

The profit before tax (PBT) stood at ₹108 crore compared to ₹112 crore in Q2 FY25, while the company’s total income for H1 FY26 reached ₹3,340 crore, up 12 per cent YoY. The company’s net debt was ₹246 crore as of September 2025, attributed to inventory build-up for the festive and wedding seasons.

However, the growth in domestic consumption and its sales was partly offset, as its international business, particularly the garmenting and B2B export segments, faced considerable headwinds. The imposition of steep US tariffs significantly impacted the company’s global competitiveness, leading to order deferrals and margin pressure from key overseas buyers. Despite this external challenge, the powerful rebound in domestic consumption fully cushioned the impact, allowing it to post positive overall growth.

Branded Textile segment revenue grew by 10 per cent to ₹937 crore in Q2 FY26 vs ₹854 crore in Q2 FY25 mainly on account of robust volume growth, higher wedding dates and increased consumer awareness as compared to the previous year. EBITDA grew by 16 per cent to ₹188 crore in Q2 FY26 as compared to ₹161 crore in Q2FY25, with EBITDA margin of 20 per cent in Q2 FY26 vs 18.9 per cent in Q2 FY25 on account of improved product mix and strong volume growth.

Branded Apparel segment revenue stood at ₹491 crore in Q2 FY26 as compared to ₹441 crore in the same quarter last year, reflecting a growth of 11 per cent YoY. The growth was witnessed across all brands and key channels such as Large Format Stores (LFS), Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBO), Multi-Brand Outlets (MBO) and online. The segment reported an EBITDA of ₹25 crore in Q2 FY26 as compared to ₹57 crore in Q2 FY25 with an EBITDA margin of 5.2 per cent in Q2 FY26 vs 13 per cent in Q2 FY25.

As of September 30, 2025, the company’s store count stood at 1,663, compared to 1,592 a year earlier. The newly opened stores were expected to take additional time to reach full maturity.

Garmenting segment reported revenue at ₹269 crore in Q2 FY26 as compared to ₹260 crore in the same quarter previous year, reflecting a growth of 4 per cent YoY. EBITDA margin for the quarter was 5.4 per cent in Q2 FY26 vs 9.6 per cent in Q2 FY25.

The High Value Cotton Shirting segment recorded revenue of ₹212 crore in Q2 FY26, down 7 per cent YoY from ₹228 crore in Q2 FY25 due to subdued demand. EBITDA rose to ₹25 crore from ₹22 crore in the same period last year, with margins improving to 11.8 per cent from 9.7 per cent, primarily driven by a better product mix, added the release.

“Our quarterly performance reflects encouraging momentum driven by a strong domestic demand across core lifestyle categories. Even as we navigate global macroeconomic headwinds, we remain focused on agility and strategic foresight—closely tracking opportunities from the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and potential risks from US tariff changes. This disciplined approach ensures we continue creating enduring value for all stakeholders,” said Gautam Hari Singhania, executive chairman of Raymond Lifestyle Limited.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)