Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and West Elm to open stores in India
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM) and Reliance Brands Limited, a
subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, today announced plans to
bring Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm to India through a
franchise agreement. The opening of the brands’ first stores will be in
Mumbai, India in early 2020, along with the launch of e-commerce
websites.
“We are excited to partner with Reliance as part of our continued global
expansion,” said Laura Alber, President and Chief Executive Officer
of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “We are looking forward to opening our
first stores in Mumbai and introducing our distinctive brands, excellent
customer service, and exceptional products to customers in India.”
“We currently operate retail and franchise stores across the world with
company-owned stores in the United States, Canada, Australia and the
United Kingdom. Our franchise network includes countries throughout the
Middle East, South Korea, the Philippines, and Mexico,” said Ronald
Young, Executive Vice President, Global of Williams–Sonoma, Inc.
“Adding Reliance to our franchisee network is a significant step in our
continuing global expansion. As India’s largest retail company, we look
forward to a strong relationship and long-term success with Reliance
Industries as we prepare to open our first stores in India.”
Darshan Mehta, President & CEO, Reliance Brands Limited added:
“We look forward to working with the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. team to
bring the world of Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm to
India. We are confident that the brands’ heritage and strong design
point of view will resonate with Indian consumers, bringing a new
dimension to their homes.”
About Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a specialty retailer of high-quality products
for the home. These products, representing distinct merchandise
strategies — Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm,
PBteen, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, and Mark and Graham — are
marketed through e-commerce websites, direct-mail catalogs and retail
stores. These brands are also part of The Key Rewards, our free-to-join
loyalty program that offers members exclusive benefits across the
Williams-Sonoma family of brands. We operate in the U.S., Puerto Rico,
Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, offer international shipping
to customers worldwide, and have unaffiliated franchisees that operate
stores in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico and South Korea, as
well as e-commerce websites in certain locations. In 2017, we acquired
Outward, Inc., a 3-D imaging and augmented reality platform for the home
furnishings and décor industry.
About Reliance Brands Limited
Reliance Brands Limited is part of the Reliance Industries Group.
Reliance Brands began operations in 2007 with a mandate to launch and
build international and domestic brand equity in the premium to luxury
segment across apparel, footwear and lifestyle business. Its current
portfolio of brand partnerships comprises of Armani Exchange, Bally,
Bottega Veneta, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Canali, Coach, DC, Diesel,
Dune, Emporio Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna, G-Star Raw, Gas, Giorgio
Armani, Hamleys, Hugo Boss, Hunkemoller, Iconix, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade
New York, Michael Kors, Mothercare, Muji, Paul & Shark, Paul Smith,
Quiksilver, Replay, Roxy, Salvatore Ferragamo, Satya Paul, Steve Madden,
Superdry, Scotch & Soda, Thomas Pink, Tumi and Villeroy & Boch. Reliance
Brands today operates 700 stores.
