DLF opts out of luxury retail to focus on mass market

DLF Brands will exit the luxury business and focus on the mass market. It has shut down two out of seven stores of the American fashion brand DKNY. DLF Brands is the retail arm of real estate company DLF. The company exited its joint ventures with Giorgio Armani and Ferragamo in 2012. In 2014, it shut down stores of Italian menswear brand Boggi Milano. In 2015 it parted ways with Louis Vuitton’s make-up and skincare brand Sephora. Mango is another brand with which it snapped ties.

DLF Brands has bought the franchise rights of Mothercare for 15 years, a UK-based retailer that sells products for expectant mothers and children, and plans to launch smaller stores, even in community-based markets, selling value-added products. From 109 stores now, DLF wants to have 300 Mothercare stores. Since a major part of Mothercare’s production happens in India, prices are expected to eventually come down. This year, Mothercare is inching toward a top line of Rs 300 crores and DLF wants to scale it up to Rs 1,000 crores in three years. Apart from this, DLF has brands such as Sunglass Hut, Claire’s and make-up brand Kiko. DLF Brands runs one of the country’s largest high-street fashion mall Emporio.