Italian fashion retailer OVS is doubling down on India, buoyed by a strong early sales showing at its debut Delhi outlet, launched in October 2025. The plan is to scale up its offline presence, build an omnichannel platform and increase local sourcing, Sundeep Chugh, MD, OVS India, said in an interaction with FE.
“We would like to position India as OVS’s largest outside Italy over the next few years for which the strategy would be to gradually saturate key anchor markets such as Mumbai and Delhi. The signs are promising as Delhi is clocking sales at 108% of our target since launch in mid-October. We are also working on an e-commerce model, which will take about 12-18 months to be launched,” he said.
Best-known for its value fashion wear, OVS will launch its second India outlet, in Mumbai, on Thursday. Globally, OVS operates over 2,200 stores across markets and is counted among Italy’s leading fashion retailers. It closed calendar 2025 with revenue of $1.97 billion.
Dominating Delhi and Mumbai First
The plan is to take its offline retail presence in India to about 25-40 stores in 5-6 years, Chugh said, targeting mainly Mumbai and Delhi in the initial phase. The company aims to have at least three stores by the end of calendar 2026 in these cities and expand to four to five outlets by Spring-Summer 2027 in these markets.
“We will begin accelerating our pace after that and target more cities as consumption growth in India remains strong,” he said.
The retailer is betting big on large flagship stores ranging between 8,000 and 12,000 sq ft, with a sweet spot of around 10,000 sq ft. Its Mumbai entry includes a nearly 11,000 sq ft store at Sky City, Borivali, with another large-format outlet planned in R City Mall, Ghatkopar, later this year.
Chugh said the company’s India play is built around a clear value proposition: combining Italian fashion with affordability, quality and sustainability—tailored to local consumer preferences. “India is both aspirational and value-conscious. The balance between trend, price and quality is critical,” he said.
Decoding the Consumer
The brand’s current sales mix reflects a family-focused positioning, with women contributing 45% of revenue, men 35%, and kids accounting for 20%. Key operating metrics also indicate healthy traction, with an average transaction value of around Rs 5,000, a basket size of 2.5 items and an average selling price of about Rs 2,000.
Unlike many global entrants that rely on templated rollouts, OVS is emphasising localisation. “A global model cannot be directly replicated in India. It needs fine-tuning for local demographics and preferences,” Chugh said.
On the supply side, India already plays a significant role in OVS’s global sourcing network, contributing a high double-digit share, he said. The company operates sourcing offices in Delhi, Bengaluru and Tirupur, with manufacturing spread across multiple clusters. While initial merchandise will continue to be sourced globally, OVS expects India’s role to expand as local operations scale up.