Apparel Group India has appointed Karan R Pethani as Vice President – Real Estate, where he will lead the real estate vertical for the India business. The appointment comes as the Dubai-based retail group plans to expand its presence across the country, with Tier-II and Tier-III markets becoming a key focus of its growth strategy.
Pethani brings close to two decades of experience in retail real estate, market research and business development. Before joining Apparel Group India, he served as Assistant Vice President at Reliance Retail. He has also held positions at ANAROCK Retail and 7-Eleven India, besides spending a significant part of his career with Future Group.
Apparel Group currently operates more than 300 stores across over 50 Indian cities and plans to expand its nationwide network to 1,000 stores over the next three years. Its India business recorded revenue of approximately Rs 1,120 crore in FY25, up around 26% year on year.
The group’s apparel and footwear expansion includes brands such as R&B, ALDO, Crocs, Charles & Keith, Victoria’s Secret, Victoria’s Secret PINK, Cotton On, Ben Sherman, BCBG, Nike Littles, Jordan Kids and Levi’s Kids.
Among its key plans, R&B aims to increase its store count from around 35 to 200, with a focus on residential catchments and Tier-II markets across South and West India. Crocs is targeting 200 additional standalone stores and kiosks, including in Tier-II cities, while ALDO plans to expand from approximately 69 stores to 150 standalone outlets.
The group is also expanding Victoria’s Secret and PINK through large-format stores, while its newer partnerships with Cotton On, Nike Littles, Jordan Kids and Levi’s Kids are expected to strengthen its fashion and children’s wear portfolio in India.
