Bengaluru: Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, has strengthened its partnership with PUMA to make an affordable range of stylish athleisure available to every Indian across the country. Designed in collaboration with cricketer K L Rahul, the new sub-brand ‘1DER by PUMA’ will be available from September 30 onwards on Flipkart, puma.com, and select Puma stores. This launch also marks the 10-year partnership between PUMA and Flipkart that has seen millions of customers across the country get access to quality and stylish sportswear products through a growing network of sellers.
In the past year, as customers have continued to work from home and have prioritized their health and fitness, ‘athleisure fashion’ has seen tremendous adoption and growth – which has led to the emergence and significant growth of the ‘athleisure’ category. Sportswear and athleisure as subcategories have seen phenomenal growth on Flipkart, approximately 60% over last year. Leveraging the opportunity to serve the evolving fashion needs of consumers across the country, and curated with a deep understanding of these consumers, the ‘1DER by PUMA’ range is a carefully selected array of products that address a very specific growing need for athleisure. The athleisure category has witnessed tremendous growth this past year on Flipkart, and ‘1DER by PUMA’ is aimed at the needs of young working professionals and college students, who continue to look for branded/ quality/ fashionable clothing that suits their ever-evolving lifestyle.
Speaking about the launch, Nishit Garg, Vice President – Flipkart Fashion, said, “In preparation for the festive season and the Big Billion Days, we will have the widest selection of styles available for consumers across the country. We will continue to bridge the gap between metros and Tier 2+ regions, where people seek the best of current fashion trends but have limited access from a selection, range, and affordability perspective. We believe in collaborating with the best in the industry to solve the growing needs and the launch of 1DER in partnership with PUMA is aligned to this vision.”
“The past year has witnessed a shift in consumer preferences when it comes to fashion, as it opened doors to new niche categories such as athleisure. The 1DER launch comes at the right time when people across India, from metros to T2+ regions, are seeking to upgrade their wardrobes and embrace a fitter lifestyle,” he further added.
Sharing his views on the partnership with Flipkart and launch of 1DER, Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director – Puma India & Southeast Asia said, “1DER is a perfect amalgamation of fashion and functionality and it truly reflects KL Rahul’s sense of style and design. We are thrilled to extend our existing long-term partnership with KL Rahul. Athleisure has gained immense popularity over the years with consumers looking for options that are more everyday and versatile. With athleisure becoming more mainstream, its share of the closet as a fashion essential has increased tremendously. We feel 1DER will effectively cater to the increasing need for fashionable and comfortable clothing.”
Abhishek further added, “We have been associated with Flipkart for over 10 years now and we share a great business relationship with them. Their understanding of the young PUMA consumer and deep market penetration will unlock the widest selection for consumers through 1DER’s launch.”
Commenting on the launch of ‘1DER by PUMA’ on Flipkart, KL Rahul said, “1DER, for me, is a business venture born from a passion and it is really close to my heart. The collection is an extension of my love for all things street. I have been intimately involved in the entire product design and ideation process along with PUMA designers and I am really pumped about launching 1der on Flipkart. PUMA’s understanding of the athleisure segment coupled with Flipkart’s massive market reach propelled me to create this brand and I can’t wait for people to try it out.”
1DER by PUMA and includes a wide array of footwear and apparel for men, priced in the range of INR 1,499 to INR 4,999.
The relevance of the athleisure category and accelerated adoption of the trend over the years has propelled PUMA’s growth by 110% in the category, cementing its position as the most preferred brand for athleisure in the country. With the launch of 1DER, PUMA aims to transform athleisure into a fashion choice by bridging the gap between comfort and style.
Flipkart works closely with a growing number of national, international, and regionally-renowned fashion brands and sellers in different ways. This includes identifying opportunities for them to connect them with consumers across India through the online marketplace, leveraging the power of technology, scale their presence and diversify existing product portfolios.
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