After making a strong mark on India’s fashion landscape, Highlander and Tokyo Talkies, two of India’s fastest-growing fashion brands, have officially entered the Middle East through a strategic partnership with Rapheal Lifestyle. As part of this expansion, the brands launched three flagship stores on a single day—July 30, 2025—across the UAE.
The stores are located at BurJuman Mall (Dubai), Sahara Centre (Sharjah), and Mega Mall (Sharjah). Indian cricketer Sanju Samson inaugurated the launch, marking a high-impact entry into the GCC market. The store at Sahara Centre spans 9,000 sq. ft, while the other two locations cover 5,000 sq. ft each. These stores aim to offer fashion-forward consumers a bold, trend-driven retail experience featuring affordable, youth-centric fashion with an Indian edge.
Beyond Physical Retail
This global foray marks a major milestone for Brand Studio Lifestyle, the parent company of Highlander and Tokyo Talkies. The collaboration with Rapheal Lifestyle extends beyond physical retail—it paves the way for deeper market penetration across the Middle East via multi-format distribution.
The company has already announced plans to open seven more stores by March 2026 as part of its broader omnichannel expansion strategy.
“This is a defining chapter in our journey,” said Shyam S Prasad, Co-Founder & CEO of Brand Studio Lifestyle. “With our entry into the Middle East, we are exporting a bold, confident Indian fashion identity to the world. We’re among the pioneers of Indian fast fashion going global with this mega launch and hope to pave the way for other homegrown brands looking to scale internationally.”
He added, “The Middle East fast fashion market is poised for tremendous growth—from a projected $68.07 billion in 2024 to $84.56 billion by 2025—driven by a young, style-conscious population, rising disposable incomes, and an accelerating shift toward e-commerce.”
Robust Offline Expansion
This international debut comes on the back of a robust offline retail expansion in India, where the company has opened 37 stores in the last nine months. It aims to grow this network to 75 stores across India by March 2026. Parallelly, the brands plan to expand via 600 Shop-in-Shop (SIS) formats across Large Format Stores (LFS) and Multi-Brand Outlets (MBOs).
In line with changing consumer behaviour, Highlander and Tokyo Talkies are also preparing to roll out a phygital retail experience—blending offline retail with online personalisation. The brands are already accessible on leading marketplaces and quick commerce platforms, reinforcing their commitment to making trend-first fashion both accessible and experiential.
