RBL’s Strategic Bet on Everyday Luxury: The Story Behind MAX&Co.’s India Entry

Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) continues to shape India’s premium and luxury fashion landscape, announcing its latest partnership with MAX&Co., the contemporary womenswear brand from the Max Mara Fashion Group—one of Italy’s most storied fashion houses. The brand will enter India with its first store in Mumbai in early 2026, followed by a rollout across major metros.

For RBL, the move strengthens its position in the growing segment of modern luxury — fashion that sits between premium high-street and classic luxury houses. For MAX&Co., India represents both a high-growth opportunity and a cultural match: a market where women are rapidly evolving their wardrobes with style that is expressive, global and versatile rather than dictated by seasonal trends.

“MAX&Co. embodies a bold, modern expression of femininity… one that deeply resonates with the evolving style and confidence of Indian women,” said Isha Ambani, Executive Director, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd.

The stores in India will carry the brand’s full women’s lifestyle offering — apparel, accessories and the brand’s talked-about “&Co.llaboration” capsule drops, which pair global designers, creative collectives and cultural disruptors to create limited-run, personality-driven edits.

The ‘Everyday Luxury’ Momentum

Globally, MAX&Co. has been expanding in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, where the demand for high-quality, versatile wardrobe pieces has grown strongly among young working women and aspirational urban consumers.

In these markets, the brand has gained traction by:

• Offering European craftsmanship at more accessible luxury price points
• Prioritising mix-and-match styling over runway-led trend cycles
• Building a retail environment designed around playfulness, movement and “self-expression first” fashion

This strategy aligns closely with India’s current premium fashion growth curve. As per shopper behaviour trends observed across RBL stores and wider market research, young Indian consumers are embracing individuality, smart layering, versatile investment pieces and capsule wardrobes — values central to MAX&Co.’s design ethos.

“India represents a vibrant and forward-thinking market… Our mission is to inspire a new community of women who live with confidence, curiosity and a cool, modern attitude,” said Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, Brand Divisional Director, MAX&Co.

RBL’s Strategic Positioning in Women’s Contemporary Luxury

RBL has become India’s most influential curator of global premium and luxury brands, stewarding names across couture, luxury, premium and lifestyle categories. Bringing in MAX&Co. fills an important whitespace:

What MAX&Co. adds is not just another European fashion name — it brings a distinct design handwriting: youthful + elegant + playful, and a strong mix-and-match styling culture that speaks to the evolving Indian fashion sensibility.

The India Rollout: What to Expect

• First store: Mumbai, early 2026
• Formats: Flagship and premium mall/high-street locations
• Target Shopper: Urban women 22–45, aspirational, style-aware
• Product Mix: Apparel, accessories, seasonal &Co.llaboration capsules
• Retail Storytelling: Expression, joy, personality over trend cycles

With fashion consumers increasingly shifting from logo-led luxury to self-expression-led sophistication, MAX&Co.’s arrival captures the next phase of India’s style confidence.

In terms of scale, India’s women’s apparel market alone provides a formidable runway. According to a recent Credence Research report, the Indian women’s apparel market was valued at USD 28.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach approximately USD 45.5 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of about 5.2 % from 2024–32. This zone—especially the premium-contemporary segment where MAX&Co. positions itself—is seeing faster premiumisation, stronger demand in metros and next-wave emerging cities, and the convergence of global styling with Indian sensibilities.