UNIQLO makes Bengaluru debut, eyes expansion across South India

Six years ago, Japanese apparel retailer UNIQLO entered India with its first store in Delhi. Since then, the brand has grown its presence, building 16 stores across Delhi-NCR, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Mumbai. Now, Uniqlo is set to open its 17th outlet – and its first in South India – in Bengaluru on August 29.

Entering South India: Why Bengaluru?

Nidhi Rastogi, marketing director of UNIQLO India, says the city’s cosmopolitan consumer base and thriving tech culture made it a natural choice.

“Bengaluru is home to a diverse audience that resonates with UNIQLO’s philosophy of simple, timeless fashion,” says Rastogi. “It also has a large working professional community that values comfort and functionality – which aligns perfectly with our LifeWear concept.”

From an e-commerce perspective, Bengaluru is the brand’s second-largest market after Delhi. Rastogi also confirms that Pune is next in line for expansion, as UNIQLO continues to map key urban markets across India.

“On August 29, we’re opening in Bengaluru, and on September 26, we enter Pune. So, we’re stepping into two new markets this year. Beyond that, we continuously evaluate opportunities across India to bring UNIQLO closer to more customers,” she adds.

Rahul Dravid: The face of dependability

For the Bengaluru launch, UNIQLO is going all out with an aggressive 360-degree campaign, designed to connect deeply with local audiences. The apparel brand has allocated a significant marketing budget for the campaign, which involves a multi-channel mix of on-ground activations, outdoor branding, and social media campaigns.

As part of this push, UNIQLO has onboarded Rahul Dravid, a former Indian cricket captain and one of Bengaluru’s favourite icons, as the face of the campaign.

“Dravid represents values like consistency, humility, and timelessness – exactly what LifeWear stands for. We launched the campaign last week, showcasing both his on-field and off-field persona and how UNIQLO LifeWear fits seamlessly into everyday life,” Rastogi says.

The launch campaign includes on-ground activations such as metro branding, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences at corporate offices, and interactive brand zones to introduce UNIQLO’s “LifeWear” philosophy to Bengaluru’s audience.

As Rastogi adds, “We’ve placed big cubes across the city – in corporate parks, cafes, malls, and even the metro. When people scan a QR code on these cubes, Rahul Dravid pops up virtually, inviting them to the store launch. During the launch weekend, customers can even take AR-powered pictures with him inside the store.”

Additionally, UNIQLO has launched the People of Bengaluru campaign featuring local founders, chefs, fitness enthusiasts, and creators. Instead of going with big and popular influencers, the brand engaged with realistic and valuable consumers.

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“For us, authentic storytelling matters more than influencer popularity. We collaborated with six different personalities from Bengaluru to create relatable, real stories that resonate with the city’s lifestyle,” she adds.

Sales channels: Offline leads, clear 'no' to e-comm and quick comm platforms

UNIQLO’s retail strategy in India continues to be offline-first, with physical stores being the primary driver of sales. Rastogi reveals that offline contributes close to 85% of the brand’s revenues in India, and about 15% comes from the website and app.

“India is a touch-and-feel market,” Rastogi says, adding, “Our consumers want to experience the product first-hand, and that’s why we’ve focused on expanding physical stores.”

Despite the growing dominance of e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms, UNIQLO has chosen to stay away from these channels – at least for now.

“We operate only through our website and app because we want to own the customer experience. Whether it’s in-store or online, the experience must feel consistent and true to UNIQLO.”

India’s rising importance globally

India has become a key focus market for UNIQLO within Asia, with the brand seeing double-digit growth year-on-year. “We’ve grown 44% year-on-year, with a 60% CAGR over the last three years, and crossed Rs 1,100 crore in revenue with just 16 stores. That’s a testament to the Indian customer’s response to our LifeWear philosophy.”

Rastogi stresses that listening to the Indian consumer has been central to the brand’s strategy.

“From fabric choices to seasonal collections, we’ve been adapting our offerings based on what Indian customers want,” she says. For instance, UNIQLO introduced new styles such as Bra Tops and HEATTECH Cashmere for winter. It launched collaborations with global icons like Pokémon and Studio Ghibli. The brand also supports Indian talent through a few collections co-created with local artists.

Looking ahead, the goal is clear: “Our goal is to reach Rs 3,000 crore in the next three years by expanding into new cities and continuing to offer products that truly add value to customers’ lives.”

She notes a shift in consumer mindset: value over price. “Customers today are becoming more value-conscious rather than price-conscious. They’re thoughtful about what they buy and prefer brands that add meaning and comfort to their lives. Our products align perfectly with this shift.”

A fun fact to wrap up

Rastogi shares an interesting nugget about the brand’s name: “Not many people know this, but UNIQLO got its name because of a typo! It was supposed to be registered as ‘Unique Clothing’, but someone accidentally wrote UNIQLO. And that’s how the brand name was born. What started as a typo became a global phenomenon.”