Esprit To Introduce Large-Format Stores, New Products in India

to position itself as a lifestyle brand.

At present, Esprit has one large-format store in Select CityWalk mall in Delhi. The brand is looking at opening 10 to 15 large format stores (in the range of 8,000-15,000 square feet) by 2010. The $5 billion brand entered India in 2005 through a licensing agreement with Madura Garments and is expecting to break even this fiscal year.

Additionally, EDC—the youth brand from the Esprit umbrella that was launched last year in the domestic market—registered 40 percent growth globally and has become a $1 billion brand. The company plans to launch 10 exclusive brand outlets for EDC by the year-end and will roll out 50 EDC stores in three years. Currently, Esprit operates five standalone EDC stores.