Ace Turtle drives Wrangler® Retail Footprint Expansion in India with First Flagship Store in Bengaluru

Ben MATHIAS | 18 Oct 2023

This press release article first appears on Ace Turtle's website.

Iconic denim and lifestyle brand Wrangler® today announced the opening of its first flagship store in India. Situated in Bengaluru’s bustling high street of Indiranagar, the store is a significant milestone for Wrangler®’s expansion in India. With this store, Wrangler® continues to elevate consumer experience through technology innovation, customized shopper experiences and a wide product assortment for Indian consumers.

Spread across 4,500 sq. ft, this is the largest store of Wrangler® in India. The Wrangler® Indiranagar store retails the popular denim, T-shirts, jackets and sweatshirts. The store also offers the newest range of fits for both men and women in line with the latest trends, and premium collections and collaborations. This includes the special Wrangler x Smriti Mandhana that features handpicked pieces that stick with consumers through thick and thin, symbolizing resilience and growth through the Ride of Life!

At the heart of the store is India’s first-ever Augmented Reality (AR) mural by a fashion brand in India. It’s a celebration of Wrangler®’s rich heritage and innovative spirit, an experience that leaves consumers not just admiring the collection but living it.

By baking legacy into the very fabric of product storytelling, vibrant art installations, and customer experiences, the store brings Wrangler®’s brand story to life. The canvas chosen accentuates the disruptive artistry at the heart of denim and biking heritage.

Ace Turtle is the exclusive licensee of Wrangler® in India. Commenting on the launch, Nitin Chhabra, CEO, Ace Turtle said, “We are excited to launch Wrangler®’s first flagship store in Bengaluru. It will allow us to engage with Wrangler®’s consumers who are looking to create a style statement and connect with one of the most-loved apparel brands in the world. With consumer behaviour changing in an ever-evolving retail landscape, we continue to prioritise providing our iconic products and an impactful brand experience to our growing base of young, sophisticated consumers in India. At Ace Turtle, we have been able to leverage our extensive omnichannel commerce expertise and unique technology-driven operating model to scale Wrangler®’s business in India significantly. We aim to expand Wrangler®’s retail footprint and reach across the country and take the brand to millions of Indian consumers via the webstore and the chain of offline retail stores being set up across the country.”

The omnichannel-enabled retail store provides consumers with a unified and superior shopping experience across online and offline channels and touchpoints. There are Electronic Shelf Labels for omnichannel experience for real-time in-store display and price parity across offline and online stores. The Smart Fitting Rooms will provide innovative experiences to shoppers by engaging & delighting with personalized recommendations and effortless product discovery. The store also has Digital Screens to update consumers about the entire gamut of offerings from Wrangler® in real-time.

In 2021, Ace Turtle entered into an agreement with Kontoor Brands to become its long-term licensee for India and other South Asian markets. This paved the way for Ace Turtle to retail Wrangler® products directly to consumers via its branded webstore www.wrangler.in, online marketplaces and 54 physical retail stores across India. ace turtle manages the entire business of Wrangler® in India end-to-end comprising design, local manufacturing, retailing and marketing.

About Wrangler®

Wrangler®, of Kontoor Brands (NYSE: KTB), has been an icon in authentic American style for 75 years. With a rich legacy rooted in the Western lifestyle, Wrangler® is committed to offering superior quality and timeless design. Its collections for men and women look and feel great, inspiring all those who wear them to be strong and ready for everyday life. Wrangler® is available in retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit www.wrangler.in .

About Ace Turtle:

Ace Turtle, new India’s leading tech-native retail company is spearheading the retail industry’s next phase of transformation. The company is vertically integrated from design, local manufacturing and marketing to reach consumers directly. Ace Turtle is powered by its proprietary technology which uses data science from design to fulfilment to meet ever-evolving consumer expectations. Bengaluru and Singapore-based ace turtle is the exclusive licensee of iconic global brands Lee®, Wrangler®, Toys”R”Us®, Babies”R”Us® and Dockers® for India and other South Asian markets.

Earlier this year, Ace Turtle also achieved a great stride in its journey by successfully raising a $34 million Series B funding round. The round was led by new investors Vertex Growth, SBI Investment Co. Ltd., and others. As an existing investor, we at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, are delighted to continue participating in this round. This fresh capital will fortify Ace Turtle's competitive edge in the market and fuel its aggressive growth plans.

Our Managing Partner, Ben Mathias, credits Ace Turtle's success to their execution and strategic pivot "from being purely a technology provider to also an operator." This bold decision to manage end-to-end retail operations for brands has proven fruitful, leading to successful expansions in India, Singapore, and Malaysia.