Edition #35: India’s Activewear & Shapewear Goldrush — Plus The Top Retail Stories This Week

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Retail is entering a sharper phase of correction and consolidation.

This week’s headlines reflect value-seeking consumers, stressed legacy formats, aggressive M&A, and AI quietly reshaping infrastructure—often behind the scenes.

🌍 World Retail Headlines

Amazon threatens ‘drastic’ action after Saks bankruptcy
Amazon signals its Saks investment may be written off entirely, escalating tensions as luxury retail reckons with leverage-heavy models.
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Keurig Dr Pepper launches $18B takeover bid for JDE Peet’s
One of the biggest beverage M&A plays in years, pointing to consolidation pressure in global coffee and drinks.
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Aldi to open 180+ U.S. stores as shoppers across incomes seek value
Discount retail continues its march upmarket as inflation fatigue reshapes grocery loyalties.
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Saks Global files for bankruptcy, marking a turning point for luxury department stores
The collapse underscores structural issues facing legacy luxury retail formats worldwide.
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China posts record trade surplus despite tariff pressure
Export resilience complicates assumptions around tariff-led slowdowns and global sourcing shifts.
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Abercrombie, Birkenstock warn of cautious holiday spending
Soft guidance weighs on retail stocks, highlighting uneven consumer confidence.
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Levi’s, Walmart, T.J. Maxx top customer loyalty rankings
Value, consistency, and availability outperform trend-led positioning.
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U.S. freezes new immigrant visas for 75 countries
Policy shifts could ripple across labor-intensive retail and logistics sectors.
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📰 India Retail News

Swiggy, Zepto rebrand ‘10-minute delivery’ claims after government order
Regulatory scrutiny forces quick commerce platforms to recalibrate speed-based marketing.
Read more

India exports to China surge as U.S. shipments decline under tariff pressure
Trade realignments accelerate as exporters hedge geopolitical risk.
Read more

FMCG brand Mitra merges with Tierra Agrotech
Consolidation continues among regional FMCG players chasing scale and efficiency.
Read more

Snabbit acquihires Pync founding team to scale quick home services
Talent-led acquisitions signal growing competition in on-demand home services.
Read more

Reliance Industries allots stake in RCPL to 13 key investors
A clear step toward value unlocking in Reliance’s FMCG ambitions.
Read more

💻 Retail Tech Headlines

Amazon launches Europe-based cloud service amid data concerns
A strategic move to reassure regulators and enterprise clients on data sovereignty.
Read more

Wikipedia parent partners with Amazon, Meta, Perplexity on AI access
Knowledge infrastructure becomes a critical layer in AI development.
Read more

Apple sits out AI arms race to play kingmaker
Rather than compete directly, Apple positions itself as the platform power broker.
Read more

OpenAI strikes multibillion-dollar computing deal with Cerebras
AI compute demand accelerates beyond traditional hyperscalers.
Read more

xAI curbs Grok image editing after regulatory concerns
AI governance pressures intensify across the U.S. and Europe.
Read more

🔥 Top Funding, IPO & Earnings

• Pee Safe raises $32M from OrbiMed to scale offline and quick commerce

• Emversity raises $30M Series A led by Premji Invest

• Neeman’s raises $4M to expand offline presence

• SkinInspired raises ₹24 Cr Series A

• Dazzl raises $3.2M seed to build quick-commerce beauty services

• Truva raises $9M co-led by Stellaris and Orios

• Coca-Cola plans $1B HCCB IPO

• J.C. Penney Q3 losses widen as sales slide

• Richemont beats forecasts amid China recovery

• Licious revenue surges 47% YoY (Apr–Dec)

👔 Key Retail Appointments & Exits

• Diesel appoints new CEO

• Walmart International chief Kathryn McLay to step down

• Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy to exit after Star Wars reboot era

🤖 Deep Dive: The Functional Clothing Goldrush in India

What’s Happening

India’s apparel market is witnessing a sharp acceleration in functional clothing—activewear, shapewear, performance innerwear, and athleisure—moving from niche usage into everyday wardrobes.

What was once gym-specific or occasion-led is now worn across work-from-home routines, casual outings, and ethnic styling. Health consciousness, hybrid lifestyles, and fashion’s ongoing casualisation are redefining how Indians dress daily. Shapewear, in particular, is shedding stigma and becoming a confidence and comfort product, not a corrective one.

Key Highlights

• Market Scale: India’s functional apparel market is valued at ~$9B and expanding steadily; shapewear is growing at 16%+ CAGR, making it one of the fastest-growing apparel sub-categories.

• Activewear → Life-wear: Performance features like moisture-wicking, stretch, and durability now matter as much as style.

• Shapewear Repositioned: Saree shapewear and daily-use shapewear are replacing traditional solutions for better fit, comfort, and silhouette.

• Tech-Led Value: Advanced textiles, fit engineering, and fast manufacturing cycles are becoming key competitive moats.

• Influencer-Led Brands: Creator-founded D2C brands are scaling faster by launching with built-in trust and community, not just marketing budgets.

What It Means for Retail & Consumer Brands

• Function beats fashion alone: Products must perform consistently, not just look good.

• India-first fit is non-negotiable: Poor sizing and generic imports fail fast in this category.

• Repeat > hype: High-frequency use makes quality, durability, and comfort critical for retention.

• Retail is experiential: Fitting, education, and community-driven retail matter more than discounting.

• Supply chains matter: Without strong sourcing and quality control, early traction doesn’t last.

The BIG Takeaway

Functional clothing in India is no longer a trend—it’s infrastructure apparel for modern living.

This isn’t a fashion cycle.
It’s a category reset.

Sources:

ET Retail | LinkedIn | Reddit | IMARC

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