- Ranking of Top 10 U.S. Brands in the Indian Market
- The Top U.S. Performers in Indian Market
- 1. Levi’s: The Denim Dominator
- 2. Nike: Athletic Wear Powerhouse
- 3. MAC Cosmetics: Prestige Beauty Pioneer
- 4. Skechers
- 5. Tommy Hilfiger
- 6. Gap
- 7. Fenty Beauty
- 8. Victoria’s Secret
- 9. Calvin Klein
- 10. Estée Lauder
- Why India Matters For U.S. Fashion And Beauty In 2026
- Emerging Success Stories and Strategic Approaches
This RB report analyzes and ranks the top 10 U.S. fashion and beauty brands that have success expanding their operations into the Indian market. The ranking is based on factors such as revenue generation, market penetration, strategic partnerships, and brand recognition within India. Key success factors include leveraging strong brand heritage, forming strategic alliances with local retail giants, and adapting products and marketing to cater to the diverse Indian consumer base.
Ranking of Top 10 U.S. Brands in the Indian Market
The following table presents the ranked list of the top 10 U.S. fashion and beauty brands based on their successful expansion into India. The “Success Score” is a composite metric derived from reported revenues, market presence, and strategic achievements in the Indian market.
| Rank | Brand | Category | Estimated Revenue (India) | Key Metric of Success | Success Score (Out of 100) |
| 1 | Levi’s | Fashion (Denim) | ~$220M (FY24) | Market leader in denim, extensive retail network | 96 |
| 2 | Nike | Fashion (Athletic) | N/A (Top Sports Brand) | Premium positioning, strong digital and DTC presence | 94 |
| 3 | MAC Cosmetics | Beauty | N/A (ELC owned) | Prestige Beauty leader, early partnership with Nykaa | 92 |
| 4 | Skechers | Fashion (Footwear) | ~$215M (FY24) | Rapid growth, aggressive store expansion | 90 |
| 5 | Tommy Hilfiger | Fashion | N/A | “Bridge-to-luxury” positioning, strong local partnerships | 88 |
| 6 | Gap | Fashion | N/A | Successful relaunch with Reliance Retail, 50+ stores | 85 |
| 7 | Fenty Beauty | Beauty | N/A (Recent Launch) | High-impact entry, exclusive partnership with Reliance Retail | 82 |
| 8 | Victoria’s Secret | Fashion (Lingerie) | N/A | Expanding premium lingerie market, 13+ stores | 80 |
| 9 | Calvin Klein | Fashion | N/A | Iconic branding, strong presence in innerwear and denim | 78 |
| 10 | Estée Lauder | Beauty | N/A | Established luxury presence, multi-brand strategy | 75 |
The Top U.S. Performers in Indian Market
1. Levi’s: The Denim Dominator
Levi’s has solidified its position as a market leader in denim in India, consistently demonstrating success through its strong brand heritage and extensive retail footprint. The brand recorded a revenue of INR 1,84.1 Cr (approximately $220 million) for FY23, underscoring its significant market presence. Levi’s has effectively combined global brand appeal with localized strategies, including a wide network of exclusive brand stores and multi-brand outlets, to cater to the diverse Indian consumer base.
2. Nike: Athletic Wear Powerhouse
Nike maintains a dominant position in India’s athletic footwear and apparel market, recognized for its premium positioning and strong brand equity. While specific India-only revenue figures are not consistently reported, Nike is consistently ranked among the top sports footwear brands in the country. Its success is driven by strategic athlete endorsements, a focus on performance-driven products, and a growing direct-to-consumer (DTC) and digital presence, resonating with India’s increasingly health-conscious and aspirational youth.
3. MAC Cosmetics: Prestige Beauty Pioneer
MAC Cosmetics, a flagship brand under The Estée Lauder Companies, has been a pioneer in the prestige beauty segment in India. Its early entry and strategic partnership with leading Indian beauty retailer Nykaa since 2016 have been crucial to its success. MAC’s wide range of products, particularly its inclusive shade offerings for diverse Indian skin tones, has contributed to its strong market acceptance and leadership in the premium makeup category.
4. Skechers
Skechers closed 2024 with record annual global sales of $8.97 billion, operating 5,296 stores worldwide, including 1,177 international company owned locations and 3,509 distributor, licensee, and franchise stores. A portion of those distributor and franchise outlets sit in India, where the brand has spent the past decade scaling malls and high street presence in major metros and Tier 2 cities, as “comfort sneakers” have gone mainstream.
5. Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger entered India via a strategic licensing agreement with Arvind in 2003, with Arvind Brands becoming the exclusive licensee to market Tommy Hilfiger products domestically. Early plans focused on exclusive stores and department chains, with the brand quickly expanding to at least nine outlets across cities like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, and Lucknow in its first years.
6. Gap
After an earlier exit, Gap re-entered India in 2022 via a long term franchise agreement with Reliance Retail. The strategy includes standalone stores and digital expansion through Reliance platforms such as Ajio, giving Gap immediate access to millions of online shoppers.
7. Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna officially entered India with Nykaa in March 2024, debuting on the Nykaa Cross Border Store on 7 March 2024. The launch lineup includes hero products like Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, and Gloss Bomb lip luminizer, curated for a wide range of skin tones.
8. Victoria’s Secret
Victoria’s Secret operates in India through Apparel Group India Pvt. Ltd., using a mix of physical stores and online distribution. By early 2025, the partner had opened at least 11 Victoria’s Secret stores in India, including a second location in Hyderabad, reflecting growing demand for premium lingerie and beauty products.
9. Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein strengthened its India play in 2014 when Arvind Brands and Retail formed a joint venture with PVH Corp., taking over from prior partners. Under the structure, Calvin Klein, Inc. entered a new licence with Premium Garments to distribute Calvin Klein Jeans apparel and accessories and Calvin Klein Underwear in India.
10. Estée Lauder
Estée Lauder is stepping up investment in India as it seeks growth to offset softer performance in China and the United States. Industry analysts estimate India’s beauty and personal care market at around $28 billion, and note that over two dozen global beauty majors are competing for share. Within India, Estée Lauder has expanded through a mix of department store counters, standalone boutiques for brands like MAC and Clinique, and strong partnerships with e-commerce platforms serving metro and Tier 2 cities.
Why India Matters For U.S. Fashion And Beauty In 2026
- A large, young population with rising disposable income and rapid urbanization is fueling fashion and beauty demand, especially in categories like sneakers, casualwear, lingerie, and prestige cosmetics.
- Global groups such as PVH, Gap Inc., Skechers, and Estée Lauder are using joint ventures, licensing, franchising, and cross border e-commerce to balance control with local expertise in India.
Together, these U.S. brands show a clear pattern: test the market digitally where possible, lean on powerful local partners, and then scale stores and assortments as India’s fashion and beauty spend accelerates through 2026 and beyond.
Emerging Success Stories and Strategic Approaches
Brands like Gap exemplify successful expansion through tailored strategies. Gap, after a previous exit, has successfully re-entered the market through a robust partnership with Reliance Retail, opening over 50 stores by 2025 and focusing on family fashion and tech-enabled retail.
Newer entrants like Fenty Beauty have made a high-impact debut by leveraging exclusive partnerships with major Indian retail conglomerates like Reliance Retail, ensuring wide distribution through platforms like Sephora and Tira. This strategy, combined with Fenty’s global reputation for inclusivity, positions it for significant future growth in the Indian beauty landscape.
