? Tommy Hilfiger seeks govt’s nod to open own stores

Last year, the brand withdrew its earlier application with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) as the US fashion company's proposal had been stuck for more than three years due to regulatory issues, said a report by The Economic Times.

Tommy Hilfiger and Arvind Fashion Pvt Ltd, which are into a 50:50 joint venture, had applied to the DIPP for a single-brand retail licence in June 2102 as it was seeking to add 500 points of sale in India in five years. These included its own shops, franchisee-run stores and shop-in-shops.

In January 2012, India had allowed single-brand retailers to run 100% subsidiaries in India. But foreign companies investing through this route were allowed to operate only through their own stores and couldn't engage in franchisee and wholesale trading. This meant investment proposals got held up. These included plans by Tommy Hilfiger, Italian bag and shoe maker Furla, crystal jewellery and accessories maker Swarovski and cosmetics companies Innisfree of South Korea and Officina Farmaceutica of Italy, added the report.