Veteran fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani has entered into a strategic partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) to launch a new line of contemporary men’s ethnic wear brand and will sell 33 percent of his existing Luxury Couture business to the group, with the option to increase it to 51 percent in the next few years.

Tahiliani commented: “Last year, we celebrated 25 years of the Tarun Tahiliani label. The next big leap for the brand was to take our craftsmanship and expertise and offer it to a larger Indian market that knows and values quality and is actively seeking it. It was clear that we needed a partner who could not just help us with this scale, but also have the same dedication to quality and the customer. And that could only have been the Aditya Birla Group. Over the years, I have admired what Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla has built and created for the Aditya Birla Group, specifically his landmark excellence in building fashion retail in India.”

The first set of retail stores by the brand will open in September this year. It aims to build a Rs 500 crore business in the next five years with more than 250 stores across the country. ABFRL will hold 80 percent stake in the new entity while Tahiliani will hold the remaining 20 percent, said a statement.

“I am excited and look forward to this unique opportunity of taking our signature India Modern aesthetic to a broader consumer base across the country. The Tarun Tahiliani brand will continue to be the studio doing couture and occasion wear, building on its experience and success,” he said.

Commenting on the partnership, Ashish Dikshit, Managing Director, ABFRL said: “We believe that over the next few years, ethnic wear is going to be an important category as confident Indians rediscover their culture and heritage. Tarun Tahiliani has been at the forefront of the emergence of the Indian design industry. We are proud to partner with him to launch a new brand that gives the emerging Indian consumer a new range of celebration wear reflecting the unmatched, exquisite design excellence at more accessible prices.

“The ethnic wear segment is a large and growing market with a significant opportunity to build scale. The combined expertise of Tarun Tahiliani and ABFRL will enable the new brand to make a strong impact in the market. The existing couture brand will continue to benefit from the fast-growing luxury segment of the market. This partnership is in line with our stated strategy to craft a portfolio of brands that address the entire gamut of ethnic wear segments: value, premium, and luxury.”

The proposed acquisition is subject to necessary statutory approvals and signing of definitive agreements, said the statement.