Levi’s targets Gen Z for India growth

Levi Strauss & Co. MD-SAMEA Hiren Gor said that Gen Z, women, premiumisation and richer brand experiences will be the main drivers of India’s next fashion growth chapter.

During the fireside chat “Unlocking New Growth: Where Does the Next Opportunity Lie for Fashion” at the 4th ETRetail ShopFWD Summit 2026 in Bengaluru, Gor explained that India’s fashion cycle will be powered by a young, ambitious, aspirational consumer who wants to upgrade not only the products they buy but also the brand, shopping and storytelling experiences.

Gor added that the biggest opportunity lies in serving an aspirational, confident, expressive consumer of India. He said consumers are actively looking for an upgrade across product, brand experience, shopping experience and brand storytelling.

For Levi’s, addressing that opportunity requires combining the brand’s heritage and quality with continued product innovation rather than relying on a single growth lever.

Premiumisation is becoming a structural consumption shift. Gor highlighted a steady shift toward higher levels of consumption and experience. Consumers are not simply buying more fashion; they are increasingly expecting better products, stronger brand propositions and a more sophisticated engagement with labels.

Category expansion, geographic reach and more frequent consumer engagement will all contribute to growth, he said, but the broader upward movement in consumer aspiration remains one of the strongest underlying trends. This shift is also visible beyond India’s three largest consumption centres. Levi’s is seeing positive consumption patterns across metros as well as tier-I, tier-II and tier-III markets, indicating that premium fashion demand is becoming geographically broader.

Expansion can no longer be measured by store count. Gor said that expansion is no longer about adding stores. Instead, brands need to bring their strongest expression to consumers wherever shopping takes place - whether in physical stores, on their own digital properties or through marketplaces.

In physical retail, this means focusing on bigger and better stores where appropriate, wider and more carefully curated assortments, stronger product storytelling, presentation and service. The opportunity is particularly relevant in catchments where consumers are already engaging with multiple categories and demonstrating the appetite for a more complete brand experience.

Omnichannel will replace the online-versus-offline debate. Gor rejected the idea that brands need to choose between physical and digital growth. He said the first one is going to be an omnichannel experience. Consumer discovery may begin through search, content or social platforms, while the eventual purchase can take place wherever the brand is available.

Physical stores will continue to play a particularly important role in fashion categories such as denim because shoppers value interaction with the product - touch, feel, fit and styling. Gor said stores should therefore act as a strong expression of product innovation, trends and the broader brand experience.

Digital and marketplace channels can extend reach, bring new consumers into the brand ecosystem and support longer-term engagement and loyalty. The real objective is to make these environments interact seamlessly rather than operate as separate consumer journeys.

Denim remains the anchor as consumers shop complete looks. Gor said consumers have moved beyond purchasing apparel categories in isolation. Increasingly, they are shopping around expression, versatility and outfits that can transition across work, social and casual occasions. For Levi’s, that creates room to expand while remaining anchored in denim.

The company continues to position denim leadership - fit, comfort and styling - at the centre of its proposition, while Gor pointed to momentum in adjacent categories including tops, womenswear, premium casual apparel and seasonal layers. He said Levi’s sees a huge momentum, a significant one, in categories beyond jeans.

The principle, however, is not diversification for its own sake. “Denim stays at the centre of gravity, and we expand with other categories to drive consumer love and growth,” Gor said.

Gen Z, women and premiumisation to shape the next three to five years. Asked which shifts could unlock fashion’s next major growth chapter over the next three to five years, Gor returned to the rise of the young Indian consumer. He highlighted Gen Z, women and premiumisation as particularly important growth spaces.

At the same time, attracting those consumers will require brands to stay connected to changing culture rather than simply extend existing propositions to new demographics. As the “centre of culture” shifts, brands will have to move with it. That means combining product development with immersive brand experiences, stronger product and brand storytelling, and an understanding of how younger consumers discover and interact with fashion.

For Levi’s, Gor said the objective remains to stay true to the legacy and heritage of the brand while continuously evolving the experience and product proposition around what consumers want next.

Growth will increasingly be measured in brand love, not transactions alone. Gor said, “We are not just growing transactions. We are in the business of growing brand love. We are in the business of growing consumer experiences.”

For fashion businesses looking at India’s next growth chapter, the implication is clear: scale will increasingly depend on following consumers across markets and channels without losing the identity that made the brand relevant in the first place.