- Initial launches will see One8 launching two ranges ‘Edge’ and ‘Game’ which include innerwear varieties and socks in the premium category.
- Indian Cricket Team captain Virat Kohli is all prepared to launch a men’s innerwear range under his brand ‘one8’.
Indian Cricket Team captain Virat Kohli is all prepared to launch a men’s innerwear range under his brand ‘one8’ with Artimas Fashions, a subsidiary of Lux Industries.
Virat Kohli in a statement said, “I am excited and optimistic about the launch of one8 innerwear. Today’s era is defined by the restless and dynamic youth of the nation, where style and flexibility go hand in hand with comfort.”
One8 is named after the jersey number 18 that he sports for Indian National Cricket Team.
Kohli said, “ As an athlete, I am very selective when it comes to comfort both off the field and on the field. With the launch of one8 we aim to revolutionize the industry along with evolving the identities synonymous with the brand.”
Kohli is the highest-paid sports celebrity in the country. He has an Rs. 110-crore deal with German sports brand Puma for one8-branded footwear, apparels, and accessories. Apart from apparels, one8 has signed licensing agreements for more products such as fragrances, packaged water, flavored and vitamin waters, and energy drinks.
Initial launches will see One8 launching two ranges ‘Edge’ and ‘Game’ which include innerwear varieties and socks in the premium category.
Indian men’s innerwear industry has marked at Rs. 15,000 crores, of which Rs. 5,200 crore is dedicated to the middle and premium market segments, where one8 innerwear initial pricing will start from Rs. 181.
One8 is already generating good money as a brand with already hitting in the century of sales in annual sales in partnership with Puma wh8ere the main product is one8 shoes. Virat Kohli is getting 10 percent royalty as part of the brand deal with Puma.
Big investments in One8
Nishant Puri, MD of Artimas Fashions said that It took them more than 14 months to create this concept and finalize the concept for the execution of one8 innerwear so that it can align it with the fact that it is a brand owned by one of the biggest sports star and youth icons of this era.
“The association aims to build exclusivity in the category amongst the youth since the brand conception is created on the dynamism and spirit of Virat as a personality,” said Nishant.
He also mentioned that the products will be sold online in the early phases. By the next quarter, the company aims to target the physical retail market through its stores. The company is planning to tap around 15 thousand retailers in the top 70-80 cities in next 1 year which the brand will move to international markets.
Currently, the company has a capacity of 3 million pieces and the company is planning to invest Rs. 15-20 crore in the next three years on one8 innerwear.
The partnership between both the entities was handled and executed by Cornerstone Sport, which exclusively represents Kohli.
Kohli is not the first athlete to start his own brand. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo(CR7), tennis star Roger Federer (RF), and former basketball player and legend Michael Jordan have their own popular brands.
David Beckham recently started his own Studio99 for production in Hollywood.
