Why Extra Butter is Expanding to Mumbai — and Betting Big on India
After building its name in New York, Extra Butter is expanding internationally.
The boutique retailer has chosen India for its international debut, specifically the Lower Parel retail hub of Mumbai. The store, a standalone building that spans 4,500 square feet, will open on Sept. 9.
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Aside from the physical store, Extra Butter will launch its e-commerce platform, Extrabutter.in, also on Sept. 9.
“Making purposeful and impactful decisions is important for the longevity of our brand. We’ve already established a market share within the U.S., so expansion required making a bigger statement,” Extra Butter creative director Bernie Gross told FN. “Being one of, if not the first multibrand fashion specialty retailers in India was the type of milestone we wanted to hang our hat on.”
Aside from the professional opportunities, opening in Mumbai is personally meaningful for co-founders Ankur and Nick Amin, who were born in India.
“Firstly, I am Indian-born, so it means a lot to me, personally, to bring products and stories that I love back to my homeland. But also, India is an important market,” Ankur Amin, who also serves as Extra Butter’s CEO, said in a statement. “It’s an up-and-coming nation and there’s a great opportunity to be able to break ground in a vast market that’s relatively new to street and sneaker culture.”
The store was designed by interior designer Sarah Sham of Essajees Atelier. Sham said via statement that the store was designed to both speak to Extra Butter’s legacy and to celebrate India, and that Ankur Amin wanted it to remain interesting even on the 10th visit.
“The challenge was to marry Mumbai and New York, which was achieved by purposefully using Indian materials. But, from an overall look-and-feel point of view, it feels very internationally luxurious,” Sham said in a statement. “The décor team focused on the lighting in order to be sure that everything is universally lit, and the product remained the star of the show.”
She continued, “The vision was to present a space that elevates product offerings and inspires a community that strives to achieve and build memorable stories through their own individual journeys.”
A highlight of the Mumbai flagship store is its indoor-outdoor commissary, which was done in partnership with restaurateur Aditi Dugar, founder of acclaimed local bakery TwentySeven Bakehouse. The cafe space, Extra Butter explained, “is meant to momentarily transport one away from the hustle and bustle of the city,” and includes handmade wicker furniture and exotic plant life.
In terms of product, the store will feature a bevy of footwear from leading brand such as Adidas, Birkenstock, Crocs, New Balance, Puma and more.
“The internet and social media has helped catch India up in trends and fashionable sensibilities. They want the same hype drops the U.S. wants, but have little to no access points,” Gross said. “Extra Butter’s relationship with global footwear brands will give us a runway to purvey a level of products that India has had little access to.”
As for apparel, the Mumbai flagship store will stock the latest in streetwear from brands including A Bathing Ape, Carhartt WIP, Dhruv Kapoor, John Elliott, Marni and Thug Club.
“The criteria of the brand assortment is the same it’s always been for Extra Butter: a careful best-in-class selection of world renown brands mixed with emerging brands that resonate with our brand personality,” Gross said. “The spectrum is full but curated with purpose. We’re hoping that we can help guide our consumers to learn about new brands and even evolve their personal style to venture into new aesthetics and genres.”
Also, the store will feature graphic T-shirts and other streetwear staples from its private label. When the store opens, consumers can shop a collection featuring Extra Butter’s “Official Selection” logo, along with retro Bombay-inspired graphics. This range, the retailer explained, aims to provide “a fun desi twist and a nod to the cultural roots of Extra Butter’s founders.”
The Extra Butter flagship in Mumbai is open Monday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. IST to 9 p.m. IST.
Looking ahead, Extra Butter will focus its expansion efforts in India, and plans to debut stores in Delhi and Bangalore by 2025.
“Mumbai has always been a cultural center for India, but we’re seeing a flourishing community of young creatives throughout all of India, including Delhi and Bangalore,” Gross said. “These would be the next two cities we have our sights on to continue empowering the youth with our NYC perspective.”
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