On the heels of the ‘soft launch’ of his redefined athleisure-wear label in January 2023, this evening, Bollywood star, Akshay Kumar launched Force IX’s flagship boutique in Mumbai’s ‘Queen of the Suburbs’, Bandra.
Located in the heart of Linking Road’s bustling shopping district, the 1,800 sq. ft. store was officially opened for business by Akshay Kumar and Maniish Mandhana, Co-Founder of Force IX’s parent company, 9 AM Ventures Private Limited.
The launch event saw a grand fashion show that eventually spilt over onto the street and had onlookers cheering on the milestone for the brand. As a testament to the brand’s ethos of inclusivity and the fact that Force IX is for everyone, the fashion show itself featured ‘models’ of varying ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, as well as the differently abled.
Also, walking the ramp and underscoring Force IX’s deep commitment to our nation’s forces, were retired officers from the Air Force, the Army, the Navy, the Maharashtra State Police and the Mumbai Police.
Force IX’s flagship Mumbai store is inspired by the different types of boot camps and training camps used by the nation’s forces and is designed in a way where form meets function, giving the space a distinct identity and character.
The new store is Force IX’s very first physical address and will serve as the flagship store for Mumbai, offering redefined athleisure wear to fashion-forward patrons across the city.In keeping with the gritty and rugged aesthetics that one might expect at military training boot camps, the store’s design has intentionally been kept rough and industrial, with rustic elements finished with a touch of chic.
To drive home the brand’s messages of durability and versatility the store’s floor is made with textured rubber. Meanwhile, the fixtures used throughout the store are convertible and can be adapted to a new design and style of display, as needed.
Additionally, in a nod to Akshay Kumar’s love for fitness, the trail rooms at the store feature a full-blown rock-climbing wall. For a more immersive and interactive shopping experience, Force IX’s Mumbai flagship store also features an augmented reality wall and a giant hand-painted mural that has been collaboratively painted by various artists, which underscores the brand’s ethos that fashion is for everyone and at Force IX it is engineered with emotion for people from diverse walks of life!
Bathed in ‘Force IX Blue’ – Force IX’s iconic brand colour, which can also be found in the Ashoka Chakra on the Indian national flag – that represents the spirituality of India, as well as the truth, virtuousness, dharma and constant movement towards progress, the new store is visually iconic and truly stands out in terms of a retail experience.
Speaking about the launch of the brand’s first flagship store, Akshay Kumar, the visionary behind and Co-Founder of Force IX, says, “The whole idea behind Force IX was to create a brand that caters to style and comfort.
When we started working on this brand, little did we know that this would become such a significant part of us and after months of tireless work, I am super proud to be launching Force IX’s very first flagship store, which I believe is not merely a shopping experience, but rather a lifestyle experience.
I hope that Force IX’s flagship store allows our patrons a small glimpse into my lifestyle through the products and retail experience that it offers.”Adding to this, whilst speaking about the launch of the brand, Mr. Maniish Mandhana, Co-Founder of Force IX’s parent company, 9 AM Ventures Private Limited, says, Force IX has been built with a lot of thought, immense research, and unparalleled emotion.
I hope that the brand’s flagship store in Mumbai becomes ‘the’ destination for patrons to come in and shop for redefined athleisure wear that has been created with meticulous attention to detail and curated with a purpose.”
“We are also very proud to inform you that part of the proceeds from each and every sale at Force IX will go towards ‘Bharat Ke Veer’, an organisation that supports the families of India’s martyrs. When one shops at Force IX, they are not just buying and wearing a garment but rather, they are wearing the nation’s pride!”
Force IX’s new flagship store offers patrons the brand’s complete range of products, which includes t-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jackets, polo t-shirts, denim, chinos, joggers, shorts, and nightwear.
The range of accessories like caps, belts, travel accessories, shoes, and watches, will also be available at the new store in due course. The designs found in Force IX’s collections that are on offer at the new store draw inspiration from the aesthetics of the Nation’s forces and translate them into new-age sensibilities, that appeal to the Gen-Z generation. Creating styles that are not only unique but also effortless and versatile is the bedrock of the brand.