HRX, the fitness, and lifestyle apparel brand, was born out of Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan’s passion for fitness, and Myntra’s quest to offer diverse and quality products to its youthful and aspirational consumers. From modest beginnings to a Rs 120 crore run rate, Hrithik and Myntra’s HRX has come a long way. And it is aiming to reach even greater heights in the next few years.

So how did it go on to become such a huge brand?

Be The Best You Can Be

The success of the brand can be easily traced to a growing fitness consciousness in the country. Indians are not only becoming more health-conscious, but they also have the desire to look fit and look good. HRX was built on this idea to inspire people to be the best version of themselves. This has clearly made the brand more relatable and accessible to customers, considering the response it has received. It also helps HRX stand out amongst other more established brands in the same segment.

What’s in store for the brand’s future? How does HRX plan to grow and stay relevant?

The Future of HRX

In an interview with ET Now, Hrithik and Ananth Narayanan, CEO of Myntra and Jabong, said that HRX aims to keep experimenting and pushing products that adhere to current trends while keeping up with the changes in the online retail space. Currently, HRX offers activewear categories like workout tees, tracks, jackets, women’s workout gear, footwear among others. The brand is expanding the footwear product range to offer a larger collection and choice to customers. Hrithik says that he wants to create footwear that people with flat feet and knee problems can wear – problems that even he had to face and overcome.

Sports footwear and women’s fitness category will be major areas of focus in FY 2017-18. HRX will soon launch women and kids line, besides expanding its categories to innerwear and sunglasses as well.

Over the next six to nine months there are plans to take the brand offline, with presence in large format retail stores. Myntra recently opened its first technology-driven offline store for its brand Roadster.

A Mutually Beneficial Partnership

The success of HRX has also been a learning experience for Hrithik. Having to sit with retail honchos and investors and explain the concept behind the brand has given him an understanding of some of the challenges that entrepreneurs face.

Myntra, which acquired a majority stake in HRX in 2016 with the objective of scaling it to be a national player in the sports and lifestyle space, has been an integral part of its growth story. It has helped HRX gain larger footfalls, provide more concise consumer analytic data and greater marketing capability, giving it 100% growth year on year.

Sports and fitness are one of the strongest categories on the Myntra platform, with approximately 20% contribution to revenue. With major plans for HRX in the pipeline, Myntra and Jabong look to take the brand to a much larger customer base in the future.