India’s largest beauty retailer Nykaa has appointed Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone as its global brand ambassador, the company announced on Thursday.
“Beauty for me has never been about the spotlight alone — it has always been about the everyday rituals and practicing them with consistency,” Padukone said in a statement. “And nobody understands this better than Nykaa.”
Known for her starring roles in Hindi language films like “Cocktail” and “Chennai Express”, as well as partnerships with luxury brands including Cartier and Louis Vuitton, Padukone is Nykaa’s highest profile ambassador to date. The retailer has previously signed faces like actress Lisa Haydon to front its Nykaa Luxe business and the actors Ishaan Khatter and Shanaya Kapoor for its fashion division.
Padukone’s “authenticity and versatility perfectly complement our vision to lead the transformation of beauty in India and beyond,” said Nykaa chief executive and executive director Anchit Nayar.
Founded by Falguni Nayar in 2012, Nykaa now serves over 45 million customers through its e-commerce platform and over 250 points of sale in India, according to the company. Its selection spans a variety of beauty brands and price points, from Chanel to Clinique and MAC Cosmetics to E.l.f. Beauty, as well as offering some apparel and luxury goods.
Nykaa has also branched into owned brands, launching Kay Beauty with the Bollywood star Katrina Kaif in 2019. Kay Beauty recently debuted in the UK, its first market outside India, through the upmarket specialty beauty retailer Space NK.
In Jan. 2024, the company entered the Middle East with by launching beauty stores under the banner of Nysaa as a joint venture with Gulf retailer the Apparel Group. In a March 2024 speech at the business conference Startup Mahakumbh, founder Nayar said Nysaa plans to open 70 stores by 2029.
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