Brand Ambassador of Pepe Jeans

Pepe Jeans London — the British denim brand founded in 1973 in the vibrant Portobello Market of West London by three Indian-origin brothers, Arun, Nitin, and Milan Shah — carries a unique cultural identity in India that goes far beyond ordinary foreign brand presence. Created by Indian hands, inspired by British cool, and built into one of the world’s most recognised denim labels over five decades, Pepe Jeans has a relationship with the Indian market that is genuinely biographical rather than merely commercial. India ranks among the top three countries globally for the brand’s business alongside Spain and Germany — a commercial reality that led to the 2018 appointment of Sidharth Malhotra as the brand’s first-ever Indian brand ambassador, followed in September 2024 by Kriti Sanon as the brand’s first-ever global ambassador of Indian origin. Together, these two landmark appointments trace Pepe Jeans India’s evolution from a respected foreign denim label into a brand that has placed Indian faces at the centre of its global campaign identity.

Pepe Jeans India and Global Brand Ambassador Portfolio

Kriti Sanon — Pepe Jeans’ Historic Global Ambassador

Pepe Jeans London’s announcement of Kriti Sanon as global brand ambassador in September 2024 — launched alongside the Very Pepe Autumn/Winter 2024 collection campaign — marked one of the most significant milestones in the 50-year history of a brand that has featured some of the world’s most recognisable faces in its campaigns. Sanon makes her debut as the brand’s first-ever global ambassador of Indian origin, a distinction that reflects both Kriti’s extraordinary international profile and Pepe Jeans’ recognition that India’s cultural authority in global fashion conversations has reached a point where an Indian face can carry global campaigns without being positioned as a regional market representative.

Marcella Wartenbergh, CEO of AWWG which owns Pepe Jeans London, expressed the partnership’s creative depth — describing delight at collaborating with Kriti and noting that following the incredible memorable experience of taking the leading actress to Silverstone with Red Bull Racing by Pepe Jeans, the new campaign marked yet another exciting chapter for the brand. The Silverstone reference is revealing — Kriti’s association with Pepe Jeans preceded the formal global ambassador appointment, giving the relationship the kind of brand experience continuity that makes official partnerships feel authentic rather than contractually initiated.

Kriti Sanon’s own articulation of the partnership captured the brand values alignment that drives the most commercially effective ambassador relationships — stating that Pepe Jeans has always stood for individuality and bold style, that she is thrilled to represent a brand that not only reflects her personal style but also connects the best of London’s iconic fashion heritage with a global audience. The specific mention of London’s fashion heritage — the Portobello Market origins, the West London boho culture, the British cool that has defined Pepe Jeans’ aesthetic since 1973 — demonstrates that her ambassadorship is built on genuine brand familiarity rather than commercial convenience.

The Very Pepe campaign itself unfolds in two creative waves — the first celebrating Pepe Jeans’ denim heritage through all-denim looks against the vibrant reds of London’s iconic post boxes, telephone booths, and classic cars on the streets of Portobello; the second capturing the essence of West London living through smart-casual styles against the backdrop of classic black cabs and the elegant white facades of Notting Hill. Shot on the streets that gave birth to the brand five decades ago, the campaign gives Kriti Sanon’s Indian global appeal a specifically British cultural context that creates the particular fusion of origins and aspiration that Pepe Jeans has always embodied.

Sidharth Malhotra — The Historic First Indian Ambassador

Pepe Jeans India’s March 2018 appointment of Sidharth Malhotra as its first-ever Indian brand ambassador was a landmark moment in the brand’s 29-year India history — the first time in nearly three decades of Indian presence that the brand had created an India-exclusive campaign with an Indian celebrity as its face. Kavindra Mishra, Managing Director of Pepe Jeans India, described the appointment with commercial context that illuminates why 2018 was the right moment for this first — noting that Pepe Jeans India had grown from Rs 180 crore net sales in 2013 to Rs 1000 crore by 2017, and that this growth justified the brand communication investment of a flagship Indian ambassador campaign.

Mishra’s articulation of the Malhotra selection was precise — noting his popularity, expressed affinity for the brand, powerful persona, and youth connect brings a compelling energy to Pepe Jeans. The specific phrase expressed affinity for the brand is significant — Malhotra was known as a genuine Pepe Jeans fan before the commercial appointment, giving the ambassadorship the authenticity of a real customer relationship rather than a purely commercial association.

Malhotra’s description of the appointment reflected genuine brand enthusiasm — calling Pepe Jeans a cool and iconic casualwear brand, expressing excitement at being the first Indian face of the Pepe Jeans brand legacy, and noting that denim has always been his go-to fashion essential.

Pepe Jeans India’s Expansion and Ambassador Strategy

Pepe Jeans’ December 2023 announcement of plans to open over 100 new stores across India over three years — adding to the approximately 200 stores already present — creates the commercial context that explains why the brand escalated from its first Indian ambassador appointment in 2018 to placing an Indian at the centre of its global campaign identity by 2024.

Pepe Jeans’ ambassador evolution — from no Indian face for 29 years to placing a Bollywood actress at the centre of its global campaigns within six years — traces one of fashion marketing’s most dramatic cultural recalibrations, driven by India’s rising commercial significance to the brand and the growing global authority of Indian cinema’s most talented contemporary stars.