Darshan Mehta the first head of Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) and a key figure in shaping India’s luxury fashion industry passed away on April 10 2025 at the age of 63 due to a sudden heart attack. Known for his love of fitness and trekking Darshan spent 17 years building Reliance’s premium and luxury business changing the way Indian consumers experience global fashion. Until recently Darshan Mehta served as the Managing Director of Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) before stepping into a non-executive director role on the company’s board in November 2024. A qualified chartered accountant Mehta had earlier led Arvind Brands Ltd a major Indian apparel retailer as its president before moving to Reliance Industries. He founded Reliance Brands Limited in 2007 and played a key role in shaping it into one of India’s leading names in premium and luxury retail. Honoring the man who brought luxury fashion to India Darshan played a major role in bringing world-famous fashion labels like Valentino Balenciaga Giorgio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna to India — all known for their high-end designs and global reputation. He also helped Reliance form strong partnerships with luxury jewelry names like Tiffany & Co. and Cartier as well as top fashion accessory brands including Jimmy Choo and Bvlgari. Darshan was behind the arrival of European fashion staples such as Burberry and Versace strengthening RBL’s presence in the luxury fashion market. But his vision wasn’t limited to clothing. He expanded into premium lifestyle brands like Pottery Barn connecting with Indian customers looking for stylish home décor. Darshan also believed in supporting Indian designers. He helped promote leading names like Manish Malhotra Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Anamika Khanna Rahul Mishra and Abraham & Thakore — giving Indian fashion talent a platform that matched global standards.