Our Legacy

The First 90 Years

A Legacy Rooted In Family,
Fuelled By Vision

The Valiram story began in 1935—not with a grand blueprint for global success, but with a simple dream and a determined heart. Utumal Valiram, a man of integrity and resilience, founded a modest textile trading business in Kuala Lumpur. Little did he know that this humble beginning would spark a legacy that would endure for generations.

In those formative years, the Valiram name became synonymous with trust, quality, and relentless hard work. As the world evolved, so too did the business—quietly adapting, steadily growing, and always holding true to its core values.

When Utumal passed away suddenly, the weight of the family’s future fell on the young shoulders of his son, Datuk Jethanand Valiram. Thrust into leadership far too soon, Jethanand found himself navigating the unpredictable tides of business and life without a safety net. With limited resources but unwavering resolve, he kept the business afloat—not out of personal ambition, but out of love, duty, and deep respect for his father. Through challenging times, he led with quiet strength and steely determination, fiercely committed to preserving what had been built. His loyalty to his father’s legacy laid the bedrock for what Valiram would become.

"Don’t pray to have your life easier, but pray to have strength for your life. And if everything is going well you will know that you are the miracle.”

- Datuk Jethanand Utumal Valiram

Decades later, the next chapter unfolded as the third generation—Dato’ Sharan, Ashvin, and Mukesh—stepped into the business. Shaped by the values and vision of their late father, the brothers brought with them a bold new energy. In 1996, on the brink of the Asian financial crisis, they made a daring move: launching the world’s first airport-based textile retail store. It was a leap of faith—equal parts bold and uncertain— but it marked the beginning of Valiram’s reinvention.

"The most important lesson he ever showed us was perseverance.”

- Ashvin Valiram

From that defining moment, Valiram transformed into a powerhouse of luxury and lifestyle retail across Asia Pacific. The company’s multichannel footprint now spans downtown destinations, international airports, and digital platforms—yet at its core, it remains deeply personal and firmly grounded in family.

This is more than a story of business growth. It is a story of love, loss, resilience, and reinvention. Of three brothers carrying forward a legacy with vision and heart. And of a company born from humble beginnings, driven by the unshakable belief that with passion, courage, and purpose—anything is possible.

0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} where it all started 1912 Utumal Valiram left Hyderabad, Sindh (then), and arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya.

 2021 1935 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} humble beginning 1935 Valiram's first retail store opens on KL's main trading street, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

 1912 1957 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} first step 1957 Utumal Valiram passes on, leaving his son, Jethanand to run the business at a tender age of 17! 1935 1969 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} mass production 1969 The retail store on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman closes as the business focuses on wholesale, expanding its repertoire from textiles to include finished goods and yarn.

 1957 1995 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} we went global 1995 The 3rd generation of Valirams return from studies abroad and decide to diversify the business by opening Café Iguana in Bangsar, KL - one of the trendiest nightspots in the city at the time. 1969 1998 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} picked up a few awards 1998 KLIA begins operations and Valiram secures the rights to operate the first Dunhill boutique at an airport, in the world. 1995 2001 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} A New Era of Travel Retail 2001 Swiss Watch Gallery and Fashion Gallery open at Penang International Airport. This marks the first of many cutting edge retail concepts Valiram introduces. 1998 2003 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2003 Expanding its retail portfolio Valiram opens Coach, Montblanc, Hermes and Godiva at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) 2001 2004 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} we went global 2004
 Expanding beyond Malaysia, travel retail business continues to expand with The Flying Emporium, the first seamless walk-through retail store at an airport in Malaysia. Montblanc opens in Penang and Bally in Changi Airport, Singapore. 2003
 2005/06 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2005 / 06 Valiram opens its first downtown store - Coach at Suria KLCC, then expanding to Singapore.

 2004 2007 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2007 Launching first IWC and Giuseppe Zanotti Store in Malaysia. First Coach Flagship store in South East Asia.
Successfully outbid other international players at Changi T2 multi-brand fashion concession.
 2005/06 2010 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2010 Valiram expands significantly with 26 luxury stores at RWS, Singapore's First casino & opens Victoria’s Secret Beauty & Accessories (VSBA) first ever Asian Store.
 2007 2011 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2011 Valiram launches the first Michael Kors flagship boutique in Pavilion KL. VSBA opens in Macau.
Handover Coach Australia and Singapore to Principal.
 2010 2012 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2012 Foray into F&B with 1st TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in Pavilion. Further expands our VSBA relationship with limited brands by opening first downtown stores in Malaysia, Pavilion and Marina Bay Sands Singapore.
Handover Coach Indonesia and Malaysia to Principal.
 2011 2013 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2013 VSBA debuts in Hong Kong, Russia, Philippines and Thailand. The group sales volume exceed RM1 billion. 2012 2014 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2014 Tory Burch opens its first store in Malaysia at Pavilion KL. Bath & Body Works first Asian store opens in Singapore, followed by Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Taking over Kate Spade New York Business in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia (9 stores).
 2013 2015 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2015 VSBA debuts in China by opening 8 stores in 4 cities within 2 weeks. Launch Valiram own concept restaurant Quivo and Tumi E-Commerce. Handover Jimmy Choo Malaysia and Singapore to Principal.
 2013 2016/17 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2016/17 Valiram expanded into new markets, launching Bath & Body Works in Australia, Kate Spade in Vietnam, and Victoria’s Secret and Michael Kors in Singapore. Furthermore, opened a Rolex boutique in Australia and reached RM2.1 billion in sales. 2015 2018 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2018
 Valiram welcomes New Zealand to the fold, launching three stores at Auckland Airport. 2016/17 2020 0{{current_slide_index}} 0{{total_slide_count}} growing strong 2021 Bath and Body Works introduced E-commerce to Thailand. Steve Madden launched its 1st e-commerce platform in Malaysia.
Sixty Seven Bath and Body Works stores are now open.
2018 1912

A Legacy of Excellence:
The History of Valiram's Journey

A Century Of Excellence And Legacy

As we reflect on our journey, it’s not just the awards we’ve won but the enduring recognitions that define who we are. At Valiram Group, our legacy is built on more than business achievements—it’s a story of passion, resilience, and the vision to craft something extraordinary.

Valiram:

The First Hundred Years

This book is more than a celebration of time—it is a tribute to a journey that began with a dream in 1935 and evolved into an empire of luxury, resilience, and heart. Valiram: The First Hundred Years captures the spirit of three generations, woven together by love, loss, legacy, and the enduring power of family.

Developed to mark a significant milestone, this coffee table book tells the story of a family business built on passion and perseverance. From humble beginnings in Kuala Lumpur to becoming a name synonymous with bold retail across Asia Pacific, the book chronicles the defining moments, the unspoken sacrifices, and the pioneering spirit that shaped Valiram into what it is today.

It is a portrait of people, of a father’s devotion, a son’s promise, and three brothers who dared to dream beyond convention. With rich visuals, personal reflections, and untold stories, the book seeks not just to document history, but to inspire future generations to carry the flame forward.

Above all, The First Hundred Years is a gift of remembrance a legacy in pages, rooted in heritage and fuelled by vision.

"This book has been three generations in the making, and we dedicate it to the next with the hope that they leave their imprint in the future chapters of the Valiram story. Every element in this book was carefully curated with input from all of us as a family."

- Dato Sharan Valiram

"We titled it The First Hundred Years because we believe that the Valiram story will evolve further and the next generation will take on the task to record the next hundred years. We hope that the tales within this first volume will remind them of the legacy they come from and inspire them to work towards creating their own epic tale."

- Ashvin Valiram

"Our father always reminded us that family and upholding the family name is always the main priority. We're proud of how far the family name has come, enabled further by the many relatives, friends and partners who've been there throughout the decades, supporting our endeavours. We thank you, from the bottom of our hearts."

- Mukesh Valiram