28 May, Mumbai 2025

Sportswear brand Xtep India is expanding its reach by boosting its retail footprint, enhancing digital operations, and connecting with local sports and fitness initiatives.

Globally recognized for its innovations in running, basketball, and outdoor gear, Xtep India's brick-and-mortar retail strategy is a key driver of its growth. While many brands initially focused on digital sales, Vijay Chowdhary, Founder and CEO, focused on building physical retail experiences. This approach allowed customers to directly interact with Xtep's products, fostering a more engaging shopping journey.

On the digital front, Xtep is developing a targeted direct-to-consumer platform. The brand's online presence goes beyond simple transactions, offering engaging content, personalized shopping experiences, and opportunities for meaningful community involvement. The brand does not aim to become ust a website, but a relevant part of consumers' daily lives.

Xtep has also launched tailored footwear technologies for the Indian market, resulting in products that are lightweight, breathable, and responsive. Engineered for agility and court control, their basketball line also embraces streetwear trends. Additionally, Xtep's lifestyle sneakers blend international style with Indian sensibilities, catering to urban youth. The activewear collection features advanced elements like antibacterial properties, UV protection, and odor resistance, meeting the demands of those seeking high-performance everyday apparel.

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29 May, Mumbai 2025

Currently expanding its footprint, Ranbir Kapoor's lifestyle brand, ARKS aims to increase its revenue to Rs 100 crore within the next three years. Launched in February 2025, the brand has demonstrated swift growth, says Abhinav Verma, CEO and co-founder.

Having initially launched with sneakers, ARKS has since diversified its offerings to include a growing line of men's and women's apparel, boasting over 150 SKUs. The brand plans to expand its collection by 20 per cent-25 per cent by the end of the fiscal year and is preparing to introduce a new perfume line soon.

The brand’s sneaker line contributes around 35 per cent-40 per cent to its revenue, while online channels contribute a 65 per cent to the overall business, states Verma. Currently, 60 per cent of ARKS' apparel caters to men, but the brand is actively working to significantly expand its women's range and evolve into a more unisex offering.

Following the successful launch of its flagship store in Mumbai and a direct-to-consumer (D2C) website, ARKS is now setting its sights on offline expansion. It plans to open a new brick-and-mortar store in Delhi, with plans to further expand into Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune thereafter.

Emphasizing the importance of physical retail, Verma notes, physical stores play a vital role in nurturing community and delivering brand experience. Predominantly owned by Kapoor, ARKS remains a bootstrapped venture and is targeting profitability within the next three to four years.

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28 May, Mumbai 2025

Expanding its brick-and-mortar presence in the country, menswear label Snitch has opened a new EBO at the Fortune Park in Vapi. The EBO takes the brand’s total store count in Gujarat to nine and across India to 58.

Spanning approximately 1,800 sq ft, the store offers latest collection from Snitch including the brand’s complete range of contemporary menswear from bold statement pieces to everyday essentials.

Designed to offer a streamlined shopping experience to the brand’s trend-conscious consumers, the store is located in one of the city’s prominent commercial hubs.

This new store will help the brand strengthen connection with the region and share its distinct fashion ethos with a wider audience, says Siddharth Dungarwal, CEO. It also helps the brand make contemporary fashion more accessible to consumers.

Founded in 2020 with a direct to customer e-commerce store, Snitch has strengthened its offline presence with store across Gujarat in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, and Rajkot.

The brand plans to continue expanding into high-growth Tier II cities as part of its strategy to make trend-led menswear more accessible across India.

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27 May, Mumbai 2025

Indian fashion, once synonymous with intricate weaves and enduring fabrics passed down through generations, are now being bleached out by cheap, disposable clothes.

The siren call of fast fashion, which gets a boost from social media trends and lightning-fast e-commerce, has seduced a nation that once championed mindful consumption. The price of this fleeting style is our landfills are overflowing, rivers choked with toxic dyes, and a cultural identity increasingly obscured by fleeting trends.

"We don’t wear fast fashion. We bury it," reads a stark message painted on a wall in a bustling Mumbai market, a sentiment echoing across a nation grappling with the environmental and cultural fallout of its growing appetite for disposable trends.

As per the Central Pollution Control Board, 2021, India generates almost 7,800 kilotonnes of textile waste annually, contributing significantly to the global crisis projected to reach 148 million tonnes of textile waste by 2030 as per Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017. This isn't a consequence of a fabric shortage; it's a symptom of a societal impatience, a relentless pursuit of the 'new' addictive cycle of online hauls.

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The speed trap

As per a McKinsey & Company analysis of 2022 the mechanics of fast fashion are designed for obsolescence. Instagram trends morph at breakneck speed, online retailers promise next-hour delivery, and brands churn out over 500 new styles each month. This hyper-consumption model leaves little room for mindful practices like recycling, repurposing, or even simply wearing an item more than a handful of times. The digital scroll demands novelty, rendering last week's 'it' outfit instantly passé

India's enduring ethos of reuse and resourcefulness

Yet, the irony is stark. India, a land deeply rooted in traditions of sustainability, is now grappling with a Western model of consumption that clash with its inherent values. For centuries, necessity and ingenuity have fostered a culture of minimal waste and maximum utility.

For example, the informal recycling sector Mumbai’s Dharavi, showcases India's inherent ability to extract value from waste.

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While not solely focused on textiles, it highlights a broader cultural mindset of resource recovery. Old clothes are often sorted, repaired, resold, or repurposed into new products, demonstrating a circular economy in action, albeit often under challenging conditions.

The Khadi movement: Mahatma Gandhi's championing of Khadi during India's independence movement wasn't just a political statement; it was an economic and sustainable one. Khadi, handspun and handwoven, promoted local production, reduced reliance on industrial processes, and emphasized durability over fleeting trends. Even today, Khadi remains a symbol of sustainable and ethical fashion.

Kantha embroidery: In West Bengal, the tradition of Kantha embroidery transforms old saris and dhotis into beautiful and functional quilts, throws, and even garments. This intricate art form is a testament to the value placed on repurposing and the inherent beauty found in giving old textiles new life.

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Bastar tribal crafts: The tribal communities of Bastar in Chhattisgarh have long practiced resourcefulness in their clothing and adornments. Using natural dyes derived from local plants and incorporating recycled materials into their textiles and jewellery, they exemplify a deep connection with their environment and a rejection of wasteful practices.

The culture of mending and alteration: Unlike the West's disposable clothing culture, India has a strong tradition of tailoring and mending. Local tailors are ubiquitous, and altering clothes to fit better or repairing minor damage is a common practice, extending the lifespan of garments significantly.

While India's textile waste generation is significant due to its large population, per capita textile consumption and waste generation historically remain lower compared to many developed nations.

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The path to reclamation

The way forward is in rediscovering and re-embracing India's inherent understanding of sustainability. This requires a multi-pronged approach.

Integrating thrift into the digital realm: E-commerce platforms, the very engines of fast fashion's growth, need to actively incorporate and promote the resale of pre-owned clothing. Platforms like CoutLoot and Refash in India are emerging, but wider integration and mainstream adoption are crucial.

Harnessing predictive technology: Investing in predictive analytics can help brands better gauge demand, minimizing overproduction and the resulting textile waste. Data-driven insights can lead to more responsible inventory management.

Boosting pre-owned fashion: There has to be a cultural shift where owning pre-owned clothing is seen as a badge of honour – a conscious choice, not a compromise. Highlighting the unique stories and inherent sustainability of vintage and second-hand pieces can drive this change. Initiatives like curated vintage pop-ups and online platforms focusing on pre-loved luxury are gaining traction.

Reigniting cultural pride in reuse: Educational campaigns and community initiatives can rekindle pride in traditional practices of mending, upcycling, and sharing clothes. Celebrating the ingenuity and resourcefulness embedded in our cultural heritage is crucial. NGOs and grassroots organizations are already working on this, but wider societal engagement is needed.

Thinking beyond recycling

The focus shouldn't solely be on "recycling" – often an energy-intensive process with its own limitations. True progress lies in reducing consumption at the source and extending the lifespan of our garments. This isn't about adopting a new, trendy "sustainable" lifestyle; it's about remembering who we were before the allure of fleeting trends made us forget the value of mindful consumption and the richness of our textile heritage.

India doesn't need to discover sustainability; it needs to remember it. It's time to unplug from the endless scroll, step away from the overflowing wardrobes, and start dressing with intention, weaving a future where our clothes reflect not just fleeting trends, but a deep respect for our planet and our cultural identity. Let's build a new future, thread by sustainable thread, from the wisdom of our old clothes.

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29 May, Mumbai 2025

Contemporary fashion label, Ostilos is launching ‘Pause,’ a handcrafted, non-seasonal collection that champions stillness and simplicity.

Signifying a move toward more purposeful dressing, the new collection encourage individuals to embrace quite elegance through their clothing. Designed as a capsule collection, existing outside the traditional fashion calendar, the collection features 64 styles - 42 for women and 22 for men -all crafted with versatile silhouettes, soft color palettes, and carefully chosen fabrics like breathable cottons, denims, and crepe blends. Each piece is made for effortless day-to-day transitions, offering both comfort and refinement.

Staying true to Ostilos’ design philosophy of quiet luxury and meticulous attention to detail, the collection incorporates hand-finished embellishments, layered textures, and subtle accents that elevate simplicity. The pieces convey a grounded sensibility, avoiding overt extravagance while telling a clear story of self-awareness and comfort.

Simran Lalwani, Founder and Creative Director, Ostilos, says, the collection has designed to make customers feel grounded, intentional and entirely themselves. It emphasizes inclusivity with a wide range of sizes and a timeless appeal that encourages personal styling. Rather than focusing on a single standout item, each design holds equal importance, forming a cohesive wardrobe that prioritizes authentic self-expression over statement dressing.

Aimed at modern individuals - from urban professionals and creatives to thoughtful explorers - ‘Pause’ is more than just a collection. It's an experience, offering not only well-made garments but also a philosophy that urges wearers to slow down and connect with their inner selves.

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27 May, Mumbai 2025

Value fashion retailer Citykart secured Rs 538 crore in a new funding round that included both new investments and secondary share sales. Attended by TPG NewQuest and A91 Partners, the funded round is expected to have valued the company at around Rs 1,400 crore.

Of the total funds, Rs 120 crore is fresh capital and would be used to expand Citykart’s presence beyond its core Tier II & III cities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as per Sudhansu Agarwal, Founder and Managing Director, Citykart.

Currently operating 137 stores, Citykart plans to open 40-50 new outlets annually across states like Rajasthan, Assam, Odisha, and Jharkhand. The company competes with publicly traded retailers such as VMart, Vishal Mega Mart, and Style Baazar.

The Gurgaon-based company has seen its revenues grow by about 70 per cent over the past two fiscal years, reaching over Rs 900 crore in FY 2024. Agarwal expects these to exceed Rs 1,300 crore in the current fiscal year.

A major alternative asset manager from the Middle East, Bahrain-based Investcorp achieved a fourfold return on its 2019 investment in Citykart. Investcorp had acquired Citykart's stake after it took over IDFC Alternatives' private equity and real estate investment funds in 2019; originally, IDFC Alternatives and India SME Investments had jointly invested Rs 100 crore in Citykart.

Following this latest funding round, secondaries-focused PE fund TPG NewQuest has become Citykart's largest institutional investor, followed by Mumbai-based investment firm A91 Partners and India SME. A former executive at value retailer Vishal Mega Mart, Agarwal and his family maintain a controlling 55 per cent-56 per cent stake in the company.

Currently, Citykart is experimenting with new store formats in rural areas of Delhi and Gurgaon, where the customer base is similar to its current markets. Agarwal attributes this growth to market share shifting from unorganized to organized players in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

However, despite its growth, Citykart's store count remains lower than its peers; V-Mart has 497 outlets, and Vishal Mega Mart operates 696 stores. SoftBank-backed e-commerce platform Meesho also focuses on smaller towns as over 85 per cent of its users coming from Tier-II towns and beyond. According to an April report by CLSA, Meesho held a 37 per cent market share in terms of order volume among various e-commerce platforms in calendar year 2024.

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Footwear major Bata India registered a 36 per cent decline in operating profit in Q4, FY25 ended March 31, 2025.

The company’s profit declined to Rs 36 crore during the quarter as against an operating profit of Rs 58 crore in Q4, FY24 spanning January-March 2023-24.

The company’s revenue from operations declined to Rs 788 crore during the quarter as compared with Rs 798 crore in the year-ago period.

However, the company managed to gain volumes and remain in line with its strategy of driving volume-led growth despite navigating demand headwinds persisting during the quarter, says Gunjan Shah, Managing Director and CEO, Bata India.

It continues to drive affordability and reducing complexity across categories, he adds.

28 May, Mumbai 2025

Bagzone Lifestyles has launched a new contemporary luxury handbag brand called Akiki London, designed for today's sophisticated and stylish women.

A major move for the company as it ventures into the premium market, the brand launched with its debut collection combining global modern aesthetics with a foundation in artisanal heritage, aiming to celebrate craftsmanship and individual style. The brand’s name is inspired by the Agate gemstone, known for its layered beauty and inner resilience - qualities the brand hopes to embody in its products and in the women who carry them.

Rooted in London's cultural influence, Akiki positions handbags as personal expressions of identity. Each of its handbags’ design aims to be both timeless and current, combining boldness with subtle elegance. To achieve its craftsmanship goals, the brand partners with production and design experts across Europe and Asia, allowing it to maintain global quality standards without excessive pricing.

Nishant Bakliwal, Head - Digital & Communications, Bagzone Lifestyles, states, while most handbags primarily focus on workwear and utility, Akiki's statement pieces are engineered for significant moments, offering today's discerning woman thoughtful, well-crafted luxury that leaves a lasting impression.

As part of its brand identity, Akiki London has introduced a mascot named Kiki - a British Bulldog that represents the brand's playful and bold nature. Kiki will be a key visual element in campaigns and in-store displays, aiming to build a deeper emotional connection with customers.

Akiki London recently launched its digital operations on www.akikilondon.com, aligning with the current trend of online-first consumer experiences. The brand also plans to expand its offline presence by opening new stores in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Within the next five years, it plans to open 100 stores across India.

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27 May, Mumbai 2025

Monte Carlo Fashions narrowed its Q4, FY25 net loss to Rs 10.34 crore from Rs 17.76 crore net loss reported in the corresponding Q4, FY24, spanning January-March 2023-24.

Despite this reduced loss, the company's revenue from operations declined only marginally to Rs 205.93 crore in the March quarter of 2024-25, from Rs 206.52 crore in the same quarter a year ago.

The improved quarterly performance can be partially attributed to more efficient cost management. Monte Carlo Fashions' total expenses for the March quarter decreased by 4.6 per cent, reaching Rs 228.11 crore.

In FY25 ending March 31, 2025, Monte Carlo Fashions registered a 35.4 per cent net profit to Rs 81.17 crore as against the registered Rs 59.94 crore in the previous fiscal year. The brand’s total consolidated income for FY25 also grew by 4.23 per cent to Rs 1,135.58 crore.

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