A direct-to-consumer fashion brand, The Pant Project, aims to generate revenues worth over Rs 100 crore within the next 24 months. The company also plans to expand its brick-and-mortar presence nationwide and enhance its bottom wear offerings by introducing more casual and athleisure options.

A specialist in custom-made bottom wear, The Pant Project recently secured $4.25 million in Series A funding led by Sorin Investments. The funding round was attended by investors such as MGA Ventures, Huddle, Dexter Ventures, Indian Silicon Valley, along with seasoned angels including ArjunVaidya, AvniBiyani, Nikhil Bhandarkar, and Vijay Taparia.

Established in 2020 by DhruvToshniwal and UditToshniwal, The Pant Project operates primarily through its e-tailor platform, offering tailored options for both men and women. Their own website constitutes the most significant sales channel, contributing to 65 per cent of total sales, complemented by physical stores in Mumbai and Bengaluru. The brand’s maiden funding round will play a crucial role in driving its next phase of growth and establish it as an omnichannel brand, states DhruvToshniwal, Co-founder.

MandarDandekar, Partner. Sorin Investments, adds, through its network and extensive experience in nurturing direct-to-consumer brands, the investment agency aims to bring strategic value to the brand.

To expand its demi-formal product range, womenswear brand Verb has launched a new summer clothing collection titled, 'Chitter Chatter'.

Featuring floral dresses and delicate ruffles, the collection mixes vintage with modern inspirations.

As per PallaviSinghee, Designer, inspired by the lively buzz of social interaction, the collection combines the brand’s expertise with a bold approach to vivid hues, striking patterns, and unique textural elements, creating a multi-dimensional experience that is both nostalgic and contemporary.

Using floaty fabrics and botanical prints, the collection bridges the gap between occasion and casual wear. Vintage-inspired details such as corset lacing, sheer frills, and statement bows add glamor, while relaxed silhouettes and modern design elements maintain a youthful and versatile appeal.

Priced from Rs 10,400, "Chitter Chatter" is currently available on Verb’s direct-to-customer e-commerce store. Ensuring accessibility for a diverse customer base, the collection can be customised for all sizes.

Spanning 9,000 sqft, the newly launched mall store of US-based denim and casual wear brand Levi’s at the Pacific Mall in New Delhi is the brand’s largest mall store globally. The expansive store is also the brand’s largest store in India and its fifth largest worldwide.

According to AbhinavAgarwal, Head-Business Development, Levi Strauss & Co, the store will offer the most elevated consumer experience, the widest range of merchandise, and exceptional service quality to the consumers of Delhi/NCR.

Featuring a striking, illuminated façade with 3D blue rectangles, the store offers a vast selection of denim jeans and clothing for both men and women, along with other western-style casual wear and accessories. The store also includes a dedicated segment called 'The Levi’s Tailor Shop', complete with a seating area.

UK-based premium womenswear brand, Raishma has entered into the Indian market with the launch of its first collection, ‘Full Bloom’ via e-commerce platforms such as Nykaa Fashion, Ajio, and Aza marks a strategic move to tap into India's dynamic fashion landscape.

Showcasing fusion-style dresses with floral prints, the 'Full Bloom' collection features silhouettes ranging from floor-length to midi styles. Spanning bright, neutral, and pastel hues, the color palette of the collection has been designed to evoke a sense of drama and breeziness while making a strong visual impact.

Combining controlled sculptural tailoring with modern elements in womenswear, the collection reinterprets basic essentials for contemporary tastes, says Islam.

Emphasisingwearability, fine craftsmanship, distinctive design, and sustainability, the 'Full Bloom' collection hopes to offer high-glamour options that resonate with the brand's ethos of mindful creation and community engagement.

With the brand’s presence extending beyond its flagship Marylebone showroom in London, Raishma has entered into collaborations with prominent multi-brand retailers across the UK and UAE, such as Namshi, The Huntress, Lux Fi, Little Black Dress, and Not on the High Street. Additionally, the brand reaches global audiences through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform.

The brand’s expansion in India will enable Raishma to empower women to embrace their unique style with confidence, further enriching the country's burgeoning fashion scene with its distinctive offerings.

To boost revenues from offline operations to 40 per cent, Gen Z-focused online-first brand, NewMe plans to open 75 stores by FY26, as per SumitJasoria, Co-founder.

Of these, the brand aims to open 20 stores by this fiscal end. These stores will contribute to 25 per cent of the brand’s revenue for this year.

Currently operating five stores; two in Bengaluru, one each in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chandigarh, the brand aims to open an outlet in all the premium malls of India.

It plans to set up an offline presence in top 20 cities of the country with the top 10 cities contributing to almost 35 per cent of its business.

Each of the brand’s stores will span across 3,000 to 4,000 sqft and they will opened with a CAPEX of Rs 2,500 per sq ft.

The brand has so far secured Rs 45 crore in seed funding led by venture fund Fireside Ventures. The funding round was also attended by AUM Ventures, 2AM Ventures, and AllinCapital. It will use these funds to expand its retail network and strengthen supply chain and technology, says Jasoria.

Having closed the last fiscal at Rs 80 crore, the brand aims to grow by four-five times this fiscal year.

Renowned for setting trends in Indian fashion with his exceptional craftsmanship, designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed has launched a new label, Tamiska. A blend of practicality and elegance for Indian women, the brand launched alongwith a stylish new store in Mumbai.

.With Tamiska, Ahmed combines 30 years of expertise to fulfill the need for ethnic wear in India while maintaining universal appeal. His brand Tamiska embraces seasonality, offering 8-10 colors in each collection. It focuses on one main color complemented by five ancillary shades.

The fabric selection of the brand includes blends of rayon, polyester, and nylon, ensuring longevity and affordability. Its color palettefeatures solid reds, speckled rusts, bold blacks, sunny yellows fading into deeper mustards, watery blues, and minty greens. These are paired with botanical and geometric patterns interspersed with brush strokes. The silhouettes boast global flair, with poised florals and fine tailoring evident in collars, cuffs, and buttons.

Business-to-customer shopping fair, Pink Almariis set to gather women's w ear designers from across India for two shopping fairs in Mumbai.

The first of these fairs dubbed, ‘The Monsoon Edit’, will be held on June 21at Worli. The event will showcase a variety of product categories including traditional, ethnic, and fusion wear for women, along with fashion accessories, jewelry, handbags, footwear, home décor items, and gifts.

It will showcase the traditional, ethnic, and fusion wear for women, along with fashion accessories, jewelry, handbags, footwear, home décor items, and gifts. Participating brands at the shopping fair will include Gol Label, Inara by Sana Pathella, LucknoviKurti and Palazzo, Nazakar, ArmaanCreationz, Bid’s Collection, The Jewelry Lab, Fusion Threads, Jijees, Reese, Thread Fiesta, etc.

The event will connect shoppers seeking new labels with emerging brands eager to engage with diverse customer demographics.

Pink Almari will also organise another fashion fair named ‘Wedding and Festive Shopping’ at Blue Sea Worli on July 23. This event will feature a similar array of products, with a special focus on bridal lehengas and sarees for brides-to-be preparing for late summer weddings.

Organised by Marriage Mantra, a fashion and shopping events business, Pink Almari has previously hosted shopping fairs across various Mumbai locations and international editions in Dubai, as noted on its website.

German sportswear giant Adidas has scored a big win in the Indian market, capitalizing on its cricket jersey partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This lucrative deal, which grants Adidas the official jersey rights for the Indian men's and women's cricket teams, has proven to be a masterstroke, driving brand visibility, consumer acquisition, and overall market share growth.

Key success drivers

As per Neelendra Singh, MD, Adidas India, cricket's immense popularity in India makes it a sport loved by so many people. The BCCI deal allows Adidas to reach a massive audience of 700 million potential customers. This partnership goes beyond simple jersey sales; it fosters brand loyalty and establishes Adidas as a key player in the Indian sportswear market. Recognizing the importance of affordability, Adidas offered a three-tier pricing strategy, including a fan jersey at Rs 999. This broadened accessibility and undercut the market for fake jerseys. Sales figures speak for themselves: half a million jerseys sold last year, a record for India.

Adidas also employs a robust mix of online and physical channels to reach customers across India's diverse landscape. Their digital presence reaches 98 per cent of the addressable market, while strategically placed company-owned stores and franchised outlets ensure a strong physical presence. Additionally, their innovative distribution channels, encompassing online platforms, traditional stores, and even quick-commerce services like Blinkit, ensure jerseys are readily available to fans. Adidas' marketing campaigns around the BCCI partnership, like the ‘3 Ka Dream’ video, have garnered high engagement. This strategy not only promotes jerseys but also strengthens the brand association with cricket. Furthermore, Singh highlights a significant rise in Adidas' "share of search" since the partnership began, indicating a heightened consumer interest in the brand.

While cricket is a major focus, Adidas isn't neglecting other sports. They maintain a strong presence in football, running, and their popular Adidas Originals lifestyle line. The recent success of Argentina's national football team and the Spanish Women's World Cup win have also driven sales of football jerseys in India.

More importantly Adidas is committed to the Indian market. They've established a sourcing office and a global tech hub in India, employing over 1,100 engineers. This signifies a long-term vision for growth and development within the country.

A reputed brand under the iconic Tata Group, Westside has unveiled its 240thstore in Bengaluru. Spanning 26,858 sqft, the store features a wide array of Westside’s collections, including apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home décor.

Embodying Westside's vision of providing an extraordinary retail experience, the store offers contemporary and trendy fashion at exceptional value. The well-organised and clutter-free displays showcase latest fashion trends, offering customers a shopping seamless experience. Known for its innovative approach, Westside refreshes its collection every three weeks on Friday.

Stylish and engaging as its Western wear, Westside’s Indian wearrange Utsa offers a versatile collection for all ethnic wear needs, while Bombay Paisley delivers contemporary, creative, free-spirited fusion wear. Vark provides coordinated ethnic outfits for modern and opulent occasions, and Zuba offers premium day-wear that is both elegant and understated.

For young, fashion-forward girls, Nuon delivers party-glam and youthful zest. L.O.V caters to those seeking smart and feminine casuals, while Gia offers stylish, comfortable options for curvy women. Wardrobe presents chic, sophisticated workwear for the 9 to 9 lifestyle.

For men,the store offers the WES range that includeseverything from work to weekend wear, along with comfortable urban lounge wear. The Nuon Menrange provides trendy streetwear for fashion-conscious millennials, while E.T.A offers relaxed urban wear with an ethnic twist, drawing inspiration from contemporary Indian styles.

Blending fashion and functionality, Westside’s kidswearcollection offers a charming range of outfits from adorable dresses and stylish tops to cozy knitwear and versatile bottoms for the little ones.

Additionally, the store also offers a footwear collection that seamlessly blends comfort with style. From casual sneakers to elegant heels, sturdy boots, or sporty sandals, Westside has the perfect pair to enhance their customers’ look and confidence.

Fashion designer RichaAhluwalia plans to expand into new territories and other cities in future. The designer’s newly opened flagship store in Delhi showcases Indian bridal wear including luxurious bridal lehengas and occasion wear.

The store housed in Defence Colony redefines the way bridal fashion is perceived in the city, says Ahluwalia. The store offers a range of wedding outfits such as lehengas, sarees, anarkalis, kurta sets, jalabiyas, and suits for brides, as well as achkans, bandgalas, and waistcoats for grooms. The designer's clientele includes celebrities and well-known socialites from across the country.

The designer’s bespoke bridal couture house, RichaAhluwalia offers customised heirloom collectiions. The brand crafts India's diverse cultural and design heritage into its creations with elegance, and exquisite 100 per cent handcrafted craftsmanship. Its designs are tailored to elevate the celebratory moments of families by adding a touch of luxury to their cherished memories.

Reliance Retail’s value fashion and lifestyle chain, Smart Bazaar, has expanded its retail presence in Andhra Pradesh by launching its first physical store in Cherukupalli. This new multi-brand store debuted with a variety of special offers for local shoppers.

Offering a wide range of products, including clothing, accessories, groceries, kitchenware, and home ware, Smart Bazaar caters to family-focused shoppers with an emphasis on value retail.

In addition to expanding its brick-and-mortar presence, Smart Bazaar is broadening its brand and product selection. The retail chain recently unveiled its summer clothing collection, which includes womens wear such as ethnic kurta sets and casual western wear in bright colors and relaxed silhouettes.

Launched by Reliance Retail, Smart Bazaar specialises in large-format stores and has been expanding into locations previously occupied by Future Group’s Big Bazaar stores. Smart Bazaar now operates in Tier I, II and III cities across India.

World’s largest integrated fabric manufacturer, Raymond plans to expand its apparel and garment manufacturing capacity with an investment of Rs 200 crore.

The company’s strategic expansion will help increase its garmenting capacity by about one-third, aligning with the global ‘China Plus One; strategy adopted by many international brands. Additionally, the capacity augmentation supports the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. It also enables Raymond to become the world’s third-largest suit maker.

GautamHariSinghania, Chairman & Managing Director, Raymond, says, the company remains committed to delivering value to stakeholders, and is confident of itsability to capitalise on growth opportunities, ensuring sustained success in the future. Thecompany’s three verticals– Lifestyle, Real Estate & Engineering –are aligned with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat,” said Singhania.

Celebrating a landmark year, Raymond achieved its highest-ever annual revenue of Rs 9,286 crore and an EBITDA of Rs1,575 crore in FY’24. This resulted in an impressive growth of 17 per cent in EBITDAmargins

During the year, Raymond focused on expanding its distribution reach by opening over 200 new stores. The company also emphasised premiumisation and casualisation, leading to robust growth of 20 per cent in its Branded Apparel segment, despite a weaker retail industry. This new investment underscores Raymond’s commitment to innovation and growth, reinforcing its position as a leading player in the global apparel industry.