Mumbai-based apparel brand House of Masaba launched its inaugural store in Chandigarh in a glamorous event hosted by digital creators Meera Bachan and Suhani Bachan, along with other prominent influencers from Chandigarh, adding to the excitement and buzz.
Covering 2,451 sq ft, the expansive store is strategically located on Madhya Marg in Sector 7, a prime area in Chandigarh. Promising an exquisite shopping experience, the new store offers the brand’s new Festive and Pret collections, along with an impressive array of cosmetics and beauty products from LoveChild by Masaba. The thoughtfully curated collections cater to the diverse tastes and preferences of the modern Indian consumer.
The Chandigarh store marks another milestone in House of Masaba's journey of growth and expansion. The brand now boasts a total of 15 stores across India, including four in Delhi, four in Mumbai, two in Bengaluru, and one each in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Gurugram, Kolkata, and Ludhiana. Each store is a testament to the brand's commitment to quality, style, and customer satisfaction.
House of Masaba's presence extends beyond physical stores, with a strong international presence through its online platform.

The National Capital Region (NCR) retail sector is experiencing a significant resurgence. While malls currently hold the edge in terms of growth, with a significant 65 per cent year-on-year increase in retail leasing activity compared to the first half of 2023. However, high streets are not to be outdone. There is a growing preference for high-street shopping, particularly among younger demographics, says a new Knight Frank India study ‘Think India Think Retail 2024’.
This trend is driven by several factors. One major catalyst is rising consumption, a growing and aspirational consumer base in NCR is driving demand for retail spaces. The NCR has seen expansion of retailers, both domestic and international brands, are keen to tap into the vast market potential, leading to increased leasing activity. Also, malls are evolving beyond just shopping destinations, offering entertainment, dining, and leisure options to create a holistic experience for consumers.
What makes high streets attractive?
However, high streets are not to be outdone. The report indicates a growing preference for high-street shopping, particularly among younger demographics. This trend is driven by convenience as high streets offer a more accessible and walkable shopping experience. They often house local boutiques and independent brands, providing a curated and differentiated shopping experience. Also, rents on high streets are generally lower than in malls, making them attractive to smaller retailers and budget-conscious consumers.
The report identifies Gurgaon, Noida, and Delhi as the leading retail markets within NCR. Each area caters to a slightly different segment. Gurgaon is known for its affluent population and corporate workforce, Gurgaon boasts high-end malls and designer boutiques. Noida is a rapidly developing area that offers a mix of established malls and upcoming high-street markets. Delhi, the capital city offers a diverse retail landscape, encompassing traditional markets, high-street shopping areas, and prominent malls.
NCR's specific retail behaviour
Malls currently hold a larger share of the retail space compared to high streets in NCR. The report suggests a 60/40 split in terms of retail space occupancy, with malls holding a larger share. However, the high street segment is expected to grow at a faster pace in the coming years. This can be attributed to the presence of established anchor stores, wider brand variety, and a controlled environment. High streets are gaining traction due to lower rentals, a more community-oriented feel, and the flexibility to cater to niche markets. NCR consumers exhibit a distinct retail behavior pattern.
Brand consciousness: There's a strong emphasis on established brands, both domestic and international.
Value for money: While brand conscious, NCR consumers are also price-sensitive and seek value for their purchases.
Digital influence: Online shopping and social media play a significant role in influencing buying decisions.
Fashion and apparel account for the largest share of retail space in NCR, both in malls and on high streets. Malls tend to house established fashion brands and larger stores, while high streets offer a wider variety of smaller boutiques and budget-friendly options. The growing disposable income and brand consciousness among NCR's population continue to fuel the growth of the fashion retail sector.
This report gives a positive picture of the NCR retail landscape, with both malls and high streets poised for continued growth. As consumer preferences evolve and the retail landscape adapts, NCR is likely to remain a major retail hub in India.

A recent report by Knight Frank India, ‘Think India Think Retail 2024’, highlights the dynamic picture of retail landscape in south India especially Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Retail scenario in Bengaluru
Bangalore's tech-savvy population is driving the retail boom. Consumers are increasingly comfortable with online shopping, but also value the physical shopping experience for socializing, trying on products, and availing immediate gratification. This translates to a 'phygital' retail experience, where online research and offline purchases go hand-in-hand. Indeed, the city's retail space is divided between traditional and non-traditional retail. However, the report suggests that organized retail is steadily gaining traction, particularly within malls.
Malls are currently witnessing stronger growth compared to high streets in this metro. This is due to several factors. What works for malls is they offer a one-stop-shop experience with diverse brands, entertainment options, and a comfortable ambience, catering to the evolving consumer preferences. Also they attract leading national and international brands, which are a major draw for the metro’s young and brand-conscious population. Malls provide a platform for organized retail chains to flourish, offering standardized quality and wider product selection.
Some of the leading markets include in the metro are: Commercial Street, Brigade Road, Koramangala, MG Road. Among malls the popular ones are Orion Mall, Phoenix Marketcity, UB City and Forum Mall.
Malls lead in Chennai
While both high streets and malls are experiencing growth, malls are currently leading the charge. Chennai's consumers exhibit some distinct shopping behaviour. That is, Chennaiites are known to be value-conscious shoppers, seeking good quality at competitive prices. This is evident in the continued success of traditional retail formats. For the metro’s population, familiarity breeds trust. Local brands and stores with a long-standing reputation often enjoy strong customer loyalty. Chennai's retail landscape is a unique blend of traditional and modern formats. Traditional stores still hold a significant share of the market, particularly for daily essentials and groceries. However, organized retail, including supermarkets and national chain stores, is witnessing steady growth, especially in malls. The report indicates a higher share of retail space occupied by malls compared to high streets. This trend is likely to continue due.
Some of Chennai's most popular shopping destinations are T. Nagar, renowned for its gold shops and textile stores. Parry's Corner, a hub for electronics and gadgets. Pondy Bazaar, is a one-stop shop for everything from clothes and footwear to wedding trousseaus.
Hyderabad malls flourish
Malls are currently experiencing stronger growth compared to high streets in Hyderabad. Hyderabadis exhibit distinct shopping behaviour as they are known for being bargain-savvy, seeking good quality at reasonable prices. However, there's a growing brand consciousness, particularly among the younger generation. National and international brands are increasingly sought after. Hyderabad witnesses a boost in retail activity during festivals like Diwali and Dussehra. As of 2021, traditional retail still holds the major share (75 per cent) of Hyderabad's retail market. However, organized retail (malls, supermarkets, etc.) is growing at a healthy pace (18 per cent), with e-commerce capturing the remaining 7 per cent. The report suggests that a larger share of organized retail currently resides in malls due to the factors mentioned earlier. However, high streets are not fading away. They cater to budget-conscious shoppers and offer a unique local flavour.
Hyderabad boasts of prominent shopping hubs like Banjara Hills, the upscale area known for luxury brands and designer boutiques. Charminar, a bustling market with its historic charm, offering traditional wear, jewellery, and local crafts. Begumpura popular for electronics, clothing, and household items.
Fashion rules across the metros
Interestingly, one common factor among all three metros is that fashion/apparel retail holds a significant share in retail space, catering to the fashion-forward population. Malls are likely to have a larger share of fashion retail due to the presence of prominent national and international brands. However, high streets still boast a strong presence of local boutiques and budget-friendly fashion options. The region’s vibrant textile heritage and growing brand consciousness contribute to this dominance. Malls tend to house premium and international fashion brands, while high streets offer a wider range of options catering to different budgets in all metros.

Big Hello, a specialty fashion brand catering to plus-sized individuals, has launched four new retail experience stores in Hyderabad. Situated in the Kukatpally, Upperpally, Miyapur, and Panjagutta neighborhoods, these stores offer stylish and high-quality fashion clothing and accessories for plus-sized men and women in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Designed as 'Experience Stores,' the Hyderabad outlets boast vibrant interiors with dancing mannequins and exceptional customer service. They feature a dedicated lounge area, a first in India, allowing customers to shop comfortably. With this expansion, Big Hello now operates 11 physical retail stores across Bangalore, Chennai, Vijayawada, and Hyderabad, in addition to its e-commerce platform.

Vishnu Prasad, Founder and CEO of Absolute Brands and Retail Pvt Ltd (ABRPL), expressed excitement about catering to Hyderabad's fashion-forward community. He highlighted Big Hello's commitment to providing stylish, well-fitting clothes for plus-sized individuals. The brand offers a diverse range of western and Indian ethnic wear, including shirts, trousers, kurtas, and accessories like belts and scarves.

Prasad further announced plans to open eight more stores in Hyderabad by the end of the financial year and expand into other southern states, aiming to establish Big Hello as the premier destination for plus-size fashion in India.

The Indian plus-size fashion market, valued at Rs 88,000 crore, holds a 12 per cent share of the overall fashion market, with organized sector accounting for Rs 29,000 crore. Expected CAGR for the next five years is 25 per cent.

India's retail sector, once basking in the afterglow of revenge spending, is experiencing a slowdown. The initial surge in purchases across categories, from clothing to automobiles, seems to be fading as consumer sentiment weakens.
A Retailers Association of India (RAI) survey of top 100 retailers revealed, the previous fiscal year (FY24) saw a significant decline in year-on-year retail sales growth across segments. The previous fiscal's comparatively slower growth rate of 4-7 per cent has continued into the current fiscal year (FY25), with April showing only a 4 per cent rise.
Global giants like Zara and Starbucks reported their slowest ever sales growth in India during FY24 (excluding the pandemic year). Vedant Fashions, owner of Manyavar, a leading men's ethnicwear brand, has witnessed five consecutive quarters of weak wedding season sales for the first time.
Reasons for the slowdown
RAI's CEO, Kumar Rajagopalan, attributes the slowdown to a combination of factors. He highlights the increased use of EMI (equated monthly instalments) for big-ticket items like electronics and cars by nearly 70 per cent consumers, particularly the middle class, compared to 40 per cent pre-pandemic. This has impacted disposable income and discretionary spending. The initial post-pandemic surge in spending, fuelled by pent-up demand, has subsided. Consumers upgraded wardrobes and frequented restaurants as restrictions eased, leading to high growth rates of 13-24 per cent in FY23. However, this momentum is not sustainable. Meanwhile, direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands on social media platforms are taking away market share from established players, particularly in the fashion segment.
Devarajan Iyer, CEO of Lifestyle International, India's largest departmental store chain attributes the slowdown to cautious consumer spending, particularly in Tier II cities, where disposable income is a bigger concern. He anticipates this trend to persist for at least the next few quarters.
Experts predict a potential recovery in the next two to three quarters. As Dalip Sehgal, CEO, Nexus Select opines, while fashion brands struggle, other categories like electronics and beauty show healthy growth. Established brands need to reinvent themselves to compete with D2C players. He expects a better second half of the year.
Industry experts remain optimistic, anticipating a gradual improvement in consumer spending as macroeconomic factors improve and retail inflation moderates. And Saurabh Kalra, MD, Westlife Foodworld believes out-of-home consumption trends are stabilizing sequentially, but remain lower year-on-year. He anticipates improvement in discretionary spending as economic conditions improve and inflation moderates.
The Indian retail sector finds itself at a crossroads. While the initial post-pandemic euphoria has subsided, there are signs of a potential rebound. The onus lies on retailers to adapt to changing consumer preferences, embrace innovation, and navigate the growing D2C landscape to stay relevant in the evolving retail ecosystem.

Flipkart's budget-friendly e-commerce platform competing with Meesho and Amazon Bazaar, Shopsy has appointed Prathyusha Agarwal as its new head. Agarwal will also serve as vice president at Flipkart. Previously, she was the chief business officer at edtech firm Byju’s, and has held positions at Zee Entertainment, Tata Cliq, and Unilever, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Agarwal succeeds Adarsh Menon, the former senior vice president who also led Flipkart’s ReCommerce division and other new ventures. Menon left Flipkart last October to become the global president of car rental company Zoomcar.
Agarwal's appointment comes amid significant executive changes at Flipkart. On May 20, Anuj Rathi was named CEO of Flipkart's travel booking unit Cleartrip, following the departures of former CEO Ayyappan R and former CFO Aditya Agarwal.
Additionally, senior vice president of customer growth and retention, marketing, and ads Prabh Simran Singh, and vice president of monetisation Sankalp Mehrotra, are set to exit the company. Other senior vice presidents, including Amitesh Jha (marketplace and categories lead), Dheeraj A (fintech and payments head), and Bharath Ram (growth and retention leader), have also departed in recent months.
Flipkart launched Shopsy in 2021 to target low average selling price (ASP) categories, offering primarily unbranded products in segments such as apparel, small electronics, and kitchenware. This sector remains highly competitive, with Amazon introducing its low-priced fashion and lifestyle platform, Bazaar, in April. Reliance-owned Ajio is also preparing to launch a similar platform, Ajio Street.

Global fashion accessories brand, Accessorize London is set to expand its footprint in the Indian travel retail market. Known for its trendy bags, jewelry, hair accessories, and kids' items, the brand aims to capitalise on India's booming tourism industry.
Outlining the brand’s expansion strategy, Kumar Saurabh, CEO, Planet Retail Holdings, says, the brand plans to meet the rising demand for quality fashion accessories by opening new stores in key transit areas such as Pune and Hyderabad airports.
Prominent among the company’s plans is to launch around 80 stores in the next five years with an average of 10-15 stores annually. Accessorize London also plans to boost its ecommerce presence.
Having built a robust presence in travel retail, particularly in India, over the past 17 years, the brand currently operates stores in major airports such as Delhi Indira Gandhi International, Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International, and Bengaluru Kempegowda International.
The extensive experience garnered by Accessorize London enables it to understand all consumer preferences and upcoming trends in the travel retail sector thoroughly. This further enables the brand to stay ahead of market changes and cater to the needs of both international and domestic travelers. he notes.
Besides its popular trendy bags, Accessorize London offers a variety of travel essentials, including beach bags, beaded jewelry, utility items such as pouches and card holders, sunglasses, and hats.
The brand aims to establish itself as one of the most preferred brands for essential and fashionable accessories in India. It aims to be the go-to destination for quality, style, and innovative fashion pieces, catering to a wide range of customer preferences and needs, adds Saurabh.

Driven by increasing demand, rising online sales and ongoing expansion of brick-and-mortar stores, apparel brand Cantabil Retail is set to more than double its topline growth rate this fiscal year, notes Deepak Bansal, Director.

Having added 86 new stores in fiscal 2023-24, the New Delhi-based retailer plans to open another 80-90 stores this fiscal year. These stores will be added in the ratio of 1:3 between Tier I and Tier II/III cities across India.

The company expects business to grow by 25 per cent this year, says Bansal. He attributes this to sales growth at existing stores, increased online transactions, and the addition of new outlets.

A manufacturer of a part of its product line in-house, Cantabil Retail aims to enhance its production capacity by 25 per cent. Additionally, the brand plans to strengthen its workforce by 800 employees.

In FY 2023-24, the company recorded a 12 per cent Y-o-Y growth in its revenue to Rs 616 crore. However, its bottom line took a 7.4 per cent hit, falling to Rs 62 crore from Rs 67 crore in the previous year, due to subdued demand.

Currently, the apparel segment accounts for 95 per cent of Cantabil’s total revenue, with accessories contributing the remaining 5 per cent. With the company having expanded its accessories segment including footwear, activewear, and luggage items last year, Bansal expects performance to improve in these areas in FY25.