Atomic Capital invests in Anny, a fashion brand for India's growing market

Gen Z gets their own brand. Aditya Birla makes their move. I want to break down why OWND!'s launch in Bangalore signals a major shift in Indian fashion retail. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝: Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL) launched OWND! - a new value fashion brand specifically targeting Gen Z and trend-conscious youth. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬: Inaugural store: Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore Store size: 9,696 sq. ft across multiple levels Experience: Modern high-street shopping Mission: Trendy yet affordable apparel under one roof 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: ABFRL already owns Pantaloons, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Peter England. Now they're going after a segment that existing brands couldn't fully capture. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Born 1997-2012, they're now 12-27 years old Different shopping behaviors than millennials Value authenticity, affordability, and trend-consciousness Want brands that "get" their digital-first lifestyle 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲: Instead of trying to make existing brands younger, they created a brand from scratch for this audience. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭: Gen Z's purchasing power is exploding Fast fashion is under scrutiny - value fashion fills the gap Post-pandemic, physical retail is making a comeback Bangalore as launch city targets India's tech-savvy youth 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Direct competition: Zara, H&M, Forever 21 Indian players: Myntra, Ajio, Max Fashion The challenge: Standing out in oversaturated fast fashion 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐃! 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐁𝐅𝐑𝐋: Strengthening their play in India's fast-growing youth fashion segment Diversifying beyond their traditional customer base Testing ground for Gen Z retail strategies 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬: Can a traditional conglomerate authentically connect with Gen Z? Will physical stores work for a generation that shops online? How will they balance trendy with affordable in today's inflation? 𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: If OWND! cracks the Gen Z code in Bangalore, expect rapid expansion across metro cities. The brand name itself suggests ownership and personal connection - exactly what this generation values. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: Every major retailer is chasing Gen Z because they know whoever wins this generation wins the next decade of fashion retail. Will Gen Z embrace a legacy company's attempt to speak their language? What do YOU think? --- I'm P Dharmik and I talk about 1 business every day. You can follow me for such detailed insights! This is P Dharmik - see you tomorrow with another brand and another learning. [Image courtesy: MarketingMind]

Can ABFRL’s OWND! Win the Gen Z Fashion Game? I read about ABFRL launching OWND!, a new fast fashion brand targeted at Gen Z. That name is intriguing but then there's wrogn, girggit, Drippin Moncky and more of the GenZ brand vocab out there so these are the kind that are working 😜. Given the deep footprint of competitors like zudio and h&m, can ‘ownd’ make it? → Advantage ABFRL Talent, Scale + supply chain: ABFRL’s sourcing and distribution strength allows sharper pricing and faster trend response. Gen Z want fashion that’s both trendy + affordable. Ecosystem play: With digital + offline retail, OWND! can plug into loyalty programs and omnichannel strategies. High-street experience: Stores designed as hangout spaces, not just retail outlets, aligning with Gen Z’s social + immersive shopping mindset. → The Challenge Value fashion is crowded and highly price-competitive. If ABFRL cracks the formula, OWND! could become its youth engine, building early brand loyalty and scaling across India’s next-wave cities. If you are planning a start a fast fashion business or know someone who is, there could be no better time. I have created a list of 10 things that actually make a low budget fast fashion business work, 1. Pick one tight niche One line + one vibe (e.g., “minimal cotton co-ords for college & WFH”). 3. Start with micro-batches + pre-orders Make 5–10 samples, shoot them, open for orders, get reviews then produce next batch. 4. Two small, fast makers Find 2 job-work units with low MOQs. Negotiate for sampling and regular orders. Keep packs simple (front/back, fabric, length, size chart). 4. A tiny but tight catalogue Launch with 8–12 styles, each in 1–2 colors, sizes XS–XL. Add sizes or colors only when a style proves itself. 5-10 You’re halfway to receive the rest of the no-jargon list about “how to start a low-budget, online-first fast-fashion business”. Comment the one step you are struggling with most to start your business and I will share the checklist with you. #MarketingMind #AdityaBirlaFashion #GenZ #FashionRetail #WhatsBuzzing

Aditya Birla just launched OWND! to compete with Gen Z's favourite - Tata's $1 billion empire Zudio. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. just launched OWND! in Bengaluru, targeting Gen Z with fashion under ₹1,200. Their first store spans 9,696 sq ft with over 10,000 styles starting at ₹399. This puts them directly against many competitors. 📍Trent Ltd's Zudio, which has more than 500+ stores and has generated a revenue of more than $1 billion. 📍Even global players are jumping in - H&M expanded their basics range, UNIQLO's rolling out compact stores with lower prices. Everyone wants a piece of India's value fashion market. But here's what makes ABFRL's [Aditya Birla Fashion Retail Limited] move brilliant. 📌 Instead of building from scratch, they're converting their 49 existing StyleUp stores to OWND! They'll reach 100 stores by year-end, then scale to 400 in 3-5 years. No hunting for locations. No negotiating new leases. Just smart reallocation of existing resources. 📌 Pantaloons and OWND! CEO Sangeeta Pendurkar understands that young consumers are shaping fashion trends at an undeniable pace. OWND!'s strategy is clear - vibrant identity, trend-led products, and sharp pricing that doesn't compromise on style. What I find fascinating here is how companies are reimagining failure into opportunity. Those underperforming StyleUp stores aren't being shut down - they're being reborn as something entirely different. Sometimes disruption doesn't require starting fresh. It requires courage to transform what's already there. Having spent decades in sourcing and retail, I've seen how quickly markets shift. The company that owned premium brands like Louis Philippe now fights in value retail. That's not desperation - it's evolution. Which brand do you think will win this value fashion war?

The Silent Saboteur: Why Unstructured Online Sourcing is Killing New Fashion Brands (Especially Women's Wear) In the race to drop new collections faster, many emerging fashion brands are falling for the allure of quick, unverified online sourcing platforms (be it a DM, a random B2B portal, or an unvetted marketplace). While it offers quick replies and low MOQs, this approach is a silent, slow killer of sustainable growth. The Reality Check: While you're still struggling to showcase and highlight your latest product line, giants like Aditya Birla, Reliance, Zudio, BSPL, and Myntra never stopped appearing. Your true competitive edge isn't just creativity – it’s a supply chain built for consistency, control, and continuity that allows you to keep pace. The Stakes Are Higher for Women's Wear Brands 👚 Each women's garment demands 1.5−2x more fabric and trims than men's wear. Unstructured sourcing directly impacts your entire cost base. A small fluctuation in fabric cost or a supply delay disproportionately erodes margins, a problem no amount of brand storytelling can fix. The Momentum Trap: Sustaining a fashion brand today requires constant engagement: continuous product drops, community interaction, and fresh reasons for your audience to return. Losing that rhythm – due to inconsistent product availability or unreliable quality – leads to a crashed engagement curve. What began as perceived agility quickly devolves into operational chaos: mismatched dye lots, unavailable repeats, unpredictable lead times, and zero traceability when you finally attempt to scale. All your marketing, content, and influencer efforts become sunk costs because your operations can't support your visibility. To build sustainable, scalable fashion brands in India, we must look beyond the instant gratification of unvetted online channels. #FashionBusiness #SourcingStrategy #WomensWear #FashionEntrepreneurship #SupplyChain #Sustainability #D2C #Textiles #BrandBuilding #MadeInIndia Prateek Yadav | Ankit Jaipuria | Amrit Aakash | Nitish Raj | Ankit Shukla | Deepak Mishra

The ₹12 lakh collection that sold only 3 pieces taught me more about fashion business than any success ever could. Two years ago, I watched a promising D2C brand launch what they called their "signature collection"—40 SKUs, premium pricing, celebrity endorsements, the works. Six months later: 93% dead stock, cash flow crisis, and a founder questioning everything. But here’s what that "failure" revealed about sustainable fashion businesses: 🔺 The Collection Failure Triangle Where most collections die: - Product-Market Misalignment – The dream vs reality gap - Operational Blindspots – The hidden cost trap - Brand Identity Crisis – The "everything for everyone" problem The Real Story This founder—let’s call her Priya—had everything on paper: design background, Y Combinator connects, genuine passion. Her mistake? Designing for herself, not her customer. Her ₹50,000 kurtas were stunning. Her target buyer? Still shopping at ₹15000. The brutal math: CAC: ₹8500 AOV: ₹32,000 Returns: 40% due to sizing issues The Framework That Could Have Saved Millions Phase 1: Validation Before Production ✔ Test 3-5 hero pieces via pre-orders ✔ Validate price sensitivity with purchases, not surveys ✔ Map real customer journey Phase 2: Smart Inventory Strategy ✔ Smaller MOQs (even if unit costs are higher) ✔ Plan 6–8 inventory turns, not 2–3 ✔ Manufacturers who understand startup constraints Phase 3: Brand-Led Launch ✔ Define your why before your what ✔ Solve one customer problem exceptionally well ✔ Create scarcity through exclusivity, not hype The Turnaround Priya pivoted instead of quitting: Affordable luxury at ₹15000– 35,000 12 bestsellers instead of 40 SKUs Pre-order model for launches Built community before inventory 18 months later → ₹2.3 crore ARR, profitable margins. The Mental Model Every failed collection = expensive market research. Smart founders use failure as data, not a death sentence. Or as one told me: "My ₹8 lakh mistake taught me what ₹8 crore in sales couldn’t—that customers buy feelings, not features." The Sustainable Success Formula Niche clarity > Broad appeal Community building > Paid acquisition Inventory discipline > Growth at all costs Brand story > Product features 💡 In fashion, your first collection rarely defines you. Your response to its performance does. 👉 What’s one mistake that taught you more than success? Share in the comments—we need to normalize learning from failures in fashion. Follow me for frameworks that turn creative vision into profitable reality. #FashionBusiness #D2CFashion #StartupLessons #FashionFounders #InventoryManagement #BrandStrategy #FashionEntrepreneur #DesignHouse #FashionStartup #SustainableFashion #IndianFashion #FashionConsulting #RetailStrategy #BusinessGrowth #FailureToSuccess

🚀 Battle for Gen Z Fashion Heats Up! ABFRL Launches OWND! to Rival Zudio with a BOLD Value Play! The value fashion segment in India just got a massive new challenger. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL) has officially launched OWND!, a dynamic new brand built exclusively to capture the heart and wallet of India's Gen Z consumer, aiming directly at the market dominance of the Tata Group's highly successful Zudio. *Primary Target - Gen Z (1997-2012 born), Fashion-forward youth. *Pricing Strategy-Under ₹1,200 (Styles starting from ₹399) * Store Expansion-Targeting 100 stores by end of FY26. Converting 49 existing 'Style Up' stores. * Store Productivity-Expected to be high, accelerating ABFRL's value * Company Scale (FY25/Q1 FY26)-ABFRL Revenue: ₹1,831 Cr (Q1 FY26) 💡How OWND! Plans to Disrupt a Leader like Zudio Zudio has thrived by mastering the formula of high style + sharp value + rapid inventory refresh. To truly gain market share, OWND! will need a differentiated approach: 1. Hyper-Focus on Gen Z Culture: OWND!'s core mission is to empower youth to "own every moment" with a "trendy, spunky, and energetic" ethos. This means an intense focus on current micro-trends, contemporary store layouts, and a youthful brand identity to forge a deeper, emotional connection with a demographic that values individuality and digital relevance. 2. Affordable On-trend Fashion: By positioning itself as "Affordable On-trend Fashion," ABFRL is signaling that while it's value-driven, its primary differentiator is trend-led products. The average OWND! garment is likely to be slightly more fashion-forward than Zudio's vast essentials-heavy range. 3. Metro & Mini-Metro Strategy: OWND! is focusing on metros and mini-metros initially, where Gen Z's fashion adoption rate is highest. This is a subtle shift from Zudio, which has successfully penetrated Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. 4. Supply Chain Expertise (ABFRL’s Backing): Backed by the robust supply chain and retail expertise of the entire Aditya Birla Group, OWND! has the capability to quickly scale operations, manage a vast SKU range, and maintain quality, factors critical to competing with Zudio's lean, high-turnover model. The value fashion segment is no longer a footnote—it's the next big battleground. With Reliance's Yousta also in the mix, this competition is set to redefine fashion accessibility in India. #AdityaBirlaFashion #ABFRL #OWND #Zudio #ValueFashion #GenZ #RetailStrategy #IndianRetail #FashionIndustry

When shapewear became ‘every-wear’ ~ the inside story of SKIMS and why IPO buzz is heating up Let’s pull back the curtain on SKIMS - not just a celebrity label, but a company run with CPG discipline. Strategic Genesis: Category Creation Meets Operational Rigor Founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian with Jens and Emma Grede, SKIMS redefined shapewear as solutionwear - inclusive, functional and everyday. Kim is hands-on as Chief Creative Officer, shaping fabrics, tones and campaigns. Her direct involvement, paired with the Gredes’ operational rigor, turned a personal pain point into a scalable business model that married influence with infrastructure. Unit Economics Before Hype By 2023, SKIMS generated $750–900 million in revenue with 50–60% gross margins - exceptional for apparel. Insiders say it broke even within 3–4 years, reflecting strong sell-through and lean inventory. SKIMS behaves less like a celebrity brand and more like a margin-focused CPG enterprise - controlling demand, pace and price discipline instead of chasing virality. Scaling Infrastructure: From DTC to Global Omnichannel The next chapter is scale. SKIMS is expanding into Europe, opening flagships and localizing logistics - all hallmarks of IPO-ready infrastructure. The shift from pure DTC to omnichannel echoes lululemon’s evolution: own the narrative, then own the distribution. Behind the marketing lies serious investment in R&D, inclusive sizing and replenishment systems - the operational backbone of sustained margin health. Cultural Equity, Engineered Growth SKIMS’ collaborations have become category events. Fendi × SKIMS, SWAROVSKI × SKIMS, and Nike x SKIMS illustrate its range across luxury, performance and culture. These aren’t stunts but strategic brand bridges that grow awareness and pricing power. Expansion into menswear, lounge and swim widens reach while preserving identity. The balance of inclusivity, scarcity and precision keeps cultural equity compounding. IPO Outlook: Optionality, Not Urgency Kim Kardashian owns about 35% of SKIMS, now valued near $4 billion. IPO preparations are real, though Jens Grede stresses there’s “no immediate decision to go public.” Leadership is focused on proving global unit economics and optimizing channel mix before listing. The window will open a likely in the next favorable cycle - positioning SKIMS as the template for modern celebrity-founded CPG brands. In closing: SKIMS didn’t just commercialize shapewear, it industrialized it. It shows how cultural capital, paired with operational precision, builds enduring brands. The IPO talk isn’t hype; it’s the logical next step for a company engineered for scale. When SKIMS does go public, it won’t just mark another celebrity success, it will mark the moment shapewear and brand-led entrepreneurship itself, became every-wear.

Why Most Fashion Brands Fail After ₹1 Crore in Revenue If your fashion brand just crossed ₹1 crore/year — congratulations. Now comes the part where most founders die. And it’s not because your product stops selling. It’s because your business model stops scaling. Let me explain 👇 1️⃣ You’re still running it like a boutique. At ₹10L/month in sales, your mindset must shift: From “creating clothes” → to “manufacturing demand.” You don’t need more SKUs. You need more systems. If you’re still doing: Manual inventory checks WhatsApp-based logistics Random influencer deals Then you’re not running a brand — you’re running a hustle. 2️⃣ You’re addicted to new launches. Most founders chase “next drop” dopamine. They launch new collections to hide old problems. 💡 Truth: Scaling doesn’t come from more products. It comes from more people buying the same product, more often, at higher prices. That’s how Zara grows — not through new designs, but by selling the same core product in 10 new ways. 3️⃣ You never build a predictable acquisition system. Your first ₹1 crore came from viral reels, word of mouth, or friends. Cool. But none of those scale predictably. To cross ₹5 crore, you need: Paid ads that convert (Meta + Google) Creatives tested weekly Retargeting loops CAC-to-LTV tracking 📊 Benchmarks (India D2C fashion): CAC: ₹250–₹400 LTV: 3x CAC ROAS: 3.2–4.5x CPM: ₹200–₹400 If you don’t know these numbers… you’re flying blind. 4️⃣ You build brand before you build margin. Too many founders do influencer campaigns, PR, and “aesthetic shoots” too early. Here’s the truth: 👉 Brand pays you later. Sales pay you now. You can’t buy billboards with brand awareness. Stack cash → then build brand equity. Once you hit ₹10–₹20 crore, brand becomes your multiplier. Before that, it’s your anchor. 5️⃣ You don’t have systems — you have superheroes. At ₹1 crore+, your biggest risk isn’t competition — it’s your team. Most founders burn out because everything runs through them: Approvals, shoots, vendors, ads, returns — everything. 💡 Install systems, not saviors. Use scaling logic: SOPs for customer service, shipping, refunds Weekly “Gametape Reviews” for marketing performance “Monday Hour One” — one focused hour each week for revenue-driving planning You don’t need more ideas. You need discipline.

🚀 India’s fashion revolution is here – powered by D2C startups! By eliminating middlemen, these brands deliver trendy, affordable, and fast fashion directly to customers. From Marvel tees to vegan leather bags, they’re reshaping how India shops. Here are the Top D2C Fashion Startups you need to know 👇 ✅ The Souled Store – Pop culture meets fashion ✅ Bewakoof – Fun & affordable styles ✅ Snitch – Urban & edgy men’s wear ✅ Miraggio – Vegan leather bags ✅ Berrylush – Trend-driven women’s wear These brands thrive on social media buzz, influencer collabs, and real-time customer feedback. 💬 Which one’s your favorite? Comment below! www.tycoonstory.com/ #d2c #fashionretail #indianstartups #directtoconsumer #ecommerce #fashiontrends

Meet the IIT Delhi duo redefining men’s essentials in India Back in 2018, IIT Delhi graduates Anurag Saboo and Gaurav Pushkar realized one simple truth — men’s innerwear in India hadn’t changed in decades. The same white vests, the same outdated fabrics, and ads showing “macho men” with no real innovation. So, they decided to change the game — and that’s how DaMensch was born. DaMensch isn’t just another apparel brand; it’s a movement to make men’s wear smarter, more comfortable, and more human. Their goal? To create products that reflect the modern man — intelligent, sensitive, and confident — not the outdated stereotype of masculinity. Their viral campaign #TheNewMachismo redefined strength as empathy, while #TrueShades introduced vests in five skin tones — solving a simple but ignored problem: white vests showing under shirts. This focus on innovation and inclusivity instantly set DaMensch apart. Today, the brand is known for premium-quality fabrics, timeless designs, and sustainability. Every product goes through rounds of customer testing and real feedback before launch — a reason why DaMensch is among the highest-rated men’s wear brands on Amazon. What started online has now gone offline too, with 25+ exclusive stores across India. The brand clocked an impressive ₹91 crore revenue in FY24, growing steadily without compromising on profitability or values. Instead of deep discounts, DaMensch builds trust through storytelling, comfort, and community. From innerwear to loungewear, the founders are expanding thoughtfully, ensuring every new product solves a real problem. As Anurag says, “We’re not building just another fashion label — we’re building a brand for today’s men, one that values comfort, emotion, and intelligence.” With big plans to scale to 100+ stores and go global soon, DaMensch is proving that even the most basic wardrobe essential can become a bold statement of identity, comfort, and modern masculinity. #DaMensch #IITDelhi #StartupStory #Menswear #MadeInIndia #SustainableFashion #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #D2C #MensStyle #startuphome