These homegrown ethnic celebration wear brands have carved a niche for themselves in the burgeoning traditional wear segment
Bengaluru: Indian celebration wear has transcended geographical boundaries to become a global symbol of elegance and cultural richness. The design, embroidery, and weaving techniques that are part of ethnic ensembles don’t just grab eyeballs but also represent Indian traditions.
Over the years, the market has experienced significant growth that can be attributed to the proliferation of new brands, increased global accessibility to brands facilitated by digitization and the growing consumer inclination towards embracing cultural diversity.
The market size of Indian wear in women’s apparel amounted to Rs 747 billion in the financial year 2021 and it is likely to increase to Rs 1.68 trillion in the financial year 2025, according to data analytics platform Statista.
Here we list six Indian celebration wear brands, ranked in descending order of the number of exclusive retail stores they operate.
Manyavar/Mohey
Menswear brand Manyavar was launched in 1999 by Ravi Modi under the parent company Vedant Fashions Ltd., which was his 24-year-old family business.
The company forayed into ethnic women’s wear with the launch of Mohey in 2015. Apart from Manyavar and Mohey, other apparel brands under Vedant Fashions include Manthan, Twamev and Mebav.
In 2010, Manyavar opened its 100th store in Mumbai and a year later its first international store in Dubai.
Presently, the Kolkata-based brand boasts a retail footprint exceeding 600 stores across more than 240 cities and spanning 5 countries. Additionally, it has established 15 international stores in UAE, Canada, US and UK. The brand is supported by a workforce of over 5,000 employees.
Soch
Soch Apparels Pvt. Ltd. was established in 2005 by Vinay Chatlani with the inauguration of its first exclusive store at Nexus Mall in Bengaluru.
The commencement of its e-commerce website in 2014 marked a pivotal moment in its digital expansion. In 2019, Soch launched its first international store in Nepal and also created a global website.
The Bengaluru-based brand currently boasts a footprint of over 160 stores spread across more than 60 cities in India and has a dedicated team of over 1400 members spread across stores, warehouses and corporate offices.
Meena Bazaar
Meena Bazaar was established in 1970 by Suresh Manglani which began its journey from Chandni Chowk as a small store selling printed sarees.
Today, the brand specialises in ethnic wear staples featuring items such as lehengas, kurta sets, sarees, suits and accessories such as jewellery, clutches and stoles.
Currently, Meena Bazaar has over 70 stores situated across more than 17 states in India. Among these, the company operates three flagship stores located at the Karol Bagh building in New Delhi, Great India Place Mall in Noida, and Mall of India in Noida. The brand aims to open over 250 exclusive brand outlets (EBO) by 2025, as per its official website.
Avantra by Trends
Avantra by Trends, a concept store chain by Reliance Retail was founded in September 2021 as an exclusive saree and women’s ethnic wear brand. The brand marked its entry into physical retailing with the launch of its first flagship store in Bengaluru.
Avantra also forayed into jewellery, accessories, and tailoring services and collaborated with regional weaver clusters and third-party brands, including Nalli Silks and Pothys.
As of today, Avantra by Trends has expanded its footprint to encompass over 69 stores spread across more than 9 states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh.
Tasva
Ethnic menswear brand Tasva was launched in December 2021 with its first retail store at Malleshwaram, Bengaluru. The brand is owned by Indivinity Clothing, a partnership between Tarun Tahiliani (an Indian designer brand) and Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd (ABFRL).
The brand name ‘Tasva’ carries the significance of ‘Tat’ (that) and ‘Sva’ (me/mine), symbolizing everything that is associated with oneself and one’s possessions.
In October 2022, Tasva forayed into the e-commerce marketplace with Myntra, outside of its website. Currently, the Gurgaon-headquartered company boasts a presence with over 65 stores strategically positioned across 30 cities within 19 states across India.
Neeru’s
Neeru’s was founded in 1971 by the mother-son duo Basant Kaur and Harish Kumar. In 1979, Kumar opened its first retail store, which was called Neeru Emporium. Neeru’s Textiles was established in 1983 and was involved in the manufacture and supply of fabrics to over 1,000 retailers nationwide.
Today, the Hyderabad-based retailer owns over 52 EBOs across 25 cities covering 2.5 lakh sq ft of retail space, according to its LinkedIn profile. Neeru’s made its international debut with a store at Meena Bazaar Market in Dubai.
The brand has also formed collaborations with major retail entities including Project Eve, Future Group Co., Landmark Group Co., and Reliance Retail and its products are accessible through more than 74 multi-brand outlets (MBOs) in India.
