Once seen as demand centers for largely ‘value fashion’, India’s tier 2 towns and beyond have climbed the affordability divide and crossed over, to become a mega-hub for branded and trend-first fashion. E-commerce growth is one of the key drivers to fuel this transformation over the past decade enabling access to the fashion aspirations of Bharat. While tremendous strides are being made, the Big Bharat opportunity is yet to be fully tapped.
Vishak Kumar, CEO, Madura Fashions and Lifestlye – ABFRL and Nandita Sinha, CEO, Myntra get talking about why the trajectory of the business of fashion is closely tied to the ‘Bharat’ consumption story, and how to align the two.
Excerpts from an exciting Fireside Chat at India Fashion Forum 2025…
VK: How would you complete this sentence: ‘To succeed in Bharat, you must…’
NS: You must truly embrace Bharat—it cannot be seen as something separate or distant. It’s about recognising that Bharat is an integral part of who we are. I always remind people that I come from Bharat, from Lucknow, a small town where I studied and grew up. Success in Bharat comes from understanding and connecting with it, not viewing it as “the other.” If you do, you won’t truly succeed.
VK: Is Bharat a single entity, or does it consist of many diverse Bharats’? As a national organisation, how do you navigate and address this complexity?
NS: India is a mosaic of diverse cultures, languages, and traditions, making it home to many ‘Bharats’.’ Moving from one state to another, everything from food to festivals changes. Over the past five to seven years, this regional uniqueness has been more widely celebrated. Post-COVID, there’s a noticeable shift—being Indian is now seen as cool, with festivals from Pongal to Bihu embraced nationwide. For businesses, this means recognising and catering to regional preferences. E-commerce, without physical storefronts, must leverage technology for personalisation, tailoring merchandise to specific regional needs. Partnering with local brands and expanding vernacular accessibility—like the rise of Hinglish searches—are key to effectively engaging Bharat’s diverse consumer base.
VK: Do you have plans to go even more vernacular?
NS: Embracing vernacular content has been transformative. Last year, we tailored our approach for different Bharats’ by engaging local influencers who celebrated their cities while integrating Myntra. This hyper-local strategy resonated more than traditional media, strengthening our connection with regional audiences. Bharat shares metro-city aspirations, and the key is making them accessible through personalisation, regional engagement, and authentic storytelling that truly speaks to each community.
VK: As an e-commerce player, when you enter an established market, seeing the opportunities, how do you differentiate and build further on the market?
NS: E-commerce is evolving alongside India’s digital maturity, requiring multiple playbooks instead of a singular approach. First, brands must adapt strategies to different regions. Second, success lies in partnerships rather than competition—collaborating with brands and retailers to create value together. Third, personalisation is key—ensuring that once consumers arrive on a platform, they experience an environment tailored to their region, preferences, and needs, making their shopping journey more relevant and engaging.
VK: What are the key differences between consumers in Bharat and those in metro cities? Does the fashion quotient vary? Do consumers in Bharat think differently? What major distinctions do you observe, and how do these impact market strategies?
NS: The biggest difference lies in how fashion is perceived and adopted across different consumer segments. In metro cities in India, there are more early adopters of fashion trends, whereas Bharat has fewer early adopters. Additionally, Bharat’s community-centric lifestyle influences fashion choices—clothing that aligns with family and community norms plays a significant role. While it may not seem obvious, data reveals this trend, highlighting the importance of understanding and catering to regional preferences.
VK: When a popular celebrity wears a distinctive outfit in a blockbuster film or when any celebrity sparks a fashion trend in Bharat, is there an opportunity to create an “As Seen on Screen” model similar to ASOS, making those styles instantly accessible to consumers?
NS: Absolutely, I believe there’s a huge opportunity here. In fact, local markets often do a better job of quickly capturing and replicating trending looks from popular films than even large platforms with vast data capabilities. The key is to embrace this agility and improve upon it, making trend-driven fashion more accessible and seamless for consumers. This is a significant opportunity that we should capitalise on.
