Celio India Chief Brand Officer Nidhi Raj has stepped down from his role, just 5–6 months after joining the French menswear brand. The development was confirmed by Raj through a LinkedIn post, where he cited a “global ambition reset and change in direction” as the reason behind his exit.
Announcing the move, Raj wrote, “I am proud of what we were able to build in a limited time right from strengthening product foundations, restoring inventory discipline, rebuilding partner confidence to embedding a sharper quality mindset across teams. I am grateful to the Celio leadership and teams for the opportunity. Equally valuable were all the learnings from working closely with global teams.”
A Veteran Fashion Leader
With over two decades of experience across design, product, and brand leadership, Raj is widely regarded as one of India’s most influential fashion executives. An alumnus of NIFT Delhi, he began his career in denim and menswear before moving into leadership roles at Madura Garments and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL).
At ABFRL, Raj played a pivotal role in transforming Peter England, where he led sourcing and product strategy overhauls that significantly improved Net Promoter Scores and strengthened the brand’s value positioning. He was also instrumental in launching youth-focused sub-brands and scaling kidswear.
Flying Machine Turnaround
Most recently, Raj served as CEO of Flying Machine, a brand under Arvind Fashions Limited, from November 2021. Under his leadership, Flying Machine underwent a strategic revival, expanding its shop-in-shop network by over 300 locations, refreshing its youth-focused brand identity, and strengthening omnichannel performance.
His tenure was marked by innovation-led initiatives, including water-saving denim, traceable fashion products, and sustainability-driven programmes such as farmer-sourced cotton and artisan collaborations. These efforts earned industry recognition and positioned Flying Machine as a Gen Z–focused denim brand.
Raj tendered his resignation from Arvind Fashions in November 2024 and was scheduled to step down on February 28, 2025.
What’s Next
While Celio has not announced a successor following Raj’s exit, the development signals a period of strategic recalibration for the brand.
For Raj, the move appears to mark a transition as he signals readiness to take on new opportunities. “As I look ahead, I am excited about what’s next, building and scaling consumer brands with stronger product depth, sharper retail economics, and long-term brand equity. Onwards, with clarity and renewed energy!” he concluded.
