In a bold move that underscores India’s growing appetite for instant gratification in retail, Slikk, the country’s first 60-minute fashion delivery platform, has secured $10 million in a Series A round led by Nexus Venture Partners, with continued support from early investor Lightspeed. The Bengaluru-based startup, founded by Akshay Gulati, Om Prakash Swami, and Bipin Singh, is now gearing up to scale what many see as fashion’s next frontier—instant delivery.
The fresh funding is set to supercharge Slikk’s expansion plans: from venturing into new lifestyle categories like beauty, personal care, accessories and wearables, to pioneering instant returns—a move that may redefine customer trust in online shopping. The brand also plans to broaden its geographic reach across more Indian metros, capitalizing on rising urban demand for quick commerce.
“Slikk, since inception, has delivered a high-quality customer experience through our 60-minute delivery model,” said CEO Akshay Gulati. “Brands have been able to unlock new users at a hyperlocal level. With this new round, we intend to double down on that promise and offer a significantly wider range of products and experiences.”
Beyond the Runway: From Design Dynamics to Delivery Dynamics
Fashion has long influenced consumer lifestyles and behaviours, often serving as one of the strongest triggers for purchasing intent and trend adoption. It’s no surprise then that fashion has had a ripple effect beyond the closet—impacting adjacent categories like personal electronics, where design and desirability drive accelerated adoption.
The rise of fast fashion revolutionised how consumers viewed style cycles. But now, quick commerce is taking this acceleration a step further. If fast fashion brought global trends to your wardrobe in weeks, platforms like Slikk aim to do it within an hour—redefining not just how people dress, but how they shop.
The success of players like Slikk proves that today’s retail battleground isn’t just about style or shelf—it’s about speed, service, and systems. It’s not just design dynamics, but delivery dynamics that are shaping the future of shopping.
Much of this transformation is powered by AI-driven backend models—from dark stores that manage hyperlocal inventory, to systems that optimise ordering, picking, packing, and last-mile delivery in real time. Slikk’s dark store network acts as a strategic enabler, keeping popular SKUs close to demand clusters and enabling instant response to trending products.
These early learnings from quick commerce can serve as valuable playbooks for traditional fashion retail, inspiring new models of inventory management, returns handling, and customer experience.
Fashion’s Quick Commerce Moment
Once reserved for groceries and household essentials, quick commerce has evolved into an aspirational convenience layer for digitally native consumers. India’s Gen Z and young millennial cohorts, who are no strangers to ‘swipe-to-buy’ behaviours, now expect their fashion fix just as fast as their food orders. Slikk has tapped into this pulse—delivering curated fashion within 60 minutes, supported by a Try & Buy model, instant refunds, and a mobile interface designed for social-native shoppers.
According to company insiders, customer retention and repeat usage metrics are among the highest in the category, reinforcing investor confidence.
“Slikk’s take on fashion commerce was refreshingly ahead of its time,” said Rahul Taneja, Partner at Lightspeed. “We’re happy to double down on our investment and support their expansion into newer categories.”
Nexus Venture Partners, which also backs Zepto, sees fashion as the next great disruption.
“Fashion is the definitive next frontier for digital disruption,” said Pratik Poddar, Partner at Nexus. “The Slikk team’s deep category insights and strategic execution are precisely what this moment demands.”
A Market Ripe for Disruption
India’s apparel market is projected to touch $109.45 billion by 2025, while beauty and personal care is forecast to cross $34 billion. Add to this an increasingly trend-driven, impatient consumer base and a digital infrastructure ripe for hyperlocal optimisation—and the opportunity becomes clear.
By targeting college students, young professionals, and style-conscious urbanites, Slikk is placing a calculated bet on a consumer base that craves instant gratification—one that is more inspired by social media trends than by seasonal collections.
The Road Ahead
From a product-first platform to an experience-led ecosystem, Slikk’s roadmap includes category expansion, instant returns, and a greater urban footprint. The startup aims to become the go-to destination for style at speed, and its early success signals the start of a shift in India’s e-commerce narrative—from convenience to instant desire fulfillment.
If fashion has always set the pace for consumer trends, Slikk is now setting the speed.
