Despite the presence of several fashion weeks, pop-ups and exhibitions, new and emerging brands from across the country often struggle to make their presence seen, heard and felt.
The challenge is not simply finding visibility but also the right audience in an economically sustainable way.
One new initiative responding to this gap is V: NEXT, a platform spotlighting the next generation of Indian design by the label Akaaro, in collaboration with Kochi-based social-impact organisation Save The Loom.
Rather than treating emerging brands as a one-off discovery, the platform aims to create a more focused space for designers to present their work and raise awareness about their design language and philosophy.
As part of its debut exhibition, which began on 30 September, five brands—CRCLE, LeelaLer, Mouli, Paiwand and Salooka—are showcasing their work at Akaaro’s store in Mumbai’s Ballard Estate till 4 October.
For designer Gaurav Jai Gupta of Akaaro, the idea for V: NEXT came from a personal place. As a designer, he knows how difficult it can be to find the right platform when one is starting out.
"We wanted to create a space where emerging designers could be seen for their ideas, their design language and their point of view," says Jai Gupta. "It grew out of a shared belief that there was a need for a platform that could bring people together and create more space for serious, independent design."
DIVERSE VOICES
Ramesh Menon, founder of Save The Loom, says the initiative grew out of a broader understanding of the challenges young brands face beyond simply getting noticed. "Too often, the available avenues for them to present and sell their work remain limited to pop-ups and exhibitions," he says. "The entire process, from timely production and pricing to inventory management and the economics of surviving Indian retail, needs to be established well for these brands to grow."
The five debut labels were chosen for their distinct approaches to design and their connections to different parts of the country.
"They are diverse, come from different parts of the country and, importantly, come from beyond the traditional mainstream design centres," Menon says. “For us, they represent five distinct voices, and five different ways of thinking about the future of handmade and design in India.”
BEYOND VISIBILITY
For a brand like CRCLE from Chennai, which won the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge 2025, that context matters. “Communicating value without being preachy, explaining why authentic, slow craft commands its price is a balancing act,” says Varshne Balaji, founder and creative director of CRCLE. “When you position yourself in spaces that match your core ethos, you attract people who already understand the value, and the dialogue becomes natural.”
The need for such targeted platforms is particularly acute for young, independent and bootstrapped labels. Participating in fashion weeks, retail exhibitions and pop-ups can involve costs running into several lakhs, with no certainty that these will be recovered through immediate sales.
“Many pop-ups and exhibitions are built around a defined theme or a strong curatorial point of view. While commercially successful, the format can sometimes be overpowering for a new or more subtle design voice to fully express itself,” says Jaipur-based Indrajit De, co-founder of label Mouli, a craft-led contemporary design house. “There is also a gap in the ecosystem once emerging talent has been identified. The brand is often expected to navigate the next stage largely on its own. What is needed is not only more opportunities to be seen but also more opportunities to be introduced, understood, supported and allowed to evolve over time.”
Geography adds another layer to the challenge. Labels operating out of south India, for instance, often have to work harder to stay connected with the country's primary media and retail hubs. For them, platforms that bring together shared audiences, media exposure and a clearly defined design ethos can help bridge that gap.
For a young brand, an ideal launchpad is about more than visibility. Shaila Nambiar, the Vadodara-based co-founder of LeelaLer, a compostable clothing brand, says it is a combination of visibility, mentorship, retail access, media exposure and opportunities to connect with buyers and consumers.
"It is also an opportunity to introduce the audience to LeelaLer not just as a clothing label, but as an approach to clothing that considers its entire material cycle. We are interested in conversations around Indian design, craft, materials and the future," says Nambiar. "For a young brand, being seen once is useful, but being given the opportunity to build an audience over time is much more valuable."