Features

India's coolest homegrown brands

15 Jan 2019 by Business Traveller India

Antar-Agni: Wearable drapes for men

Founder and designer Ujjawal Dubey’s Antar-Agni was one of the first to introduce athleisure drapes and layers to Indian clothes. His asymmetric kurtas are all the rage this season and his unique styling has won him many international awards. ujjawaldubey.com

Asteri Man: Handcrafted  shoes

Asteri Man is a handcrafted shoe brand. The brand uses premium fabrics like pure cotton and fine velvet. From velvet loafers to embroidered shoes and cotton sneakers Asteri Man offers something for everyone, created and conceptualised by Yashwardhan Lath. asteriman.com

Baron & Bay: Best driving shoes

Husband and wife duo Urja and Ankit Khanna recently launched homegrown label Baron & Bay. They use high-end materials such as Nappa leather, Italian cashmere nubuck, Italian Sting Ray and Argentinian soles. They produce small batches of loafers and formal shoes, but it’s their nubuck driving shoes that catch our fancy. baronandbay.com

Beardo: Beard grooming

Ahmedabad-based men’s grooming brand Beardo sells beard oils, beard wash and other face products for example, the activated charcoal peel off mask and the ultimate beard combo, which is a selection of beard grooming products. In addition, Beardo also has shampoos and face washes. beardo.in

bhaane: Streetwear staples

Founded by Anand Ahuja, bhaane is an Indian streetwear brand. Following the idea of an understated look, the brand refrains from attaching a logo on its products. Tees and shirts, khakis and denims, bhaane has them all in varying styles and prices. With its experimental style, the fashion house brings a fresh perspective in the field of men’s fashion. bhaane.com

Be.Bajrang: Jewellery for men

Be.Bajrang utilises quality materials like 925 sterling silver, 18k gold, platinum, semi-precious gemstone beads, high-grade diamonds and leather to create bracelets, rings, cufflinks and lapel pins. Mumbai-based founders of the brand Arnav and Samrit aim to create a credible jewellery brand for men. bebajrang.com

Bombay Perfumery: India-inspired fragrances

Trained perfumer Manan Gandhi’s perfume line has interesting names like Madurai Talkies and Calicut. The perfumes are made in the tradition of French perfumery but the identity is very much Indian with local ingredients like pepper, cinnamon and cardamom. The brand also recently introduced a range of scented candles. bombayperfumery.com

Bombay Shaving Company: shaving essentials

From skincare to shower products and shaving kits, there’s something for everyone at Bombay Shaving Company. The 6-Part Shaving System takes care of all your shaving requirements and has become a favourite among their clients. Additionally, their bath soaps and facial cleansers are popular.
bombayshavingcompany.com

Bombay Shirt Company: Made-to-measure shirts

The Bombay Shirt Company, India’s first online custom shirt brand started by entrepreneur Akshay Narvekar. Here, you can entirely customise your shirts right down to the colour of the buttons and stitches and you can even add monogram to your cuff. The brand also has an innovative online interface where you can create your own shirt on their website. bombayshirts.com

Brown Boy: Sustainable fashion

With organic cotton as a base material, Brown Boy offers a range of stylish T-shirts designed in New York and ethically made in India. You could go with a black Aztec print vest in their ‘Original’ collection or a camouflage sweatshirt from their ‘Premium’ collection. Complying with the Global Organic Textile Standards (an internationally recognised organisation) and working with Indian craftsmen, Brown Boy seeks to offer fashionable clothing while being socially aware. shopbrownboy.com

Bubber Couture: Best textured kurtas in town

Twin sisters Aanchal and Sanjana Bubber of Bubber Couture make two of every piece. The Mumbai-based fashion designers specialise in Indian menswear ranging from pop-coloured bandis to funky layering and candy-coloured sherwanis. Don’t forget to try their textured-tailored kurtas. bubbercouture.com

Dapr.: Hair pomade

One of the few Made in India grooming brands Dapr. has a small but highly qualitative collection of beard balm and a hair pomade, which is water-based and offers flexible hold for your hair. This small-batch produced pomade is a great alternative to harmful, artificial hair products.  getdapr.com

D:FY: Affordable sportswear

Defy, an Indian sports brand, started off with the aim of making high quality sports gear available across India, at affordable prices. With a trendy collection, the company specialises in sport shoes, apparel and accessories. The product range is created by keeping the Indian market in mind and with its unique colour pairings. dfysport.com

HP su misura: Best bandhgalas                                                                                                 

Out of his tiny atelier in Bandra, Mumbai bespoke tailor Hitesh Pahuja creates exquisite understated bandhgalas and western suits. HP suits are designed with rich fabrics from Italy and the UK. In addition, HP Suits also offers amazing tailored chinos and shirts.
instagram.com/hpsuits

Jaipur Watch Company: Bespoke timepieces

India’s first bespoke fine watch manufacturer makes some really cool timepieces inspired by India’s heritage. Vintage coins feature on dials and motifs include Jaipur architecture, Indian gods and colonial artefacts. Our favourite is the British era coins used as dials.
jaipurwatches.com

JODI: Indian hand-block prints

When it comes to JODI, ‘prints’ is the linchpin. The label pays homage to the fading handicraft culture of India by continuing its work in print. Be it a hand-block printed kurta or a woven jacquard jackets, there are no rules when it comes to prints. In keeping with the literal meaning of the brand name, JODI makes the match between colour and print work. The label is fun, upbeat and bohemian. thejodilife.com

Lacquer Embassy: Colour block shirts

Delhi-based Nikhil Sharma’s fashion-forward Lacquer Embassy is all about small colour blocking. Panelled shirts, quirky prints on accessories and lots of stripes are the characteristics of this brand. Don’t forget to check out their nautical-inspired shirts and tailored summer jackets. lacquerembassy.com

Monk Ford: Discrete shoemaker

The two sophisticated shoe styles — oxfords and monk straps, come together to inspire Mumbai-based couple Malik and Zenia Merchant to launch Monk Ford. For now, the Merchants take orders for their gorgeous leather shoes over the phone or Instagram with a website coming soon.

Nappa Dori: Hipster travel accessories

Nappa Dori has an assorted array of designer merchandise — from leather backpacks and steamer trunks to belts and passport cases. Additionally, the brand has made a name for itself within the hospitality industry providing a range of products for luxury hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton, Burj al Arab and Hilton Worldwide, to name a few. nappadori.com

Nicobar: Nautical vibes

Inspired by the tropical and nautical aesthetic, Nicobar’s menswear is easy and breezy. It uses lightweight cotton, linen and denim, and keeps it simple with colours like black, blue, grey and white. One of its latest collections include espadrilles and sandals, which are influenced by minimalistic Scandinavian designs. nicobar.com

NOONOO: Cute prints on shirts

We absolutely love the aesthetic of this homegrown shirt brand. Founder designer Anukool Kumar creates basic white and blue shirts, with little fun prints, with just the right amount of fun, without being too loud. The prints are placed on these solid shirts in embroidered patches, and include little monsters, cartoon characters and even planes. noonoo.in

North Mist: Eco-friendly t-shirts

North Mist’s eco-friendly T-shirts are made using 100 per cent organic cotton. Be it a classic white polo or a casual round neck T-shirt, the options are endless. North Mist does not focus too much on prints and their aesthetic remains very basic. It is a great place to stock up the basics. northmist.com

Osman Abdul Razak: for travel jackets

With his Travel Tailor Services, Chennai-based bespoke tailor Osman Abdul Razak caters to South India’s most dapper men. He is known for his comfortable, sharply-cut travel jackets, which are perfectly suited for Indian business travellers. osmanabdulrazak.com

Outliers Clothing Co.: Organic cotton basics

Inspired by the high street fashion of London, Outliers Clothing is a brand that believes ‘simple is stylish’. At Outliers, organic cotton is the key ingredient. It is light on the skin and conveys the free spirit of the brand. This is a great place to buy your basics and be stylish while supporting the environment. outliersclothing.com

PostFold: Smart casuals

Delhi-based Co-founders, Ashish Gurnani and Aashray Thatai established PostFold in 2015 with clothes designed to be worn after work. The collection consists of easy essentials such as polos, T-shirts, shirts, formal shirts among others. Additionally, the brand sources high-quality fabrics including Supima Cotton. postfold.com

Quirkbox: Quirky prints

Having been featured in seven seasons of the Lakme Fashion Week, Quirkbox is instantly recognisable by its psychedelic prints. Designer Jayesh Sachadev recently collaborated with Vans for a limited edition line of shoes. thequirkbox.com

Rohit Kamra: Jaipur safari vibes

Rohit Kamra is a bespoke menswear brand heavily inspired by the regal heritage of Rajasthan and focusses on making sharp-tailored suits for the modern Indian man. The dapper designer has reinvented Jodhpuri bandhgalas and breeches and has added an Indian flavour to blazers, half-jackets and shirts. rohitkamra.com 

The Tie Hub : NIFTY accessories    

As its name suggests, this brand is a one-stop shop for all accessories right from skinny neckties and pocket squares to lapel pins and scarves. Their finely crafted pieces feature diverse geometrical, paisley or floral patterns. The label also offers custom-made accessories. thetiehub.com

The Uomo Co. : Master of Minimalism

Inspired by Italian styling, The Uomo Co is a small menswear brand that is all about minimalism and bright pops of colour. Think a tomato red kimono shirt, pyjama shirt and loose fit trousers. Founder Ria Kanal has put together a unique micro-collection of cool stand-out pieces. theuomoco.com

WhiteSoul: Nifty sneakers

WhiteSoul, an Indian homegrown sneaker brand, launched in 2017. Founder Mayush Kukreja has put together a collection of super trendy sneakers and hybrid leather sneakers with rubber soles. WhiteSoul sneakers take inspiration from classic shoe styles like brogues and oxfords. whitesoul.in

Nisha Shroff, Prealene Khera and Shruti Nair 

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