The 2030 Consumer | EP 3: The $25B Opportunity in Men's Fashion ft. Rahul Chowdhri & Shreyan Puri

Is men’s fashion in India a $25B+ opportunity hiding in plain sight?

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For decades, this category has been stagnant, with black & white solids, denim, and polos on repeat. But today, men are spending more, experimenting more, and reshaping the market. Men’s apparel already accounts for 40%+ of India’s $60B market, yet has been innovation-starved for years. But that is changing.

In this episode of The 2030 Consumer, Rahul Chowdhri sits down with Shreyan Puri to explore what’s driving this shift. From Instagram and hybrid work to the casualisation of wardrobes, men today are breaking stereotypes and building demand across occasions.

The numbers tell their own story. ABFRL’s men’s brands alone generate $1B+ in annual sales at 18-20% EBITDA margins, while new-age players like Snitch have scaled to ₹1000cr+ revenue in just 5 years. And with smart-casual, ethnicwear, gymwear, and streetwear all emerging as white spaces, the opportunity ahead is massive.

If you’re building in fashion or tracking Indian consumption trends, this is one episode of The 2030 Consumer you don’t want to miss.

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in this discussion, we cover

00:00 Coming up...

01:06 Men's fashion

02:10 Men's fashion as a category

03:23 Traditional brand landscape

04:55 New-age disruptors

05:31 What's changing in this category?

07:37 Shift in brand association

08:26 Casualization of core spends

10:16 2030 predictions for men's fashion

13:38 Economics of ethnic wear

14:24 Athleisure and technical fabric

15:17 Bespoke & customized garments

16:15 Streetwear niche

16:45 An investable business?

18:35 Key metrics for success

20:47 Strategic choices for founders

22:32 Online vs. offline

24:00 Quick commerce for men's fashion

24:32 D2C vs. marketplace

26:08 Different wedges

27:25 Business risks

29:05 Long-lasting brands today

31:31 Closing note

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