How Soch Crossed ₹500 Crore Revenue While India’s Ethnic Wear Market Goes Digital
India’s ethnic wear industry is entering a powerful new growth phase as traditional fashion retail increasingly embraces digital commerce, omni-channel shopping, and data-driven merchandising. While fast fashion and western apparel often dominate retail headlines, ethnic wear continues to remain one of the country’s largest and most resilient fashion categories.
Driven by festive shopping, wedding demand, and rising disposable incomes, the Indian ethnic wear market is expected to witness substantial growth over the next few years. Consumers across metro cities as well as tier-2 and tier-3 markets are increasingly shifting from local boutiques and unorganised tailoring businesses toward branded ethnic fashion retailers that offer consistent quality, design, and shopping experiences.
Amid this transformation, Bengaluru-based women’s ethnic wear brand Soch has emerged as one of the strongest success stories in India’s organised fashion retail sector.
Soch Crosses ₹500 Crore Revenue Milestone
Bootstrapped ethnic wear retailer Soch recently crossed the ₹500 crore revenue mark in FY26, achieving the milestone while maintaining profitability — a rare achievement in India’s highly competitive apparel market.
The company’s growth was driven by a combination of strong offline retail expansion and rapid digital adoption. According to the company, its online business recorded a 65% year-on-year growth, contributing nearly ₹88 crore in revenue during FY26.
Over the last five years, Soch’s digital business has reportedly expanded at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 56%, highlighting how consumer behaviour in ethnic fashion is increasingly shifting toward integrated online and offline experiences.
The Rise of Omni-Channel Ethnic Fashion Retail
India’s organised ethnic wear segment has undergone major changes over the past decade.
Consumers today expect more than just physical retail stores. They want the flexibility to discover products online, compare styles digitally, and complete purchases either online or in-store depending on convenience.
This shift has pushed fashion retailers to invest heavily in omni-channel retail strategies that combine e-commerce platforms with physical shopping experiences.
For ethnic wear brands, this transformation is especially important because categories such as sarees, kurtas, lehengas, and occasion wear still rely heavily on fit, fabric quality, and styling assistance — factors that often influence customers to visit stores before purchasing.
Retailers are now using technology-enabled shopping tools, digital catalogues, assisted shopping systems, and connected inventory platforms to bridge the gap between online browsing and offline buying.
Soch’s Balanced Growth Strategy
Unlike many venture-backed direct-to-consumer fashion startups that aggressively focused on online customer acquisition, Soch followed a more balanced retail strategy centered around physical store expansion.
The company currently operates more than 175 stores across over 70 cities spanning India, Canada, and Malaysia.
Instead of blindly increasing store count, Soch reportedly adopted a more disciplined expansion model by strengthening high-performing outlets while gradually exiting weaker locations. This approach has become increasingly relevant as retailers across India deal with rising rental costs and evolving consumer shopping habits.
At the same time, Soch invested in integrating digital tools into its physical retail ecosystem.
The company introduced assisted shopping systems and digital catalogues that allow customers to access a much larger product assortment beyond what is physically available inside stores. This “endless aisle” model helps improve customer experience while maximizing inventory efficiency.
Why India’s Ethnic Wear Market Is Growing
India’s ethnic wear market continues to remain one of the most attractive segments in the country’s fashion industry.
Wedding spending, festive purchases, and occasion-led shopping continue to drive strong demand despite fluctuations in broader discretionary consumption trends.
At the same time, increasing internet penetration, digital payment adoption, and improved logistics networks are helping ethnic wear brands expand deeper into smaller cities and underserved markets.
The sector has also witnessed rising investor interest over the years, with established brands like Fabindia, Biba, W for Woman, and Manyavar continuing to scale aggressively, while newer digital-first brands are building strong online distribution channels.
However, Soch’s journey stands out because the company achieved large-scale growth while remaining bootstrapped and EBITDA positive — something relatively uncommon in today’s fashion startup ecosystem.
The Future of Ethnic Fashion Retail
The next phase of growth in India’s ethnic wear industry is likely to be driven by stronger omni-channel integration, smarter inventory management, personalised shopping experiences, and technology-led merchandising.
Consumers are no longer separating online and offline shopping journeys. Instead, they expect seamless experiences across platforms, devices, and stores.
Brands that successfully combine strong retail presence with digital convenience are likely to dominate the evolving ethnic fashion market.
Soch’s latest revenue milestone reflects how traditional fashion categories are rapidly modernising — and how profitable growth is still possible in India’s competitive retail environment when brands scale strategically.
Source: Global Business Line
