Gautam Sinha: “With the right mindset, ambition and flexibility, Indian designers can make it big on the global stage.”

The founder and creative director of leather goods label Nappa Dori, shares what it means for an entrepreneur to take the risk to expand globally

India has always been a land of art and culture, and its influence in the world of fashion and design is undeniable. When it comes to an international presence, Indian couture, with its intricate embroidery, vibrant colours, and luxurious fabrics has dominated the landscape for the longest time. 

However, in recent times, the dynamics have shifted, and contemporary Indian fashion has gained prominence in the global market. From emerging designers to established brands, Indian fashion has started to gain recognition for its fusion of traditional elements with modern sensibilities and this has, in turn, led to a rise in the number of indigenous brands that aim to go global.

While the highs and lows of establishing a fashion brand are manifold, as the founder of Nappa Dori, I have had the privilege of a very unique experience in both our local and international journeys.

Our journey began in 2010 with a small store in Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village. We started with a vision to create products that are timeless and of the highest quality. Over the years, our brand has grown significantly, and we have expanded to include Cafe Dori and Dori Living under the brand’s umbrella. This set us off towards establishing a unique experiential retail store with a quaint cafe serving artisanal coffee and light bites, blending seamlessly into the overall experience of the space.

We’ve always had our eyes on global expansion and marking our presence in key cities and have managed to follow through with the same. However, the most challenging part of taking your brand international is battling the mindset that surrounds the prerequisites to go global. As we are predominantly a trading nation, the prospect of developing a brand from scratch and the slow churn that it requires is not everyone’s cup of tea.

In terms of setting up shop, our venture into the global market has been remarkably seamless so far. Contrary to popular belief, establishing a store overseas is relatively straightforward when approached with the appropriate vision and direction. Our expansion to London and Dubai was motivated by our desire to tap into two distinct yet viable markets. London, known as one of the five fashion capitals of the world, enables us to bring our brand to the attention of the international fashion fraternity. Meanwhile, Dubai serves as a strategic link between Europe and India–an emerging market ripe with potential as I see it.

I attribute our success in these markets to our global palette and design sensibility. While our craft is culturally rooted, our designs represent a diverse audience and that enables us to penetrate the global market and carve a niche for ourselves. Additionally, our emphasis on small-batch production has helped us immensely in expanding globally. The resultant flexibility in our design language allows us to test our products swiftly, helping us identify and understand the pulse of a new market while also existing with the radars of economic feasibility.

However, international expansion also comes with its own set of risks and challenges that one needs to measure. Being a bootstrapped business, the biggest challenge we faced was managing our finances. Every penny spent was accounted for to ensure an efficient outcome. The challenges at ground level are as real as they can get and one of the most important factors in this regard is the location. It is key that you set up in a place with organic footfalls, so the choice of location should be based on concrete research. It took us a good two years to find and finalise our store size and location in Covent Garden, London, one of the most prominent locations in the city.

Managing the price point parity is another important aspect to take into consideration when operating in a different economy. While I have been blessed to have not made too many outlandish mistakes, I think it’s important to be backed by solid, prior knowledge on all aspects of a business before stepping into a venture like this. There are no second chances if you fail, especially when it’s a small business!

Having said that, it’s an exciting time for Indian fashion, and we believe Nappa Dori’s journey is a testament to the fact that with the right mindset, ambition, and flexibility, Indian designers and brands can make it big on the global stage. With a decade’s experience, we now look forward to utilising the learnings from our journey to empower and embolden aspiring Indian designers and entrepreneurs to carry our heritage to shores abroad.

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