What does Soho House’s expansion in India mean for the country’s creative community?

New Yorkers may be over Soho House but in India, the creative industry is looking forward to the global members-only club’s countrywide expansion

ICYMI, Soho House New York is no longer fashionable. According to a report by the New York Post, there has been a shift in perception among New Yorkers towards the exclusive global membership club, with some saying that the “vibe is off” at the House. 

However, in contrast to this narrative of decline, Dominique Bellas, Soho House Group's Membership Director, offers a compelling counterpoint, armed with metrics that belies the whispers of dwindling interest in Soho House. “At Soho House, the membership numbers are 193,865, an increase of 19.7 per cent year-over-year.” The current waitlist at the exclusive members-only club for creatives is at an all-time high of 99,000 she adds.

One look at Soho House’s Mumbai space paints a vastly different picture from its New York counterpart. As the first Asian outpost, Soho House Mumbai launched in Juhu in 2018. Five years on, it defies the alleged global trend of Soho House's diminishing allure, with the 11-storey townhouse brimming with members and activities, where freelancers from various professions and “nepo babies” seek a fusion of productivity and connectivity. 

According to Pri Shewakramani, an inaugural member, Soho House Mumbai has crafted an environment conducive to work, rich in curated events, and ripe for networking within the creative milieu. And now, Soho House is looking to replicate this success story across the country with new outposts in New Delhi’s Mehrauli locale and South Mumbai, alongside the Cities Without Houses (CWH) membership in six additional cities: New Delhi, Jaipur, Goa, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata. 

In India, exclusive members-only clubs are not a novelty: for instance, Mumbai’s Breach Candy Club famously operated during the British rule with a sign that said ‘No Indians and Dogs allowed.” Similar clubs are present across the country. “The older clubs are great for sports but most of them do not host events,” says Shewakramani. “Some of the older, more established clubs don’t allow new members. If they do, there are 15-year-long waitlists,” she adds. 

Siddhartth Mahajan, director, Shivan & Narresh, echoes the sentiment, calling it a welcome shift in the traditional members-only club culture in New Delhi. “It’s good to see creativity and talent surpass the otherwise closely guard-railed generational club memberships by the societal elite and see a more creativity-driven club enter the scene that values the members for what they contribute.” 

India is home to the world's largest youth demographic—with 65 per cent of the population younger than 35 years of age. This vast youth population presents a burgeoning hub of innovation, creativity, and economic potential—a particularly lucrative opportunity for Soho House. “India stands alone when it comes to creativity. Film, art, design, fashion, music, tech, food are all thriving and this next chapter is a very organic one, grown from our learnings in the past five years in India through the eyes of our members,” says Bellas of their expansion plans.  

The CWH initiative underscores a nuanced understanding of the creative professional's lifestyle, characterised by travel along with a sense of belonging in a global network. At ₹ 3,10,000, the cost to connect with creative-minded individuals in cities where there is no physical Soho House isn’t cheap. 

The lure then lies in the specially curated experiences and events for members across 80 cities and full access to 42 Soho Houses globally. “The offering is truly global,” says Bellas. This includes their newly opened Soho House Mexico City and Soho House Portland. “So if you are a creative that travels around India and the world, the value for your membership increases year on year,” she adds. 

Bellas emphasises the intrinsic value of this global engagement, suggesting that for the itinerant creative, membership equates to a cache of opportunities and connections.“We want to provide a platform for emerging creatives to flourish in their careers and lives,” she says. “The meaningful connections our members make to the places and spaces we are in—alongside the support we provide them and their creative endeavours and brands—is truly unique to Soho House,” she adds, highlighting the example of a member, Vidit Dikshit, who, mentored by actor and producer Arfi Lamba, created a short film Men in a Spiral which premiered at Soho House Mumbai. “He’s now working on a script for his next short film. With the support of his mentor, he has been introduced to screenwriting workshops taken by Mr.Boman Irani,” adds Bellas.

For Soho House, the essence of coolness lies not in static definitions but in the ability to evolve, adapt, and resonate with a diverse and dynamic global creative class. Perhaps, therein lies the secret of success for the company—in tapping into the ever-evolving creative world in India. And we say, about time.

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