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Praachi Raniwala profile imagePraachi Raniwala

From established labels to emerging brands, we look at the ubiquitous ways in which Indian designers are capitalising on their logos

Has logomania crept up on Indian fashion labels?

From established labels to emerging brands, we look at the ubiquitous ways in which Indian designers are capitalising on their logos

During the press preview of designer Tarun Tahiliani’s couture collection ahead of his show at India Couture Week in New Delhi this July, the very first lehenga on display had cleverly incorporated the couturier’s ‘TT’ logo in the embroidery along the border—discreet, seamlessly woven, and hidden in plain sight for those who wanted to see it. Through the rest of the showcase, the same logo could be spotted on back clasps of blouses, handbag straps and more. It was one among the many ways in which Indian brands are now investing in brand recall through their logos. “I have had the ‘TT’ logo made into a pi, as I like its infinite possibilities. So instead of  the full name, we use this pi symbol on belts, bags, discreetly in prints, and on geometric borders or medallions on embroideries,” says Tahiliani.

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"For a logo to become a mania, it needs to be consistent. Everything else is just a gimmick,” says Aashni Shah 

No longer hidden in plain sight

Tahiliani isn’t the only one. As Indian designers work on building their brands, the logo has become an integral part of the storytelling for them. For instance, there’s Sabyasachi Mukherjee and his instantly recognisable Bengal Tiger logo, Manish Malhotra’s ‘MM logo’, and Anita Dongre’s haathi logo, among others. Payal Singhal’s ‘PS’ logo has been subtly incorporated into one of her signature prints while Punit Balana is adding his ‘PB’ insignia to tassels and coin work of his label’s festive wear.

 Several younger brands are following the same route too—Dhruv Kapoor’s Kapoor logo in the Devanagari script, Outhouse’s ‘OH’ logo, Kanika Goyal’s logo for her affordable line Kilogram, Anamika Khanna’s ‘AK-OK’ emblazoned all over many of the brand’s clothing, Jaywalking and Primal Grey’s logo t-shirts, Polite Society inscribed across the brand’s corsets and jeans, and APZ’s logo sewn on to their blazer cuffs are just a few examples.

While logomania has gripped the international fashion landscape for decades now—serving as the reason behind the rise of brands and some of their products to cult status—brands in India are only just starting to catch up. These are not simply part of their branding exercise or hidden on tags inside the garment but are being flaunted on their offerings as a definite marker of the brand one is wearing.

“We have consistently recognised the potential of an identifiable logo to serve as a foundation for an overall brand image, allowing us to stand out from our competitors,” says Sasha Grewal, co-founder of Outhouse

“We have consistently recognised the potential of an identifiable logo to serve as a foundation for an overall brand image, allowing us to stand out from our competitors,” says Sasha Grewal, co-founder of Outhouse

As Indian designers work on building their brands, the logo has become an integral part of the storytelling for them,  like Primal Grey’s logo t-shirts

As Indian designers work on building their brands, the logo has become an integral part of the storytelling for them, like Primal Grey’s logo t-shirts

“Globally, luxury was originally the purview of the rich. In today’s world, the new rich want people to know what they spend their money on. This is why the logo has become a very important mark of recognition, standard of quality, and a way to show people that they are going up the hierarchy of progress,” reasons Tahiliani. According to Dhruv Kapoor, whose brand is regularly showcased at the Milan Fashion Week, the logo is important  to build a higher recall value. “Repetition and visibility play a vital role in building a brand’s DNA. Similar to a national flag, the logo assists us to build a recognisable element across all verticals,” says Kapoor, though adding that only five per cent of his products shout the logo out loud; the rest have more discreet placements such as small labels, logo plates or hand-embroidered elements. When Kapoor first launched his logo-emblazoned sweatshirts in January 2021, he did not anticipate how popular they would become. “Being a common surname [Kapoor] in our country, I was sure that the ones sharing the last name would be excited to own the product, but I was surprised with the sell-through. It was all sold out and we had to operate on a waitlist model. Now, clients are happy with plain t-shirts if the logo is somehow incorporated in the design,” he adds.

More than recall value 

Kapoor has built a brand narrative and appeal to warrant this kind of popularity. This is imperative to the success of a logo, according to Aashni Shah, founder of multi-designer brand Aashni + Co that retails Indian labels through its outposts in London and Mumbai. “Brands need to earn their lineage to warrant a logo that is capable of driving sales. The logo needs to be introduced with longevity in mind,” she says, citing Sabyasachi as the biggest success story from India when it comes to logos. “His brand’s belts and accessories continue to sell daily in quantities. He has even elegantly incorporated it in the styling of the outfits to create an entire look that is covetable,” Shah carries on.

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"Repetition and visibility play a vital role in building a brand’s DNA. Similar to a national flag, the logo assists us to build a recognisable element across all verticals,” says Dhruv Kapoor,

Payal Singhal’s ‘PS’ logo has been subtly incorporated into one of her signature prints

Payal Singhal’s ‘PS’ logo has been subtly incorporated into one of her signature prints

Meanwhile, jewellery label Outhouse first launched logo-driven jewels and bags to mark their fifth anniversary in 2017 and, since then, have continued to reinvent it with every new collection. “All our monograms are significantly rooted in the heritage of the brand. They have a narrative and a journey, and will continue to be part of our collections,” says co-founder Kaabia Grewal.

“I have had the ‘TT’ logo made into a pi, as I like its infinite possibilities. So instead of  the full name, we use this pi symbol on belts, bags, discreetly in prints, and on geometric borders or medallions on embroideries,” says Tarun Tahiliani

“I have had the ‘TT’ logo made into a pi, as I like its infinite possibilities. So instead of  the full name, we use this pi symbol on belts, bags, discreetly in prints, and on geometric borders or medallions on embroideries,” says Tarun Tahiliani

While logomania has gripped the international fashion landscape for decades now—serving as the reason behind the rise of brands and some of their products to cult status—brands in India are only just starting to catch up

While logomania has gripped the international fashion landscape for decades now—serving as the reason behind the rise of brands and some of their products to cult status—brands in India are only just starting to catch up

Building the popularity of a logo is a long-term brand-building strategy, adds Sasha Grewal, co-founder of Outhouse. “We have consistently recognised the potential of an identifiable logo to serve as a foundation for an overall brand image, allowing us to stand out from our competitors,” she says. Shah explains that logos are either for existing or potential customers who take pride in wearing a brand, or to create an aspirational buzz. When Sabyasachi added a logo t-shirt to the line-up of his high street collection with H&M in 2021, it was because he noticed the fakes of his products that bore the logo, and wanted to offer everyone the chance to own an original. “You either introduce the logo to mark your lineage, and then hit it across all categories in every collection season after season or you launch the brand with a logo while creating an insane marketing hype around it. You cannot just introduce a one-time logo t-shirt and call it day. For a logo to become a mania, it needs to be consistent. Everything else is just a gimmick,” says Shah. 

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