Indian streetwear was under the spotlight in December when the premium label Jaywalking launched a pop-up sale at Kala Ghoda, causing chaos with thousands flocking the venue to buy their favourite fashion brand of Ts. Mid-December also marked the five-year anniversary of another unisex streetwear label Bluorng that saw massive traction in online sales. Streetwear is casual fashion that stems from urban subcultures (it evolved originally from America’s hip hop scene decades ago) and is driven by exclusivity and self-expression. The clothes are marked by loose fits, bold graphics and premium limited editions.
Streetwear is not entirely new to India as scores of funded and unfunded Instagram streetwear brands have cropped up in the last five years. But the category may be coming of age. Forecasting top developments for 2026, fashion and apparel industry experts said the year will see streetwear grow bigger in India. Two, traditional clothing brands will face more pressure from new-age direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands targeting GenZ and Millennials. Three, the fashion retail landscape will change dramatically. And, four, 2026 may be the make-or-break year for quick-commerce fashion delivery platforms.
Sumit Jasoria, co-founder of women’s fast fashion brand Newme, said the Indian streetwear category will grow further with multiple brands like Jaywalking, Bluorng, Urban Monkey, Bonkers Corner and Almost Gods in the market. “Streetwear thrives on scarcity as a marketing gimmick. Newme, on the other hand, is a trend-first, fast fashion brand positioned as affordable yet aspirational,” Jasoria said.
Vineet Gautam, founder of new-age retail venture 91Brands and former CEO of Bestseller India, said Indian streetwear is still niche. “Fast fashion is a huge category with both homegrown and global labels eyeing the segment. Having said that, even fast fashion brands are collaborating for small streetwear collections,” Gautam said.
GenZ is highly trend driven, value conscious and demands authenticity, while Millennials aspire to premium status, noted Fireside Ventures in its report titled The Indian Consumer 2030.
2026 may also increase the pressure on traditional apparel companies as D2C fashion brands push for scale. “D2C labels have democratized fashion making it accessible. It is good for the economy and the consumer,” said Gautam. A Redseer Strategy Consultants report said nearly 800 online-first clothing brands have been launched in the last few years.
Vedang Patel’s The Souled Store started out as a pop culture brand with licensed merchandise across Marvel characters, Harry Potter, anime and sports teams. “We are developing into an everyday lifestyle brand. We’re not a ‘hype’ brand that comes and goes,” said Patel. Launched 12 years ago, the company has grown 40% year-on-year. However, Patel said in fashion, there is no single winner who takes it all. “Brands across consumer segments can grow together. Though D2C brands create more buzz, bulk of the business is still with traditional apparel brands,” he said.
Yet Harminder Sahni of fashion, retail and textiles consultancy Wazir Advisors said traditional clothing brands are feeling the heat from D2C fashion. Fashion apparel is growing at the affordable and the premium end. “Those in between are stagnant. Some traditional companies will have to tweak their businesses but repositioning a running business is not easy,” he said. Agreed Jasoria: “Old school brands will have to reinvent themselves. Customer psychology has changed. If brands do not upgrade as per consumer needs and choice, she will move on.”
Jasoria is also expecting disruption in the fashion retail landscape. Trial rooms will change as will retail tech, he said. 2026 will also decide how quick delivery in fashion shapes up. A few specialized quick fashion delivery startups like Zulu Club, KNOT and Slikk have received funding. “Myntra’s M-Now also delivers clothes in 30 minutes and is doing well,” said Vedang Patel. “Consumers love quick deliveries. But fashion has a large number of SKUs and sizes which will be hard to store across warehouses. Also, platforms will need to handle exchanges, returns and refunds,” he said.
But the business of fashion clothing isn’t slowing down. Redseer estimates India’s total apparel market to touch $130-150 billion by 2030, with branded apparel growing two times higher than unbranded apparel. “The market is very large, so hitting the ceiling is not a fear. Your brand becoming irrelevant is the fear,” said Patel.