The Freshest Indian Streetwear Labels Shaking Up Our Fashion Industry

On March 18, 2018 we took over Delhi with a first-of-its-kind, definitive street culture and lifestyle festival, HGStreet – for people of all backgrounds who wear their hustle on their sleeves. A place where your authenticity and originality can stand up and be counted amongst the icons who represent this brave new world best. Bringing together the best of local and international sneaker culture, hip-hop lifestyle, streetwear fashion, street art, skateboarding, music, food, and straight up creativity and innovation, HGStreet was a celebration of subcultures from across a diverse landscape, and those that are bringing them to the fore.

Take, for instance, Indian streetwear. While the street style movement finds its roots in LA’s skate and surf culture, over the years it took on many forms and manifests in different ways. Today, it has grown to include elements of hip hop fashion, Japanese street fashion, and modern haute couture. Labels like Stussy, Supreme and A Bathing Ape are counted amongst the world’s top streetwear brands, as this casual, comfortable style has become synonymous with personal identity. And now it’s India’s turn.

We’ve curated homegrown streetwear brands that, through their distinct designs, are repping different subcultures, ideas and identities. From the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh to minimalism, these designers and labels are inspired by India, made in India, and represent India.

I. Capsul

Capsul aims to be India’s first streetwear shop and purveyors of global street culture in India. Capsul is all about discovering, curating and selling pieces that are more than clothes–they’re conversation starters. A celebration of India’s emerging and constantly changing street culture–Capsul works individually, with brands and through collectives.

II. Bobo Calcutta

Bobo is a pret couture label, founded by by Jeet Shahi and Ayushman Mitra, that is a visual manifestation of the core belief of love being the basis of all things. In wearing Bobo Calcutta’s clothes, you find yourself woven into the very fabric of protest against the lack of basic freedom to love and to live in India. The brand also challenges the stereotypes that exist within the idea of gendered dressing– the clothes are simply tangible landscapes embodying universal ideas of love and freedom. Fashion as wearable art, not limited by preconceived notions, is the soul of Bobo Calcutta.

Find out more here.

III. Delhiwear

Delhiwear is not just a clothing brand, but a community that’s spreading a message about Indian culture and streetwear. The brand aims to promote culture and engage with a conscious audience that appreciates good fabrics, great quality, reasonable prices and the idea of a community over shopping. Their latest collection ‘Vardi’, or uniform, represents the easy simplicity of everyday outfits.

IV. Nixon Bui

NIXONBUI is a contemporary fashion and culture brand based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The philosophies of tribal living guide the brand values of NIXONBUI, not only in design but also day-to-day functioning; recognising and respecting the forces of nature, advocating quality, and originality.

It’s an honest and responsible approach to the creation of fashion, rooted in the heart of the North-East.

V. Haul Apparel

Haul Apparel is a streetwear brand that supports and encourages many different subcultures, each of which have developed their own styles & designs which in turn have influenced many major aspects of the modern Indian fashion landscape. Founders Shovit and Sohan came together to build a brand that, at its heart, guarantees fashionable, high-quality clothing at affordable prices. Made for ‘Hauligans’, the designs are loud and proud, but quantities are limited. Having launched seven collections successfully, Haul Apparel wins for it’s unabashed uniqueness (and these amazing lungis).

Find out more here.

VI. RAD

High quality, handmade sneakers sold directly to consumers for a price that won’t break the bank–RAD is a Mumbai-based label founded by two sneakerheads in 2016. The brand finds its place between high-end luxury and commercial streetwear in India. By ensuring that every sneaker is 100% Made In India, RAD’s products are more reasonable, but still extremely stylish. They handpick raw materials from reliable Indian manufactures and champion original designs handcrafted by craftsmen from traditional footwear families in rural India.

Their aim is to build a vertical sneaker brand which will put Indian streetwear design on the global map.

Find out more here.

VII. Strey Clothing

Strey is a Mumbai-based streetwear fashion label that is inspired by the exciting chaos of the city. Their perspective on fashion is to go against the norm and disrupt the conformity by writing the narrative for a ‘counter culture’. Each of their designs is embellished with the small details from everyday life around that go unnoticed on a daily basis. With a focus on heavy graphics and complex embroideries, their bold designs have an unique edge and rebellious undertones.

Find out more here.

VIII. Noire Company

Noire Company is a contemporary premium accessories brand, creating exclusive products of the
highest quality, with a focus on handpicked luxury fabrics and keen attention to minimalist detail.
Deeply rooted in youth culture, the design philosophy draws inspiration from current global
movements on and under ground. Interpreted with an added twist of luxury, the Delhi-based brand
uses only the finest qualities of fabrics and materials which are then crafted to perfection. By marrying age-old craftsmanship and traditional opulence with contemporary product culture, Noire Company
endeavors to create exclusive little treasures for the modern urban youth.

IX. VegNonVeg

VegNonVeg is India’s first multi-brand sneaker store, based in Delhi. They say, ‘they are search of its own sneaker culture’. Over time, VegNonVeg has committed to developing India’s own story of sneaker and street culture. With a heavily curated selection of all kinds of sneakers, ranging from classic and heritage models to their modern tech-infused counterparts, and limited edition or hard-to-find collaborations across brands, this store in Delhi’s Meherchand Market is the first of its kind.

Find out more here.

X. Almost Gods

Almost Gods was built out of shared perspective that streetwear should consistently be the driving factor in pushing the boundaries and expectations of the fashion industry. The Almost Gods Uniform “The Garden of Earthly Desires” was created to challenge common expectations of cut, design, and material innovation, while highlighting the eccentric yet approachable designs of our urban streetwear. The Almost Gods uniform highlights the inextricable link between streetwear and art, aiming to strike a balance between a maximalist minimalism that has yet to be explored on this scale in India.

XI. Shia Rai

Shia Rai is one of India’s most premiere Streetwear clothing brands, whose aesthetics derive inspiration from vintage fashion and subcultures from around the globe -both past and present. The brand is under the name of the Designer herself and focuses mainly on catering to the youth subcultures and giving them a medium to diversify their style and express their individualities.

XII. Brown Boy

Designed in New York, Brown Boy produces ethically made organic cotton clothing. It is a 100% fair trade brand — championing the change they want to see in the within the clothing industry.