Whalesbook
Koskii Accelerates Growth with Tech Integration and Funding
Koskii, the women's ethnic wear brand, is positioning itself for significant expansion, targeting ₹200-240 Cr in revenue for FY26, a projected rise of 33-60% year-on-year. This ambitious growth is underpinned by a robust omnichannel strategy and a recent INR 61 Cr Series A funding round secured in 2023 from Baring Private Equity Partners India. The company is investing heavily in technology and team building, anticipating future scalability to a ₹500 Cr business.
From Family Store to Tech-Enabled D2C
Founded by Umar Akhter, whose own journey began in a small sari store near Bengaluru, Koskii has transformed from its origins into a modern, tech-enabled direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand. The current avatar, launched in 2016, blends India's rich textile heritage with contemporary retail practices. Koskii operates 30 stores across seven cities, covering 1.5 lakh sq. ft, while also maintaining a strong digital presence with an annualised online revenue run-rate of INR 58 Cr and 50% year-on-year growth.
Data-Driven Supply Chain and Operations
A key differentiator for Koskii is its proprietary SaaS-style platform that integrates demand analytics, trend detection, and automated order management. This system provides real-time visibility into sales, stock movement, and product performance, enabling agile responses to market demands. By analyzing sales data, the brand flags best-selling designs for immediate production and efficiently phases out underperforming styles. This tech backbone has reduced inventory holding periods significantly and streamlined replenishment cycles.
Navigating Expansion and Investment
Despite investing in expansion and technology, Koskii reported a loss of 8-10% of revenue in FY25, a strategic decision to build a foundation for future growth. Akhter acknowledges that offline expansion requires time to mature but points to strong like-for-like growth in established stores. The company is actively preparing for a larger funding round, potentially paving the way for an eventual public listing. The focus remains on strong unit economics and strategic store placement as it scales across India's substantial women's ethnic wear market.