Kerala’s MyDesignation, a fashion and lifestyle startup that mixes traditional Kerala art with global streetwear, is making a splash in the D2C space. They’ve built a community of over 500,000 loyal customers and are planning to grow across India and into the UAE, UK, and US markets.
The recent D2C startup secured $1.25 million in seed funding led by Multiply Ventures, with participation from Veltis Capital, Sattva Ventures, Dominor Investment Holdings, and Green Trunk Ventures. This is a big step that sets the stage for income growth and offline retail expansion.
MyDesignation, started by Swaroop Krishnan and Gopika Menon, began with 200 T-shirts at a flea market. They sold out in three hours, followed by 800 pre-orders, showing that people respond to unique clothing.
The brand decided to focus on its own website and stores instead of marketplaces. Now, it runs three profitable offline stores in Lulu Malls (Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Calicut), each achieving good margins without spending on offline marketing.
In FY 2024–25, MyDesignation’s net income was ₹16 crore, up from ₹7.5 crore the year before. Currently at ₹60 crore ARR, the brand wants to reach ₹100 crore ARR by FY26 and ₹400 crore by FY28. While most sales come from its website, upcoming launches in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad will move the mix toward an 80:20 online-offline split. They plan to open 20 new stores in the next year, making it one of the fastest-growing fashion and lifestyle brands in India.
MyDesignation uses natural fabrics, plant-based dyes, and eco-friendly packaging. For every 100 orders, they plant a tree with Grow-Trees, and every shipment includes seeds for customers, adding sustainability to their brand.
The brand is creating overseas interest through social media and influencer campaigns. They plan to launch websites and fulfillment hubs in the UAE, UK, and US by the end of the year.
With funding helping growth, MyDesignation is also preparing for a Series A funding round in 2025 to grow internationally, introduce new products, and scale retail, making it a top D2C brand to watch.
