Quick Fashion Rush, OYO Set To Rename, and VerSe Faces Heat

Do we really need to get clothes delivered in 30 minutes?

That question keeps coming up lately. Just like groceries, fashion is now being dragged into the quick commerce race. New apps are popping up every month, offering to deliver your outfit under an hour. Some on the team were curious, so we tried a few of them.

Slikk, one of the early movers, managed to deliver a jacket in about 60 minutes before a last-minute dinner outing. One of our team members got a shirt delivered, tried it on, and decided to keep it - all within an hour. It felt smooth, fast, and useful. But then came other stories. Jeans that smelled weird - looked like it was used before. And then, the confusing return processes which followed. Another colleague developed an allergic reaction to a shirt and couldn’t get a refund. Mixed experience, to say the least.

This whole rush reminds us a bit of the hyperlocal delivery craze from 2015. Back then, everyone thought Dunzo would redefine over e-commerce. But eventually, it was Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart that scaled with discipline, strong operations, and real demand.

Quick fashion today, we think, is a mix of that old playbook and new-age FOMO. Startups like Slikk, Blip, NEWME, and KNOT are moving fast. Slikk just raised $10M, and KNOT is in talks to raise $3M. Everyone's trying to make their mark, including Myntra with its faster deliveries through M-Now. Reliance is also silently experimenting with AJIO. Everyone wants to be the Blinkit of fashion.

But here’s what we would suggest founders to keep in mind - fashion is not grocery. Groceries are repeat buys, but fashion is more emotional, less frequent, and far more return-prone. The return rates are brutal - 20% to 40%, even higher in some cases. Try-and-buy helps with stickiness, but it also increases the cost of delivery and reverse logistics. And that eats into the margins.

To us, this whole play feels like a race for the next acquisition. Show traction, build retention, stay visible, and eventually become a part of larger platform like Amazon, Reliance, or Tata. It’s not a bad strategy, especially if done well. But it should also means your product experience has to be the best one.

Having said that, some of this makes sense. Fashion is still an underserved category in Q-commerce. The gig economy has matured. Delivery infra is largely in place. And people in urban metros do want convenience. Basic tees, gymwear, undergarments, socks - they are impulse purchases now. And apps like Slikk are trying to capture this.

But the risks are real. Bad customer experience, unclear returns, inconsistent quality - these issues can ruin the brand quickly. One bad order and the app is uninstalled. We’ve seen it happen.

Also, let’s not ignore the bigger picture. Sustainable fashion is finally becoming a conversation in India. And while many users don’t yet shop based on sustainability, that shift is coming. Regulations around fast fashion are likely to tighten. And we all know that a dark store full of fast-produced outfits isn’t climate-friendly yet.

So while the quick fashion space is buzzing right now, we’d be cautious. Some startups will get acquired, and some will vanish. And a very few might figure it out and build something durable.

And as users, we’re asking simpler questions: Do I really need a shirt in 30 minutes? Or do I just want a better shirt, at a fair price, delivered reliably? That, in the long run, might decide who stays in phone’s app and who doesn’t.

Let’s go through what else is happening in Indian startup world - Grab your simmering cup of StartupChai.in and unwind with our hand-brewed memes.

“Bahut Paap Kiye Hai Maine”: OYO To Rename Parent Entity, Seeks Suggestions From Public

IPO-bound OYO is ready for a new identity and has turned to the public for help renaming its parent company, Oravel Stays Ltd.

Founder Ritesh Agarwal has promised ₹3 lakh and a one-on-one meeting for the chosen suggestion - a quiet invitation to shape the brand's next chapter. The rebranding may also hint at long-gestating plans for its premium hotel offerings, still waiting for their moment.

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“Sajna Hai Mujhe Sajna Ke Liye”: ‘Nykaa Now’ Live In Multiple Cities, Wider Metro Rollout Soon

Nykaa Now is quietly speeding things up: its 60-minute delivery service is already live in multiple cities, though the company isn’t revealing exactly where.

CEO Anchit Nayar confirmed the rollout during a post-earnings call, with plans to reach more metros soon. Beauty on demand just got a little more real, even if the full map’s still under wraps.

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“Ye Toh Cheating Hai”: Builder.ai and DailyHunt parent VerSe allegedly engaged in $60M round-tripping

Builder.ai and DailyHunt parent VerSe are under fire for allegedly round-tripping $60M between 2021 and 2024 to inflate revenues.

As Builder.ai edges toward bankruptcy, the claims cast a long shadow over both startups' glossy valuations.

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“Kisi Ka Bhai, Kisi Ki Jaan”: BNP Paribas Picks Up INR 1,488 Cr Stake In Zomato, Dumps INR 503 Cr Shares In Nykaa

BNP Paribas just went on a shopping spree with Zomato, scooping up shares worth a spicy ₹1,488 Cr - almost like ordering the entire menu at a discount.

But it wasn’t all indulgence - they also dumped ₹503 Cr worth of Nykaa stock and offloaded a side dish of Eternal shares for ₹4.35 Cr. Looks like the French banking giant is switching its taste from beauty to biryani.

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“Ab Hogi Kranti, Jai Mahakaal”: Soket AI, Gnani.ai & Gan.ai To Develop Indigenous AI Models

Under the IndiaAI Mission, three homegrown startups - Soket AI, Gnani.ai, and Gan.ai - are now building India’s answer to global AI giants.

From Soket’s massive 120B open-source model to Gan.ai’s multilingual marvel with “superhuman” voice, the country’s AI push is gaining real weight. With over 500 proposals already in, it’s clear the mission is sparking a new wave of indigenous innovation.

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1. Mobility startup Chalo has raised ₹53 Cr from its cofounders and backers like Filter Capital, doubling down on its bus digitisation mission. Despite posting a near break-even revenue-loss tally in FY24, the team’s clearly not ready to hit the brakes yet.
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2. Battery Smart has plugged into $29M in fresh funds from global investors like Rising Tide Energy to fuel its Series B round. The battery-swapping startup plans to use the charge to deepen its urban footprint and accelerate into new markets.
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