Jimmy Choo has launched its Autumn 2025 campaign with Emmy-nominated actor Sydney Sweeney returning as the face of the British luxury brand. The new campaign continues the label’s focus on positioning accessories as transformative, both in style and in mood, with Sweeney at the center of its storytelling.
Presented through a series of short films and stills, the campaign casts Sweeney in a variety of environments, each shifting to reflect the energy of the shoes and bags she wears. From bold stilettos to sculptural handbags, the visuals are designed to underline the campaign’s theme of “main character energy,” a phrase Jimmy Choo has adopted to highlight glamour as a personal state of being rather than just an aesthetic choice.
Sandra Choi, creative director of Jimmy Choo, described the project as a study in the versatility of modern femininity. “This campaign reinforces the power of shoes and accessories to transform, acting out the possible characters. Glamour, after all, is a feeling,” Choi said.
For Sweeney, who has become one of the most sought-after names in Hollywood and global fashion alike, the campaign adds to a growing list of collaborations. In the past year, she has fronted campaigns for luxury labels, attended international fashion weeks, and built a presence that resonates with younger audiences seeking style that feels both aspirational and accessible.
The Autumn 2025 collection emphasizes dynamic, wearable glamour, a direction that luxury brands are leaning into as they court younger consumers who increasingly define global luxury spending. With this campaign, Jimmy Choo aims not only to highlight its latest products but also to reinforce its role in shaping cultural conversations around identity, self-expression, and the enduring allure of statement accessories.
Bengaluru-based WaterScience, a direct-to-consumer brand specialising in water filtration solutions, has raised ₹1.4 crore from Velocity, the growth capital platform backed by Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures. With this, the company has now mobilised a total of ₹7 crore from Velocity since 2020.
The new infusion is earmarked for scaling up marketing campaigns, accelerating growth, and foraying into newer product categories beyond its current portfolio. Co-founder Pavithra Rao said the brand, which claims a presence in 2 million households, is eyeing an additional 1 million homes by the end of FY26. “We are committed to innovating across water solutions while expanding aggressively. Velocity’s backing helps us push harder on both reach and product innovation,” Rao added.
Founded in 2016, WaterScience operates in the non-drinking water filtration space, offering products for showers, taps, and whole-home systems. The company has been recording over 100 percent year-on-year growth, with distribution spanning Amazon, Flipkart, Shopify, and more than 1,000 offline retail partners nationwide.
The market for household water treatment in India, pegged at over $3 billion, is still dominated by drinking water purifiers. By focusing on non-drinking categories, WaterScience has carved a niche in areas often overlooked but with high repeat demand. The brand’s scale-up is also reflective of broader D2C momentum in home solutions, as rising awareness around water quality pushes more consumers to invest in household filtration systems.
With fresh funding in hand, WaterScience is expected to intensify its brand visibility in metros and tier-2 cities alike, while also diversifying its catalogue to capture more share of the growing urban water treatment market.
Grocery stores are the backbone of Indian retail. Despite the rise of e-commerce and quick-commerce apps, over 90% of daily essentials in India are still bought from neighborhood kirana stores. For aspiring entrepreneurs, this presents a timeless opportunity. But while the demand is constant, the challenge is starting small without draining your savings. So, how do you set up a grocery store in India at low cost and still make it profitable?
Choosing the Right Format
The first decision is scale. A mini-kirana shop or a localized general store can be launched with as little as ₹3–5 lakh, whereas larger supermarkets require ₹20 lakh and upwards. For a low-cost entry, most entrepreneurs start with:
Small rented shop spaces in residential clusters
Shared spaces or counters inside larger establishments
Mobile grocery vans or carts targeting underserved neighborhoods
Starting lean gives you flexibility to test customer preferences before investing more.
Location Is Everything
In groceries, location can make or break profitability. A shop near housing societies, hostels, or busy street corners ensures steady footfall. Unlike restaurants, grocery demand is recurring—families return weekly or even daily. Choose a spot that balances affordable rent with high accessibility.
Tip: A 150–200 sq. ft. shop is often enough to start. Focus on stocking fast-moving essentials rather than filling every shelf.
Smart Inventory Planning
The trap most first-time owners fall into is overstocking. Instead, begin with core categories—grains, pulses, oils, packaged foods, dairy, snacks, and household items. Gradually expand into niche products (organic foods, frozen goods) once you know your customers’ buying patterns.
Tie-ups with local wholesalers or distributors help cut sourcing costs. Many FMCG brands like HUL, ITC, and Britannia also offer credit cycles and supply support for new retailers.
Keeping Costs Low
Leasing vs. buying: Opt for rental shops to avoid heavy upfront investment.
Basic interiors: Functional racks, freezers, and a billing counter are enough to begin with.
Manpower: Start with family-run operations or 1–2 helpers before scaling up staff.
Digital tools: Use POS software or UPI-based billing apps for smooth transactions without investing in heavy tech infrastructure.
A frugal setup keeps monthly expenses predictable and profits easier to sustain.
Marketing on a Budget
Even kirana stores need branding. Simple steps can build trust:
Distribute leaflets in nearby societies
Offer discounts on bulk purchases
Provide home delivery via WhatsApp or tie-ups with Dunzo/Swiggy Genie
Run loyalty programs like “buy 10, get 1 free” on staples
A local presence, combined with digital payments and delivery, helps you compete with modern retail chains.
Profitability and Break-Even
Margins vary: staples like rice and flour yield 5–8%, while packaged snacks and personal care products go up to 15–25%. With steady footfall, a small grocery store can generate ₹8–15 lakh annual revenue, reaching break-even in 12–18 months. The secret lies in high inventory turnover and building repeat customers.
Final Scoop: Start Small, Grow Steady
The scope for grocery retail in India is massive—urbanization, rising incomes, and the shift to branded packaged goods all play in your favor. By starting lean, choosing the right location, and running operations smartly, you can launch a low-cost grocery store that grows steadily over time.
In a country where “the kirana shop” is part of daily life, the opportunity isn’t going away anytime soon. The question is: are you ready to stock your first shelf and serve your neighborhood?
Global private equity giant Warburg Pincus is preparing a return to the Kalyan Jewellers fold, this time through a stake in its lifestyle jewellery brand Candere. According to people tracking the talks, Warburg is negotiating to buy about 10 percent in Candere for around Rs 800–850 crore. The deal will be structured as a mix of secondary shares purchased from Kalyan Jewellers and fresh equity issued by Candere, with the new capital earmarked for expansion.
Candere, founded in 2013 as an online-first retailer, has been sharply scaling its offline presence under Kalyan’s ownership. The brand, which Kalyan bought into in 2017 for just Rs 35–40 crore, is now valued in thousands of crores. Over the last 18 months, Candere has added more than 70 showrooms and is preparing to open 80–90 more through a franchise-led model. This pivot has helped position it as a mass-market, lifestyle-focused format distinct from Kalyan’s flagship stores.
For Warburg, the deal represents a familiar bet. The New York fund invested Rs 1,200 crore in Kalyan Jewellers back in 2014, followed by Rs 500 crore in 2017, before exiting fully in 2024 after the jeweller’s public listing. A re-entry via Candere suggests confidence in India’s organised jewellery retail, particularly lightweight and branded offerings aimed at younger consumers.
Financials highlight Candere’s fast but uneven growth. In the quarter ended June 30, the brand reported revenue of Rs 66 crore, up 67 percent year-on-year, while net losses widened to Rs 10 crore. Management has indicated that profitability is targeted by March 2026. Parent Kalyan Jewellers, meanwhile, reported consolidated revenue of Rs 7,268 crore in the same quarter, up 31 percent, with net profit rising 48 percent to Rs 264 crore.
The deal, once sealed, would deepen the wave of investor interest in India’s jewellery sector, which has recently seen large fundraises by Giva, Aukera and BlueStone.
Actor Ishaan Khatter has marked a milestone for Indian representation in global fashion by becoming the first Indian to front Hugo Boss’ Fall-Winter 2025 international campaign. The German luxury label, which has previously cast global icons such as David Beckham and Chris Hemsworth, is repositioning its brand voice around younger and emerging talent under the theme “Be Your Own Boss.”
Speaking about the collaboration, Khatter said the association goes beyond personal achievement. “This isn’t just a milestone for me, it’s a reflection of Indian presence in the European fashion space. The ethos of owning your story and shaping your destiny resonated deeply with me,” he told ETRetail.
Khatter’s visibility in the fashion and lifestyle sector has been building steadily. He was the only Indian actor invited to Louis Vuitton’s Spring/Summer 2026 Paris showcase, recently fronted a campaign for Messika Jewellery, and continues to collaborate with Indian consumer brands including Nykaa and Bisleri Pop. His approach to endorsements, he explained, is guided by quality and authenticity. “I won’t endorse something I don’t use or believe in. I’ve turned down categories like skin-whitening creams because I don’t want to back harmful messaging.”
Looking ahead, the 28-year-old actor is considering entrepreneurship in segments that align with his personal interests such as music, fashion, lifestyle and travel. “Those are natural extensions of who I am,” he said.
While his Hollywood debut with The Perfect Couple and the upcoming film Homebound have broadened his international footprint, Khatter maintains he is cautious with labels like “global icon.” For him, the significance lies in how India is being viewed across industries. “The world is looking at India in cinema, in fashion, in business. I’d like to see not just global brands here, but Indian brands growing outward too,” he said.
Food delivery platform Zomato has quietly increased its platform fee to ₹12 per order, up from ₹10 earlier, as the company looks to squeeze more profitability from the surge in festive-season demand. Rival Swiggy has matched the move with its own ₹2 hike, now charging ₹14 per order.
The platform fee, first rolled out at just ₹2 in April 2023, has steadily climbed in line with Zomato’s rising scale. At current order volumes of 2.3–2.5 million a day, the ₹12 fee is expected to generate close to ₹3 crore in daily revenue. That translates to nearly ₹90 crore in a single month, or up to ₹45 crore more per quarter than what the company would have earned at the old ₹10 fee.
While the increase may feel negligible for individual customers, the cumulative impact is material for Zomato, especially as it battles margin pressures from its quick commerce arm Blinkit. The company recently reported a sharp 90% year-on-year fall in profit after tax to ₹25 crore in Q1 FY26, compared with ₹253 crore in the same period last year. Revenues, however, jumped 70% to ₹7,167 crore.
Alongside the fee hike, Zomato has been experimenting with other monetisation levers. It has piloted weather-linked surcharges and is currently testing a ₹50 “VIP Mode” in select cities, promising faster deliveries, priority riders and a concierge-style service. A “long-distance fee” payable by restaurants for orders over four kilometres has also been introduced, drawing pushback from smaller eateries.
Industry watchers say such incremental charges, once tested, tend to stick if volumes remain unaffected. For Zomato and Swiggy, the festival quarter will be a litmus test on how far India’s food delivery consumers are willing to pay for speed and convenience.
Tuco Kids, the Bengaluru-based kids’ personal care startup catering to children between 3 and 13 years, has secured $4 million in a Series A funding round led by RTP Global. Existing backers Fireside Ventures, Whiteboard Capital and MG Investments also participated.
Launched in 2023 by former Unilever and Ola executive Aishvarya Murali, the brand has quickly carved out space in the under-served children’s personal care segment. Tuco Kids’ portfolio spans soaps, lotions, creams, face care, sunscreens, deodorants, mosquito repellents, kids’ makeup, kajals and curated gift packs. The company says all packaging is made from reclaimed landfill and ocean plastic, reinforcing its sustainability pitch.
The new capital will be used to widen product innovation, strengthen online and offline presence, and increase consumer reach. Tuco currently sells through its own direct-to-consumer platform as well as marketplaces including Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Myntra, FirstCry, Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart.
According to the founders, Tuco has grown 10-fold since inception and claims to have served more than two lakh parents across India. Earlier this year, the company brought on board Chanakya Gupta, former senior executive at Curefit and Flipkart, as co-founder to accelerate scale-up efforts.
“Kids deserve complete transparency about what touches their skin. Our products are built around that promise,” said Murali and Gupta in a joint statement, adding that the funding will help extend this mission to more families nationwide.
Investors remain bullish on the category. “Tuco is unlocking a high-potential market through sharp innovation and consumer insight,” said Pavitra Gupta, Director at RTP Global. Fireside Ventures’ Partner Adarsh Menon called Tuco one of the earliest wins from its Early Venture program and praised the team’s ability to build clarity in a category long overlooked by large FMCG players.
Markets regulator Sebi has cleared the public listing of Imagine Marketing Ltd, the parent company behind the boAt brand, paving the way for one of India’s most awaited consumer electronics IPOs this year.
The approval follows Imagine Marketing’s confidential filing in April and sets the stage for a market debut that could value the Warburg Pincus-backed company at around ₹13,000 crore, according to people aware of the matter. This marks the firm’s second attempt at going public after it shelved a ₹2,000-crore IPO plan in 2022. That earlier draft had proposed a ₹900-crore fresh issue and a ₹1,100-crore offer for sale.
Founded in 2013 by Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, Imagine Marketing has built a diversified product suite spanning headphones, speakers, smartwatches, grooming devices and mobile accessories under the boAt label. The company has carved a strong position in the affordable wearables and audio accessories market, competing with global majors such as Apple, Samsung and local challenger Noise.
Sebi’s green light comes at a time when IPO activity in India remains buoyant. Alongside Imagine Marketing, 12 other companies have received approval for share sales. The list includes Urban Company, renewable energy player Juniper Green Energy, Allchem Lifescience, Pace Digitek, Omnitech Engineering, KSH International, Ravi Infrabuild Projects, Mouri Tech, Priority Jewels, Corona Remedies, Om Freight Forwarders and Jain Resource Recycling.
For investors, boAt’s proposed listing is being closely tracked as a proxy to India’s expanding consumer electronics story. With demand for affordable wearables surging, the company is expected to use public market funds to strengthen distribution, scale product innovation and sharpen its competitive edge in a crowded sector.
With regulatory clearance secured, Imagine Marketing now joins the growing pipeline of consumer-facing businesses ready to test investor appetite in India’s primary markets.
Flipkart has picked up a majority stake in Pinkvilla India, the celebrity and lifestyle content platform that has built a loyal following among Gen Z audiences. The acquisition is part of the Walmart-owned e-commerce giant’s plan to deepen its connect with younger consumers by expanding beyond shopping into entertainment-led engagement.
The deal, confirmed on Monday, gives Flipkart direct access to Pinkvilla’s fast-growing digital audience, which is driven by film gossip, fashion, beauty, and celebrity culture. For Flipkart, which already counts over 500 million registered users, the move signals a sharper focus on content-led commerce at a time when rivals like Amazon and Reliance are also building media-first ecosystems to lock in customer attention.
“Entertainment has a huge influence on consumption choices, especially for Gen Z. This acquisition is a critical step in our mission to strengthen engagement with this demographic,” said Ravi Iyer, Senior Vice President, Corporate at Flipkart.
Founded in 2007 by Nandini Shenoy, Pinkvilla began as a Bollywood-focused portal and has since expanded into multiple verticals including fashion, beauty, television, Korean entertainment, and lifestyle. With millions of monthly visitors across its website and social channels, the platform has become a go-to destination for entertainment-driven content consumption.
Shenoy said the partnership with Flipkart will accelerate Pinkvilla’s growth plans and allow it to scale operations more aggressively. “This is an opportunity to broaden our reach and deepen our impact in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem,” she said.
The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed soon. Neither company disclosed financial terms.
The acquisition underscores Flipkart’s broader shift to build consumer stickiness through media, content, and entertainment — areas that increasingly influence shopping behavior among India’s young internet users.
BigBasket, the online grocer backed by Tata Group, is preparing for a leadership change as cofounder and chief executive Hari Menon looks to step back from daily operations. According to people aware of the matter, Menon has been drawing up a succession plan over the past few months and may take on a mentor’s role once a new chief executive is appointed.
The move comes as Tata Sons sharpens BigBasket’s playbook in quick commerce, a segment where rivals Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto have seized ground. Menon, who launched BigBasket in 2011 alongside Vipul Parekh, VS Sudhakar, Abhinay Choudhari and VS Ramesh, has steered the company for over a decade, including its acquisition by Tata Digital in 2021. Choudhari is the only founder to exit following the deal.
Tata Digital, a wholly owned unit of Tata Sons, had acquired 64.3% of BigBasket’s wholesale business Supermarket Grocery Supplies for $200 million three years ago, valuing the company at $3.2 billion. Since then, the grocer has been repositioning itself through BB Now, its 10-minute delivery service, and a broader app overhaul designed to move beyond grocery into multiple categories.
The leadership change is also being closely watched by investors as BigBasket looks to raise fresh capital with Citi and Moelis advising Tata Sons on the process. The grocer’s performance has come under pressure. Tata Sons’ latest annual report shows revenue at its consumer-facing arm Innovative Retail Concepts declined 3% to Rs 7,673 crore in FY25, while its wholesale unit fell 7% to Rs 2,227 crore. Losses widened to Rs 1,851 crore from Rs 1,267 crore a year earlier.
The transition at BigBasket coincides with a broader shake-up at Tata Digital, which recently brought in Sajith Sivanandan, former Jio executive, as its new chief executive to accelerate execution across digital platforms.
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