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Delhi-based artisanal-led ethnic wear D2C brand House of Chikankari has raised an undisclosed amount in a seed funding round led by marquee angel investors and micro-VC funds, including Tudip Ventures, Peyush Bansal (Lenskart), Manoj Meena (Atomberg), Ankit Nagori (Curefoods), Hitesh Dhingra (The Man Company), Alluvium Capital, and Aurinko Partners.
The transaction was exclusively advised by Keshav Agarwal, Founder of Daylight Capital.
Who are the founders?
Founded in 2020 by Aakriti Rawal and Poonam Rawal, House of Chikankari is an artisanal ethnic wear brand that brings contemporary designs rooted in Indian crafts to modern audiences.
Known for its authentic hand-embroidered Chikankari products from Lucknow, the brand bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design.
"The market for Indian crafts is highly unorganized, with most players limited to small regional stores or online platforms that often lack authenticity in sourcing and origin. At House of Chikankari, we address these challenges by directly collaborating with artisan clusters to ensure quality and authenticity. Our contemporary designs make traditional crafts resonate with younger audiences," said Rawal, who is also the CEO of the company.
Scaling the business to Rs 100 crore
With this round of funding, the startup will focus on expanding its marketing efforts, growing the team, and scaling the business to Rs 100 crore in revenue.
Poonam Rawal, Co-Founder, emphasized, “While we started with Chikankari, our journey has expanded to include other crafts. We’ve realized our mission can extend beyond a single art form. Today, we collaborate with artisans working on Kashmiri embroidery, Ikat, and hand-block printing, providing both employment and demand for these crafts. When we began, taking Chikankari online was challenging due to its fragmented supply chain. However, through extensive on-ground work, we overcame these obstacles. This success has strengthened our confidence to bring other crafts to the forefront, just as we did with Chikankari.”
Presently, a significant portion of the brand’s revenue comes from international markets, driven by demand from the Indian diaspora abroad and growing global appreciation for Indian craftsmanship. For this year, the startup projects that 30% of its revenue will come from crafts beyond Chikankari.
Notably, the House of Chikankari is also preparing for Series A fundraising to further fuel its next phase of growth.
Backing from Shark Tank India judges
House of Chikankari was featured in Shark Tank Inia Season 2 and is backed by Aman Gupta (boAt Lifestyle) and Peyush Bansal (Lenskart).
The startup claims that it fulfils around 15,000+ products per month and generates 85% of its revenue through its own D2C website. Apart from that, it is also present on marketplaces such as Nykaa, Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, and Ajio, with plans to expand internationally to platforms like Noon and Styli.
Over the last four years, House of Chikankari has collaborated with 10,000+ artisans across India, creating sustainable livelihoods and preserving traditional crafts.