House of Chikankari, a women-led ethnic wear startup, has raised Rs 25 crore in a Series A funding round spearheaded by Cap Alpha Ventures (formerly Client Associates Alternate Fund). This fresh capital infusion follows an earlier seed round of $639,000 backed by LetsVenture and a high-profile appearance on Shark Tank India Season 2.
Strategic Expansion and Retail Push
The Delhi-based brand, co-founded in 2020 by Aakriti Rawal and Poonam Rawal, plans to utilize the proceeds to aggressively scale its operations. Key focus areas for the capital include:
Omnichannel Growth: Shifting from a purely digital footprint to a robust offline retail presence.
Product Innovation: Expanding the current portfolio of kurtas, sarees, and contemporary tops.
Operational Efficiency: Strengthening working capital and investing in marketing and talent acquisition.
Scaling Heritage Craft
House of Chikankari has successfully modernized the traditional Lucknowi craft for the everyday consumer. By blending heritage embroidery with contemporary silhouettes, the brand has built a community of over 2 lakh customers and supports a network of more than 10,000 artisans.
Financial Performance and Reach
The startup is currently experiencing a period of rapid financial acceleration:
Growth: Reported over 50% growth in FY26.
Revenue: Currently operating at an Annual Revenue Run Rate (ARR) of Rs 50 crore.
Digital Footprint: Its proprietary website and app attract over 9 lakh monthly user sessions.
Global Footprint: The brand has expanded its reach to 20 countries, with significant traction in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
With the Series A funding secured, the company is targeting multi-fold growth over the next 24 months, aiming to cement its position as a leader in the scalable ethnic wear segment.
By: Sandhya Bharti
