US-based Indian women’s label eShakti gets a funding boost

Women's apparel brand eShakti has raised funds through IvyCap, IDG Ventures

in the second funding round. The company plans to utilize the capital for scaling up operations in the US. The total amount raised by the Chennai and Gurgaon-based company is about Rs 90 crores.

Apart from expanding operations, the company, which makes custom-designed clothing for women in the US, will also use the money for talent acquisition and to improve technology. Founded by Krishnan in 2001 as a lifestyle products firm for Indians living in the US, eShakti transformed its business model six years ago to produce and retail customised apparels for women. eShakti has customers across 10,000 cities in the US with design teams based both in the US and India.

A customised garment is designed using software tools based on the measurement provided. It also shows the different shapes of fabrics that will assemble together to go to make the garment. The virtual dress is then draped digitally on the three dimensional image to see how the garment would fit and look. That way, before the fabric is actually cut, the entire garment can be seen virtually with the use of latest apparel technology.

eShakti produces clothes at its own manufacturing units and local factories. It neither stocks products nor does it have to warehouse its merchandise since products are shipped directly to the customers.