For a clutch of new-age luggage brands that built their business online, the next phase of growth is beginning to look distinctly physical, and increasingly global.
After disrupting legacy players with design-led products and digital-first playbooks, direct-to-consumer (D2C) luggage brands are now investing in offline retail and overseas markets, even as they recalibrate channel mix and margins.
Mumbai-based Nasher Miles, founded in 2017, plans to open 5–7 exclusive brand outlet stores in FY27, targeting a mix of metro and emerging Tier 2 markets. “We plan to expand our offline footprint in a calibrated manner this year, with a focus on cities where we are already seeing strong demand online. This includes a mix of Tier 1 and emerging Tier 2 markets, where consumers are increasingly brand-conscious and open to design-led products,” Abhishek Daga, founder and chairman, Nasher Miles, told Fe.
The company, where 70% of sales currently come from e-commerce, expects the online share to moderate to 60–65% in FY27, with quick commerce rising to 15–18% and offline retail accounting for the rest. Its push into physical stores follows the launch of a flagship outlet at Phoenix Palladium in Mumbai last year.
Beyond the Screen
“Our offline presence is currently at a critical stage of scale-up,” Daga said, adding that physical retail plays a role beyond sales. “Luggage, as a category, benefits significantly from a touch-and-feel experience. Offline retail allows us to showcase design, build quality, and functionality in a far more immersive way.”
The shift is visible across peers. Travel and lifestyle brand Mokobara has taken its first international step with a store in Dubai, marking a transition from its online-first origins to a broader omnichannel strategy. “We are excited to bring the Mokobara experience to Dubai, where design, function, and style come together to redefine modern travel,” Sachin Vijayan, associate director, Retail at Mokobara, said.
Global Ambitions
Uppercase, which currently operates 37 exclusive brand outlets across India, is also preparing to enter select Middle East markets. “The region’s strong preference for quality products, coupled with a growing focus on sustainability, makes it a strategic first step for an Indian luggage brand with global ambitions,” said Dheeraj Goyal, co-founder and COO, Uppercase. The company’s sales are split roughly 55:45 between online and offline channels, a balance it expects to maintain even as it scales to 80–100 stores over the next few years.
Other players such as Escape Plan are expanding deeper into metros while tapping high-growth Tier 2 cities including Pune, Jaipur and Kochi, and are evaluating entry into travel hubs such as Dubai and Singapore, which mirror Indian travel patterns.
The expansion comes against the backdrop of a growing but competitive market. India’s luggage industry, estimated at around Rs 18,000 crore, is expected to grow 5–7% this fiscal, according to Crisil. At the same time, D2C brands are scaling faster, with some estimates pegging their growth at around 20%.
“These newer brands are also making luggage feel more stylish, modern, and useful, instead of treating it like a basic travel item. That is helping them connect with younger buyers, especially online,” Somdutta Singh, founder and CEO, Assiduus Global, said. “In simple words, they are selling both utility and aspiration.”
That growth, however, is coming with trade-offs. Heavy discounting — in some cases 50-70% — is compressing margins, while rising input costs and higher spends on marketing and expansion are widening losses for some players.
“The real challenge is not just growth. It is growing without losing control of profits, pricing, and costs,” Singh said.