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You know those brands you see everywhere now, on reels, in malls, on streets, that everyone seems to be wearing? They’re not just getting popular by chance. Brands like Zudio, Westside, and OWND! are rewriting the rules of fashion in India. They’re changing not just what we buy, but how we think about style, affordability, and trends. Let me break down what’s happening, why these brands are everywhere, what they mean, and how they’re shaping fashion for people like us.

What These Brands Are & Why They Grew So Fast

Zudio: Trendy and Affordable

Zudio, part of Trent Ltd under the Tata Group, started around 2016 and quickly became the go-to brand for anyone wanting trendy clothes without spending too much. It’s all about “fashion now,” fast, affordable, and easy to access. In FY24, Zudio added 203 new stores, expanded into 46 new cities, and increased its presence in 48 existing ones, bringing the total to around 545 stores across roughly 164 cities. The brand is selling like crazy, 90 T-shirts every minute, 20 denims every hour, plus fragrances and lipsticks. By FY25, Zudio even crossed the US$1 billion revenue mark.

Westside: Premium and Curated

Westside, also part of Trent/Tata, is a step above Zudio in terms of premium feel. It offers nicer fabrics, carefully curated styles, fusion wear, and even home décor. With over 200 stores in more than 100 cities, many of them large-format department-style outlets ranging from 8,000 to 34,000 sq ft, Westside gives customers a complete shopping experience with clothes, accessories, footwear, and more. They keep things fresh by updating collections almost every week, so you always have something new to look forward to.

OWND!: Gen Z’s Playground

OWND!, launched in 2025 by ABFRL (Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd), is targeting Gen Z by rebranding its “Style Up” stores. The plan is to have about 100 stores by the end of the current financial year and over 400 stores in the next five years. The focus is on bold, trendy fashion under ₹1,200, making it easy for young shoppers to buy more without stressing about money.

What These Brands Represent & Why They’re Resonating

These brands are doing more than selling clothes. They represent a shift. Here's what they mean now:

Affordability + Style. Most young people want to change their wardrobe often. They want trends, not just basics. Brands like Zudio and OWND! Let you buy trendy clothes without waiting for sales. You see a style, you buy it now. If you like it, you can wear it; if not, you move to the next.

Fast Fashion Access Everywhere, Earlier. Fashion used to be metro-city stuff. Now, Zudio stores are in Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns. OWND! is expanding to many smaller cities. Fashion is coming closer to where people are. That means more people can participate, not just those in big cities.

Frequent Refresh / Trend Sensitivity. These brands update designs frequently. Collections drop often. What’s going viral on TikTok or Instagram influences what these brands stock quickly. So you feel fashion is alive, not stuck in seasons.

Youth Identity & Expression. Gen Z especially wants to stand out, not just wear what’s “normal.” They want clothes that say something, bold prints, streetwear, graphic tees, loose fits, coastal wear, etc. Brands like OWND! and Zudio cater to that more than traditional formal wear.

Mix of Online + Offline. These brands are available online and in stores. They use online for hype, trends, visuals, and influencers. Offline stores are placed in malls or high streets so people can try, feel, and buy. That combo helps them capture both the “look first online, buy in person, or fast delivery” kind of shopping behavior.

How They’re Changing the Fashion Industry

Because of these brands, the industry is shifting. The old model (seasonal collection, slow turnover) is dying: more refreshes, faster styles. Smaller cities are now major growth areas: brands that only had stores in metros now struggle if they don’t reach Tier 2 and Tier 3. Price brackets are shifting: people expect fashion at a lower cost. If a brand is expensive but does not feel modern or trendy, it’ll lose. Competition is getting stiffer: everyone wants a piece of Gen Z’s budget. New entrants (like Yousta and ABFRL’s OWND!) are going after this audience. Even big brands are changing their models. Sustainability and ethics are creeping in: people are starting to ask, “How was it made? What material? How many times can I wear it before it looks worn?” So brands need to think about quality too, not just speed.

Real Numbers & What They Tell Us

Zudio has been expanding like crazy. In FY24 alone, it added 203 new stores, bringing the total to around 545 stores across roughly 164 cities. The brand is selling fast too, about 90 T-shirts every minute, along with other trendy items like denims, fragrances, and lipsticks. Westside, on the other hand, has more than 220 stores, and many of them are large-format department-style outlets that combine clothes, accessories, and home décor. They keep things fresh by updating collections almost every week. Then there’s OWND!, ABFRL’s newest brand aimed at Gen Z. It plans to have about 100 stores by the end of this year and over 400 within five years, offering affordable fashion under ₹1,200 for many items.

What It Means for Us (People Who Love Fashion & Want More)

It’s more possible now to look good without spending too much. If you like something, you can get it. If style changes, you can switch without regrets. But also, you need to be smarter. Because more choices mean more impulsive buys. Sometimes cheap clothing won’t last; quality still matters. Know when to invest more. Watch brands you believe in, ones that keep up with trends, do well on quality, and are fair. Use social media to see real reviews, and try them in stores if possible. Support local stuff too. If smaller brands start copying these models (trend + affordability + style), the fashion scene gets richer.

These brands, like Zudio, Westside, and OWND!, are doing something big: making fashionable clothing not a luxury, but something many can access and enjoy. They're speeding up fashion, making style more democratic, more in tune with what young people now want. If you ask me, this is the change we needed. Fashion is not just for the elite, but for the many. And brands that don’t evolve will be left behind, because now, people want fashion that speaks to their identity, their budget, and their pace.

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