The Indian retail fashion space is witnessing a fresh churn — and it’s not about premium wear or designer trends. It’s about who can offer the cheapest T-shirt without cutting corners. Tata Group’s Zudio, a no-frills, low-cost clothing brand, has quietly crept into every corner of the country, from bustling metros to far-flung rural towns. And it’s doing numbers.
Zudio’s appeal lies in its simplicity: basic fashion that doesn’t burn a hole in the pocket. And in an economy where middle-class spending power is stretched, that’s a big win. It’s no surprise then that players like Max Fashions and Reliance Trends have felt the heat. Zudio’s aggressive pricing and India-made tag have helped it build strong emotional goodwill among budget-conscious consumers.
Even calls for boycotting the brand — which surfaced briefly — seem to have done little damage. If anything, the attention may have boosted footfall.
Now comes the interesting part. Shein, the Chinese fast-fashion behemoth banned in India in 2020, is quietly making its way back — this time through Reliance. The two companies inked a partnership deal about a year ago, and plans are now surfacing.
Here’s the catch: this won’t be a repeat of the old Shein. The brand is expected to shift much of its manufacturing to India, with nearly 1,000 Indian factories expected to produce Shein-labeled garments over the next year. The aim? To serve both the Indian market and export to Shein’s global customer base.
Why India? One reason could be that Shein’s production operations in China have run into multiple hurdles — from the tariff war with the US to increasing global scepticism about China-made goods. Shifting production to India might not just reduce Shein’s trade risks but also help it tap into India's manufacturing ecosystem — all while dressing it up as a “Made in India” story.
It’s too early to say whether Shein’s second coming via Reliance will upset Zudio’s rapid rise. But a few things stand out.
Zudio has home advantage. Most of its clothes are made in India, and unlike earlier, imports from Bangladesh have gone down. Indian consumers, often emotionally driven in their shopping choices, may prefer a brand that feels homegrown over one that’s linked to China, even if it's rebranded under Reliance.
Zudio is also keeping things tight at the pricing end. Its current product line remains among the cheapest in the market, and with a strong in-house manufacturing network, it’s well-positioned to handle a pricing war.