Lakme Fashion Week

What Lakme Fashion Week does

Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI (LFW) is India's premier seasonal fashion and lifestyle event platform, jointly owned and operated by Rise World Wide (formerly IMG Reliance) and Hindustan Unilever Limited (which owns the Lakme cosmetics brand). Established in 1999 and headquartered in Mumbai, LFW curates two annual 5-day showcase cycles at Jio World Convention Centre, interfacing 100+ designers, brands, sponsors, and industry stakeholders per season. Since 2022, the platform has operated in formal partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), the apex body representing 400+ Indian fashion designers, unifying the previously fragmented Indian fashion week calendar.

The core product is the seasonal event itself, layered with structured sub-programs: the Designer Program (curated application and jury-based selection for designers with 5-10 years business experience, offering tiered Runway and Atelier showcase slots), the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (sustainable fashion competition co-run with the United Nations in India since 2019), and sustainability infrastructure spanning Carbon Conscious Guidelines, third-party Carbon Footprint Reporting, the Refill by Design initiative (800+ reusable bottles per season), and the EarthTee limited-edition program. In October 2025, LFW launched the Sustainable Fashion Dictionary and the Sustainability Heart Icon — a self-assessment badge embedding sustainability criteria across every designer showcase rather than concentrating it in a single themed day. Supporting the platform is an integrated talent ecosystem with public directories for Models, Show Directors, Hair/Makeup, Stylists, LED Visuals, Backstage Managers, and Model Managers.

LFW's business model rests on three revenue streams: designer showcase fees (Rs 4-8 Lacs + taxes per label, billed as one-time packages), tiered corporate sponsorships across top, mid, and bottom tiers (anchored by title sponsor Lakme and partners including Nexa, Ajio Luxe, Tresemme, Magnum, and Skechers), and mandatory showroom stall rentals bundled into designer packages. Distribution is event-driven and regional (Mumbai as primary venue), with selective international extensions (London Fashion Week 2017 Best Country Award; UN House New Delhi 2023). The customer base segments across emerging and established fashion designers (primary), fashion industry stakeholders and sponsors (primary), sustainable fashion innovators (Circular Design Challenge), and buyers/media (secondary). No AI/ML capabilities, no public API, and no proprietary software product underpin the platform — its defensibility derives from brand heritage, partnership network, and event execution rather than technology.

Name

Lakme Fashion Week

Legal name

Rise World Wide and Hindustan Unilever Limited

Website

https://lakmefashionweek.co.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI is India's premier seasonal fashion event platform, jointly operated by Rise World Wide and Hindustan Unilever. It curates 5-day showcases for 100+ designers, sponsors, and industry stakeholders, anchored by a 2022 FDCI partnership and tiered sponsorship economics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Event Management

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fashion & Accessories Marketplaces (CRAFABAA)

Keywords

• Fashion event management
• Designer showcase platform
• Sustainable fashion programs
• Runway show production
• Fashion industry partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Designer Showcasing Fees: Fees charged to designers for runway or atelier showcases at the fashion week event, with tiered pricing based on showcase format and number of designers per slot.
2. Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships from brands including Lakme, Nexa, Ajio Luxe, Tresemme, Magnum, Skechers, and others, with tiered sponsorship levels (top, mid, bottom slider).
3. Showroom Stall Fees: Mandatory stall rentals at the showroom during the event for showcasing designers, included within the overall show package.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI is a seasonal B2B fashion event platform that produces 5-day showcase events in Mumbai featuring runway and atelier presentations by 100+ designers and brands. It generates revenue through tiered designer showcase fees (Rs 4–8 Lacs per label), showroom stall rentals, and corporate sponsorships, while operating sustainability programs including the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, Carbon Conscious Guidelines, Carbon Footprint Reporting, and the Sustainable Fashion Dictionary.

Product overview

Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI operates as India's premier fashion and lifestyle event platform, jointly organized by Lakme (Hindustan Unilever Ltd), RISE Worldwide, and the Fashion Design Council of India. The core offering is the fashion week event itself, complemented by multiple interconnected programs: the Designer Program provides a curated platform for established designers (5-10 years in business) to showcase collections through Runway or Atelier formats; the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge (in partnership with UN in India) identifies circular fashion innovators; and the Sustainable Fashion Dictionary serves as an educational resource. Supporting infrastructure includes talent directories for Models, Show Directors, Hair and Makeup artists, Stylists, LED Visuals artists, Backstage Managers, and Model Managers. Sustainability initiatives span Carbon Conscious Guidelines, Carbon Footprint Reports, Refill by Design, EarthTee, and Invite Collection Boxes. The platform also maintains a Gallery showcasing designer profiles and collections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Circular Design Challenge: India's largest sustainable fashion award, a platform for young fashion/accessory entrepreneurs to showcase innovative ideas using materials from waste including plastic to promote circularity. Now in partnership with UN in India and R|Elan.
• Sustainable Fashion Day
• Impact Hub
• Sustainable Fashion Dictionary

Products and services

• Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI Seasonal Showcase Event India's premier seasonal fashion and lifestyle event, hosting 5-day showcases in Mumbai featuring over 100 designers, brands, and industry stakeholders through runway shows, atelier presentations, and industry networking.
• Designer Program (Runway and Atelier Showcases)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% reduction in emissions through renewable energy transition at venues
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, strategic and minor.

• United Nations House in New DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Historic hosting of the Grand Finale of R|Elan Circular Design Challenge at UN House in New Delhi, marking the first-ever fashion showcase hosted at the UN House.
• United Nations in IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, promoting circular fashion innovation and sustainability. The UN in India provides institutional credibility and global sustainability framework alignment.
• Project SU.RE (Sustainable Resolution)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019India's largest sustainable fashion commitment by apparel industry, launched by Ministry of Textiles, CMAI, UN in India, and RISE Worldwide. 16 top fashion brands as signatories including Aditya Birla Fashion, Arvind Fashions, Bestsellers, Biba, Future Group, and others.
• Lakme (Hindustan Unilever Limited)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakme, India's no.1 colour cosmetics and leading premium skincare brand from Hindustan Unilever Ltd., serves as the naming rights sponsor and beauty partner of the fashion week. Provides the platform's identity, beauty expertise, and connects to consumers through the beauty-fashion nexus.
• Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFDCI is the apex body of fashion design in India with over 400 members. Serves as the co-organizer providing industry representation, designer network, and industry credibility to the platform.
• Rise Worldwide (formerly IMG Reliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndia's largest independent Sports, Lifestyle and Entertainment company, serving as the operational organizer and platform builder for the fashion week. Manages event operations, designer programs, and sustainability initiatives.
• R|ElanflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerProducer of GreenGold fibre made from 100% used PET bottles with one of the lowest fibre carbon footprint globally. Primary sponsor of Circular Design Challenge and sustainability initiatives.
• SUPIMAstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive fireside chat partnership with AFEW Rahul Mishra at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI, underscoring how global innovation and Indian craftsmanship can come together to redefine luxury.
• The Woolmark CompanystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch of Impact Hub presented by Woolmark, showcasing innovations in sustainable fashion value chain. Partnership supporting Australian merino wool and Indian craft collaborations.
• Fashion for GoodstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership catalyzing collaborations between supply chain disruptors and designers to present collections spotlighting innovations for circular fashion, featuring AltMat, Graviky, and KB Cols Sciences.
• British Council IndiastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Crafting Futures Program, highlighting impact of fashion on climate change and role of women as leaders in the fashion ecosystem. Includes panel discussions with industry veterans.
• Lenzing EcoVerominorGTM or Marketing PartnerEcologically responsible production of viscose fibre made from the renewable and certified raw material wood, supporting Project SU.RE sustainable fashion commitment.
• Afroz Shah FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Environment's Champion of the Earth, Indian of the year 2017, CNN Hero 2019 - partnership for tackling multi-layer packaging waste through circular solutions.
• Canopy PlanetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEXT-GEN Blueprint dialogue at Lakme Fashion Week on protecting endangered forests while building the future of sustainable fashion materials.
• Jio World Convention CentrecoreOthersEvent venue partner in Mumbai where the fashion week is held. Site of renewable energy transition initiative resulting in over 80% reduction in event electricity emissions.
• C&A Foundation (now The Laudes Foundation)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate foundation transforming fashion industry, supporting cotton farmers and sustainable cotton initiatives at Lakme Fashion Week through Cotton Champions program.
• 6DegreeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner in curating India exhibit at International Fashion Showcase during London Fashion Week where India won Best Country Award.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Tokyo Fashion Week (Japan Fashion Week Organization): Japan's flagship fashion week run by the Japan Fashion Week Organization. Comparable trade-body-backed event with designer showcases and sustainability initiatives, but serving a different Asian market.
• Shanghai Fashion Week: Asia's largest fashion week, focused on China. Comparable scaled event platform with sustainability programming, designer showcases, and B2B buyer focus — operates in a different geography but is a regional peer for emerging-market fashion platforms.

Direct peers

• New York Fashion Week (CFDA): Americas' flagship fashion week produced by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Directly comparable as a multi-day seasonal showcase event bringing together designers, sponsors, and media, with a structured designer application/selection process.
• Milan Fashion Week (Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana): Italy's premier fashion week organized by the CNMI trade body. Directly comparable as a designer/showcase-driven seasonal event with industry body backing, designer show fees, and premium sponsor stack.
• Paris Fashion Week (Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode): Global fashion week benchmark organized by France's fashion industry federation. Closely comparable model: federation-backed, designer showcase fees, premium sponsors, and global buyer/media attendance.
• Hyundai India Couture Week: India's leading couture-format fashion week in Delhi/NCR, backed by FDCI and Hyundai. Direct competitor for premium Indian designer showcases, sponsors, and media attention.
• London Fashion Week (British Fashion Council): UK's premier fashion event run by the British Fashion Council. Same event-driven, designer-showcase business model with sponsor tiers, designer program, and emerging talent focus — LFW has already recognized LFW x FDCI through the 2017 Best Country Award.
• FDCI India Fashion Week (standalone): FDCI's own fashion week event run before the LFW x FDCI partnership (2022). Same designer/base and industry-body model, now integrated via the joint venture but historically a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Endeavor (formerly IMG / WME): Global sports and entertainment company that owned IMG Reliance (now Rise Worldwide, the operating partner of Lakme Fashion Week). Comparable as a broad incumbent in fashion event production, talent management, and lifestyle IP globally.

Emerging players

• Amazon India Fashion Week: Earlier e-commerce-tied fashion week concept in India. Comparable in scope (Indian designer showcase + sponsor-driven) but operates as a more recent/discontinued iteration, useful as a structural precedent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LakmeFashionWk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakme-fashion-week
• Facebookfacebook.com/LakmeFashionWk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lakme Fashion Week