Nykaa Fashion has officially expanded its Hidden Gems accelerator programme to support emerging home-grown fashion and lifestyle brands through enhanced mentorship, marketing, visibility and growth initiatives. According to the latest reports, brands joining the programme will operate on a zero-commission model for the first six months as an introductory benefit, enabling them to redirect early investments towards brand building, inventory and customer acquisition while establishing themselves on the platform. The programme now includes monthly business reviews, fast-track onboarding, cataloguing support and access to working-capital solutions through financial partnerships, providing comprehensive support for emerging brands as they scale their operations.
The accelerator programme focuses on high-potential homegrown brands across Indian wear, Western wear, jewellery, bags and footwear. Participants gain access to eight key growth pillars, including preferential visibility, marketing support, mentorship, fast-track onboarding and simplified cataloguing. The enhanced programme now offers strategic account management, preferential visibility, mentorship and marketing support alongside the existing benefits. The initiative is designed to provide strategic support and consumer insights as these brands look to scale their operations, with the expanded Hidden Gems program aiming to bring together consumer reach, data-led growth and access to Nykaa Fashion's wider capabilities.
Abhijeet Dabas, CEO of Nykaa Fashion, commented on the programme's significance, stating that India's home-grown fashion landscape is at an exciting inflection point. According to the latest reports, Dabas emphasized that independent brands are bringing fresh perspectives, distinctive design and new ideas to the market, making access to the right ecosystem, consumer insights and strategic support increasingly important for scaling operations. The new program marks a deeper commitment to supporting the next generation of independent founders, D2C innovators and emerging designers, creating a more structured pathway for them to grow their businesses and build lasting brand value. Brands looking to be part of the Hidden Gems program can apply through the dedicated application process.
The zero-commission model follows similar initiatives in the e-commerce fashion sector. As reported by Business Standard, Flipkart recently extended its zero-commission policy to all fashion products, covering every price point in the category, expanding from the previous policy that applied zero commission to fashion products priced up to ₹1,000. The company reported having more than 90,000 transacting sellers in the fashion category. Since its inception, Hidden Gems has been an integral part of Nykaa Fashion's offering, bringing distinctive designs from home-grown brands to discerning consumers. As India's fashion landscape evolves, a new generation of home-grown brands is redefining consumer preferences through distinctive design, cultural relevance and contemporary interpretations of Indian craftsmanship.
