US based startup Masala Baby launches in India

Mumbai (Maharashtra) : New York based children's lifestyle startup brand, Masala Baby, on Thursday announced its foray into the Indian market with a special collection of uniquely designed clothes, which will be available on Asia's biggest omni-channel player for kids and baby products - FirstCry - BabyOye.

Masala Baby was founded in 2010 by Dipali Patwa, who runs an all-woman team and who consciously collaborates and works with artisanal communities, many that are led by women.

Dipali has in the past worked at Fabindia, Museum of Modern Art in New York, Martha Stewart, Ralph Lauren, among others.

On launching Masala Baby in India, Dipali Patwa, founder and CEO, said, "India has been our primary market to source all our products and material, and we're delighted to now offer our products back to the India market.

Our aim is to launch a culturally relevant brand for India that understands the nuances of the Indian marketplace with a western bent on styling and is forward thinking to create models that will allow for deeper engagement of the parent community".

"We eagerly look forward to collaborate with more artisan communities and provide long-term sustainable employment. This is the DNA of our brand - artisanal, sustainable, socially engaged with a give back component," Patwa added.

Combining rich cultural influences of India with a modern, contemporary aesthetic, Masala Baby presents a blend of styles from its journey from east to the west and back that crosses borders effortlessly.

The socially conscious company uses hand-crafted elements, relies on women, works with boutique manufacturers, and uses fabrics that are unique, organic and natural.

On the India launch, Sajan Raj Kurup, founder, Ventureland Asia, said "Masala Baby has done exceptionally well in the USA with a coveted clientele including many Hollywood celebrities, in a short span of time.

One of the main reasons Ventureland Asia invested in Masala Baby was not just for their unique aesthetics but also because of their core purpose of working with artisans and using the skills of local craftsmen to create their product line, and giving back to the community".

Following its success in the USA, Ventureland Asia, the boutique investment engine of Creativeland Asia Group picked up 30 percent stake in Masala Baby for an undisclosed amount in the company's early-stage funding round in 2017.

Apart from selling the range on its own website, the Masala Baby brand is also available across 200 retailers in the USA including Nordstrom, Amazon and Kidbox.

The company boasts of a robust clientele which includes Kareena Kapoor, Jessica Alba, Channing Tatum, Amy Davidson, Jessica Hall, Sarah Wright Olsen, Alec Baldwin, and Hilaria Baldwin, among others.