Want a party dress in less than an hour? Many young Indian consumers do—and startups are scrambling to cash in on the new demand. Spurred by Gen Z‘s enthusiasm for spontaneity, social media phenomena, and instant gratification, a new market is unfolding: ultra-fast fashion.
Firms such as Slikk, NEWME, Blip, Knot, and big platforms such as Myntra and Ajio now guarantee delivery of fashionable attire within less than 90 minutes, with a few services taking as little as 30 minutes. What started out as a Gen Z behavior—impromptu plans and spontaneity in purchases—has turned into a viable business proposition.
This trend is expanding rapidly, according to startup founders. Young consumers prefer speed and fashion over brand loyalty or conventional shopping experiences.
“We heard the same thing repeatedly: ‘I need this outfit tonight,'” said NEWME CEO Sumit Jasoria. That observation prompted them to develop ultra-fast delivery options.
But getting fashion there in a hurry is more complicated than getting groceries. Unlike groceries, which are all about necessity, fashion is all about timing, style, and self-expression. This demands different supply chains and logistics.
Slikk, for example, has its own dark stores and does 60-minute delivery of fashion and beauty products in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. Myntra‘s M-Now service even does 30-minute delivery in select areas in Bengaluru.
“Speed fashion is good with certain occasions—cricket games, festival celebrations, or sudden parties,” opined Ankit Dua of Myntra.
NEWME‘s express delivery option “Zip” now completes 20–25% of its orders in Delhi-NCR and has gone live in Bengaluru as well. Partywear, viral fashion, and occasion-specific dresses are most in demand.
Still, this model isn’t easy to run. Fashion products involve sizing, seasonal changes, and higher return rates. Startups are experimenting with different backend models—Slikk and NEWME stock curated collections in local hubs, while Blip partners with local stores and delivers without holding inventory.
“We’re like Zomato for clothes,” said Blip co-founder Ansh Agarwal.
Logistics operators such as Zippee have also evolved to fashion‘s specific requirements and report demand for rapid fashion delivery is picking up fast. Fashion accounts for 30% of their delivery volume today.
Apart from speed, this model is showing profitability. Rapid fashion tends to carry bigger order values and more favorable margins than grocery. Investors are sitting up and taking notice—Slikk raised $10M, and other startups are negotiating funding.
“Quicker gratification is being funded,” said a venture investor.
Customer loyalty is also greater in this area, with more repeat orders and improved profit margins compared to the conventional e-commerce. Startups are luring new shoppers who were not previously purchasing.
But experts caution that replicating this model won‘t be simple. Fashion consumption isn‘t as reliable as that of groceries, and high rates of return continue to be an issue. Also, the idea is still confined to large cities such as Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.
“This is largely an urban phenomenon,” said Satish Meena of Datum Intelligence. “Companies have to concentrate on areas where demand is high and product-specific.”
Nevertheless, entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future. With improving technology and more streamlined logistics, they foresee quick fashion growing.
“It isn‘t merely about quicker delivery—it‘s about a new type of consumer,” Jasoria said. “Brands that evolve will pioneer the next era of online fashion.”
