House of Chikankari raises Rs 4 crore in seed funding round

Direct to customer ethnic wear brand House of Chikankari has raised Rs 4 crore in a seed funding round which saw participation from marquee angel investors and micro venture capital funds. The business plans to use the capital to expand its business and marketing operations and grow its team. 

“The market for Indian crafts is highly unorganised, with most players limited to small regional stores or online platforms that often lack authenticity in sourcing and origin,” said the brand’s CEO and co-founder Aakriti Rawal in a press release. “At House of Chikankari, we address these challenges by directly collaborating with artisan clusters to ensure quality and authenticity. Our contemporary designs make traditional crafts resonate with younger audiences.”

House of Chikankari aims to harness its new funds to scale its business to be an Rs 100 crore revenue brand. Investors included Lenskart’s Peyush Bandal, Atomberg’s Manoj Meena, Curefoods’ Ankit Nagori, and The Man Company’s Hitesh Dhingra among others. 

“While we started with Chikankari, our journey has expanded to include other crafts,” said the label’s co-founder Poonam Rawal. “We’ve realised our mission can extend beyond a single art form. Today, we collaborate with artisans working on Kashmiri embroidery, Ikat, and hand-block printing, providing both employment and demand for these crafts. When we began, taking Chikankari online was challenging due to its fragmented supply chain. However, through extensive on-ground work, we overcame these obstacles. This success has strengthened our confidence to bring other crafts to the forefront, just as we did with Chikankari.”

House of Chikankari specialises in products from Lucknow and aims to mix traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. The label is expanding its product offering and expects to see 30% of its total revenue come from products other than its core Chikankari offering in the 2025 financial year. The brand next plans to hold a Series A fund raise to fuel further growth. 

“Growing up, Chikankari was something my mother or grandmother cherished, but younger generations like mine weren’t familiar with its rich history,” said Rawal. “There was a common belief that authentic Chikankari could only be found if you or someone you knew traveled to Lucknow. We’re changing that narrative by making Chikankari accessible, authentic, and modern for everyone.”