Applications
LehLah teams up with Animeta for their creator-led shopping app
Mumbai: Social media audiences, especially the GenZ, have embraced social commerce as a natural extension of their online experiences. As using the mobile for making online purchases and payments become increasingly common, the entry of commerce in social media content is highly evident. But the most important phenomenon amidst this, has been the rise in the role of content creators – who are now able to leverage their content and influence with their online communities, to not only drive awareness or consideration for a sale, but the sale itself. And – have a direct share in the earnings!
LehLah, is a new creator-guided shopping app in the fashion and beauty space, that taps into this exact opportunity. Users come to discover looks and outfits showcased by credible fashion influencers. They can then go on to buy things directly from the respective stores, by simply tapping on their posts. The app’s marketplace is connected with several top brand stores available online, giving creators a wide range of products to select from, to endorse. To ensure success for this new model of online discovery and shopping, it was critical for LehLah to onboard the most apt creators, recognisable for their fashion sense and ability to drive ‘intent to buy’. And that is where they found synergies with Animeta, Asia’s largest creator-tech company, to act as their creator selection and onboarding partner.
LehLah founder Ashna Ruia commented “Fashion is a timeless and ever evolving canvas for expressing individual identity. Social media stars have become icons for their followers, influencing the next wave of fashion and style driven by hyper-personalization. LehLah functions on this very idea. In our quest for partners who align seamlessly with our vision, Animeta emerged as the perfect collaborator to bring on board creators who truly fit the bill. As the landscape of social commerce prepares for a significant surge, our focus is on cultivating enduring partnerships that foster collective growth for brands and creators alike.”
Animeta CEO Devdatta Potnis said “Industry estimates project that global social commerce is poised to reach US$ 1.2 trillion by 2025, with significant momentum observed in key markets such as the US, China, and Southeast Asia. However, it is India that is anticipated to be the driving force behind this remarkable growth in the years to come. LehLah is our very first partner on this journey, and their approach perfectly fits our goal of finding fresh monetization avenues for creators. Animeta is stepping into a new era where technology and commerce come together to open up amazing opportunities for creators”.
Close to 50 creators, already onboarded on the LehLah platform are actively sharing content and earning a share of (upto 20 per cent) of the revenue generated. On Instagram, they are utilising a combination of stories, reels, and direct-messaging tools, to harness the connect with their existing audience to the maximum, and effectively drive increased visibility and traffic to their profiles on LehLah. On LehLah, they are able to set up their personalised shop-fronts, allowing them to showcase their expertise, connect with their audience, and facilitate transactions, creating a comprehensive and engaging shopping experience for users.
Beyond onboarding creators for the platform, Animeta is also helping LehLah to create community partnerships and collab moments. First of which, was a dance collab on their brand’s anthem, with a Bangalore-based dance ensemble called ‘The Vixens Crew’.
LehLah and Animeta’s collaboration marks a significant step forward in empowering creators, unlocking new possibilities in the realm of fashion and beauty-led social commerce.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
