Brands
India’s fashion powerhouses celebrate 25 years of Lakme Fashion Week
MUMBAI: India’s fashion world threw a dazzling bash as Lakme Fashion Week marked its 25th anniversary with a glittering gala that brought together the country’s design royalty. The spectacular event, hosted by Lakme, the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Reliance Brands on 30 March, was a runway romp through a quarter-century of catwalk history.
Hollywood actor and former White House staffer Kal Penn played master of ceremonies, bringing his trademark wit to proceedings as Hindi cinema heavyweight Kareena Kapoor Khan made a triumphant return to the ramp. Draped in white, the superstar—who has twice been the face of Lakme—delivered a nostalgic speech that had fashion-watchers swooning.
The silver jubilee extravaganza featured a who’s who of Indian fashion, with 30 celebrated designers including Rajesh Pratap, JJ Valaya, Namrata Joshipura, Varun Bahl, Manish Malhotra, Ashish Soni and Tarun Tahiliani strutting their sartorial stuff. Former Lakme models including Lisa Ray, Lisa Haydon, Indrani Dasgupta, Sarah Jane Dias, Shimona Nath and Archana Akil returned to strut down memory lane, reviving the magic of past finales.
FDCI chairman Sunil Sethi raised a toast to the “design-soaked journey. This year the celebrations were robust, reflecting on how we shaped design and its sinuous curves through crafts and heritage. Let’s raise a toast to the future, forward with insightful and innovative ideas that will change our relationship with style. “
Lakme India vice president Sunanda Khaitan highlighted the brand’s “unprecedented” commitment to democratising fashion. She added: “Lakmes longstanding and consistent commitment to furthering fashion in India is unprecedented. It has given fashion designers, makeup artists, and models a world-class platform to showcase their creativity. While fashion may sometimes feel like it’s only accessible to a select few, Lakme’s contribution to LFW has made it a cultural phenomenon, merging fashion and beauty. For the past 25 years, Lakme, through innovations debuted each season, has led the charge on beauty, bringing beauty trends to India. We have collaborated closely with the best fashion talent in the country to curate their collections, complementing the beauty trends for the season.”
Said Reliance Brands group vice-president Jaspreet Chandok: “The platform’s 25th anniversary was not just a celebration, it was a powerful reflection of how far Indian fashion had come and the limitless possibilities that lie ahead. This Gala brought together pioneers and pathbreakers of the industry in an unprecedented showcase of design excellence. From iconic designers to global talent like Kal Penn joining us as host, the evening was a historic tribute to creativity, culture, and collaboration.”
With supermodel Ujjwala Raut hosting the red carpet alongside fashion pundit Jessel Tank, the evening was a feast of fabrics and famous faces—proving that after 25 years, India’s premier fashion showcase remains as catwalk-crazy as ever.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
