Amid a sea of navy blazers and black bomber jackets, the sneaker always wins. Once again, they were the fashion MVPs of The Economic Times Startup Awards. Taking inspiration from the land where denim and hoodies reign supreme, many founders turned up, clad in the ultimate hipster status symbol.
Among the returning favourites were Onitsuka Tigers and Nike Jordans, joined this year by a new entrant: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s Ten x You. Peak XV’s Rajan Anandan matched his bandhgala and trousers with a white-and-blue Ten x You.
Adding fashion spunk, Purva Bhandari of Deccan AI paired her sleek black dress with beige and blue Tory Burch sneakers, tied up with a Louis Vuitton Capucines bag. Abhishek Goenka of Aeka Advisors sported Kurt Geiger London Lennon rainbow kicks—a pair he said he bought for the striking design. Meanwhile, Ankur Pahwa of Peer Capital flaunted his green and silver Onitsuka Tigers. “I was in the main store in Tokyo where the salesperson mentioned how each colour was handcrafted. This combination stood out,” he said.
Few things say “Silicon Valley-coded” quite like Zegna’s Triple Stitch and so they made special appearances at the event. Manav Garg of Together Fund chose a black pair, while Aniket Dey of Tulah Clinical Wellness went for navy, pointing out how they go well from desk to dinner. “Men have few things that they can wear to make them feel unique. These are among them.”
Made in India, the new chic
The unspoken dress code at this year’s ETSA was clear: Indian brands are the new chic. From intricate handloom textiles to sharp couture, the night’s trend supported the nation’s burgeoning high fashion and artisanal economy.
Swiggy Food Marketplace’s Rohit Kapoor wore a t-shirt and bomber jacket from Rare Rabbit and shoes from Tendulkar’s Ten x You. “There are many Indian brands with great design and price points. It suits my personality,” he said.
Nehru jackets were another favourite, with Alteria Capital’s Vinod Murali picking a green khadi one. “I thought this was aligned with the spirit of the event, celebrating India,” he said.
Stunning sarees provided bursts of colour. Meena Ganesh of Portea Medical couldn’t remember the provenance of her bright pink tussar, but suspected that it came from her favourite stores Taneira or Chennai’s famed Tulsi Silks. AMD’s Jaya Jagdish picked a black and red silk saree, while Avaana Capital’s Anjali Bansal wore a double weave ikat cotton patola. “I love patola sarees—they are from my state, Gujarat, and obviously to support the weaver community.”
Others like Blissclub’s Minu Margeret became an ambassador for her athleisure brand, opting for smart casual pants and a semi-formal polo.
Even accessories had an Indian touch. Myntra’s Nandita Sinha repeated her Anamika Khanna’s H&M statement earrings from last year’s awards, paired with a Marks & Spencer’s sunshine silk dress.
K Ganesh, serial entrepreneur and founder, Growth Story, said, “When I turned 60, and needed something extra to stand out. I threw away all my formal plain shirts and said I am going to wear only printed shirts... It has become a brand statement.” (Ganesh was wearing a custom blue blazer from Y&O and a multi-coloured satin shirt from Bombay Shirt Company).
Strategy consultant Aniket Dey also pointed out the quality of Indian brands, be it his Bombay Shirt Company button-down or his Sabyasachi card holder. And the Silicon Valley trend showed through founders who lugged their backpacks to awards night—Mokobara’s bags were fancied by some founders, including this year’s Comeback Kid winner, Aneesh Reddy.
Among the returning favourites were Onitsuka Tigers and Nike Jordans, joined this year by a new entrant: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s Ten x You. Peak XV’s Rajan Anandan matched his bandhgala and trousers with a white-and-blue Ten x You.
Adding fashion spunk, Purva Bhandari of Deccan AI paired her sleek black dress with beige and blue Tory Burch sneakers, tied up with a Louis Vuitton Capucines bag. Abhishek Goenka of Aeka Advisors sported Kurt Geiger London Lennon rainbow kicks—a pair he said he bought for the striking design. Meanwhile, Ankur Pahwa of Peer Capital flaunted his green and silver Onitsuka Tigers. “I was in the main store in Tokyo where the salesperson mentioned how each colour was handcrafted. This combination stood out,” he said.
Few things say “Silicon Valley-coded” quite like Zegna’s Triple Stitch and so they made special appearances at the event. Manav Garg of Together Fund chose a black pair, while Aniket Dey of Tulah Clinical Wellness went for navy, pointing out how they go well from desk to dinner. “Men have few things that they can wear to make them feel unique. These are among them.”
Made in India, the new chic
The unspoken dress code at this year’s ETSA was clear: Indian brands are the new chic. From intricate handloom textiles to sharp couture, the night’s trend supported the nation’s burgeoning high fashion and artisanal economy.
Swiggy Food Marketplace’s Rohit Kapoor wore a t-shirt and bomber jacket from Rare Rabbit and shoes from Tendulkar’s Ten x You. “There are many Indian brands with great design and price points. It suits my personality,” he said.
Nehru jackets were another favourite, with Alteria Capital’s Vinod Murali picking a green khadi one. “I thought this was aligned with the spirit of the event, celebrating India,” he said.
Stunning sarees provided bursts of colour. Meena Ganesh of Portea Medical couldn’t remember the provenance of her bright pink tussar, but suspected that it came from her favourite stores Taneira or Chennai’s famed Tulsi Silks. AMD’s Jaya Jagdish picked a black and red silk saree, while Avaana Capital’s Anjali Bansal wore a double weave ikat cotton patola. “I love patola sarees—they are from my state, Gujarat, and obviously to support the weaver community.”
Others like Blissclub’s Minu Margeret became an ambassador for her athleisure brand, opting for smart casual pants and a semi-formal polo.
Even accessories had an Indian touch. Myntra’s Nandita Sinha repeated her Anamika Khanna’s H&M statement earrings from last year’s awards, paired with a Marks & Spencer’s sunshine silk dress.
K Ganesh, serial entrepreneur and founder, Growth Story, said, “When I turned 60, and needed something extra to stand out. I threw away all my formal plain shirts and said I am going to wear only printed shirts... It has become a brand statement.” (Ganesh was wearing a custom blue blazer from Y&O and a multi-coloured satin shirt from Bombay Shirt Company).
Strategy consultant Aniket Dey also pointed out the quality of Indian brands, be it his Bombay Shirt Company button-down or his Sabyasachi card holder. And the Silicon Valley trend showed through founders who lugged their backpacks to awards night—Mokobara’s bags were fancied by some founders, including this year’s Comeback Kid winner, Aneesh Reddy.
