/socialsamosa/media/agency_attachments/PrjL49L3c0mVA7YcMDHB.png)
/socialsamosa/media/media_files/2025/10/07/desktop-leaderboard-1-2025-10-07-15-55-17.png)
/socialsamosa/media/member_avatars/2024/10/28/2024-10-28t132826548z-whatsapp-image-2024-10-28-at-185743.jpeg )
Follow Us/socialsamosa/media/media_files/2025/10/16/apparel-brands-festive-season-2025-10-16-13-35-17.png)
made using AI
The lights are coming on across India, and with them, the cash registers. For the apparel industry, the festive season is an economic phenomenon that can make or break the year. Fashion and accessories saw GMV growth of more than 18% during the first 10 days of the festive sale season this year, and key festivals are contributing up to 40% of annual sales for companies in sectors like apparel.
In a nation where festivals are the fabric of social life, clothing is a very crucial part of the festive sentiment. And for ethnic wear brands, the festive quarter is everything. At Libas, the numbers underscore the importance of this period. "Around 60-65% of our annual revenue comes from this period, and for our retail stores specifically, 70% of business comes from H2," said Nisha Khatri, Head of Marketing at Libas.
The brand aligned with the broader industry pattern, where the ethnic wear market typically sees 45-50% of annual revenues concentrated in the three-month festive window from Navratri to Diwali.
The stakes were equally high at BIBA, where Ekta Dutta, Head of Marketing, revealed that approximately 40% of the overall marketing budget was allocated to the festive season. "This year's extended festive calendar, which includes festivals and weddings both, is a critical time for us," she said.
Campaigns that tell the story of togetherness
This festive season, the campaigns that truly broke through weren’t the glossy, larger-than-life montages — they were the ones grounded in craft, culture and everyday celebration. Brands leaned into micro-moments: prepping for puja, stringing up lights with friends, or the office get-together that doubles as an impromptu runway. These slices of real life resonated far more than aspirational excess.
FabIndia embodied this shift with Svarnim, its annual festive campaign. "At Fabindia, festivals are all about celebrating relationships, traditions, and diverse cultures across India," saidSumit Handa, CMO. "Our festive playbook is simple: we stay rooted in the warmth of traditions and celebrate the Kutumbh – families and the larger community."
Whether it was the brand’s Durga Puja, Navratri, or Diwali campaign, the festive theme for the brand this season centred on family, celebrations, and bringing traditions to life.
"The creative storytelling that resonates strongly is one that steps into the origins of the product and the craft behind it," Handa said. "At Fabindia, we believe that while styles and trends are temporary, stories rooted in heritage and values create a deeper and more lasting connection."
BIBA, on the other hand, took a different route, celebrating individuality rather than uniformity, as per Dutta. "Our festive campaign this time is built around the philosophy of 'Different by Design,'" she added.
The brand took an aggressive multi-occasion approach, rolling out campaigns from Rakhi and Ganpati through Durga Puja, and into Navratri, Karwachauth, and Diwali.
"While we have traditionally focused on contemporary narratives, we are also exploring the emerging trend of 'going back to the roots,' creating content that connects audiences with authentic rituals, craftsmanship, and traditions throughout the festive season,” she said.
The festive narratives were also shaped by a cultural remix. As Megha Shrimali, AVP – Brand Communications, Ethinos, observed, “Tradition isn’t being abandoned, it’s being hacked into something personal — sneakers with lehengas, hoodies with dhotis.” She added that the idea of togetherness, too, evolved. “From ‘family-only' to family + found family, as younger audiences celebrate just as joyfully with their crew as they do at home.”
This cultural shift was reflected in the season’s fashion campaigns. Myntra’s festive ads, for instance, captured the spirit of found family, showing friends dressing up together, creating their own rituals, and turning every gathering into a celebration.
Similarly, Amazon Fashion’s festive films tapped into the growing trend of Diwali parties with friends, reflecting how the festive season has expanded beyond the traditional home space into more social, urban, and peer-led celebrations.
Nikhil Furia, Partner at ERA, the in-thing, summed up the approach, "In apparel brands, what works best is showing people the mood and how to get festive-ready. Focusing on building a narrative on how to make your festivals colourful and brighter with new festive Indian wear is something that works in the festive season."
The media mix
The digital shift is undeniable, but brands are becoming smarter about allocating their budgets. BIBA, for instance, focused on digital-first strategies. "Our media mix today makes extensive use of digital platforms, including social media channels, digital marketing campaigns, influencer engagements, etc.," said Dutta. "This integrated phygital approach allows us to meet our customers wherever they are."
At Libas, the allocation is even more aggressive, with 18–20% of revenue going to festive marketing — slightly above the industry norm. But Nisha Khatri emphasised that it is not a blanket spend. "Around 50% goes to performance marketing, 30% to brand storytelling, and 20% to retention and CRM."
Two metrics guide their decisions: incremental unique reach by channel and purchase probability. "For example, regional influencer-led ads in Tier 2 cities deliver 1.5-2x higher ROAS compared to generic ads," Khatri explains. "If a segment shows a 40% higher chance of repurchasing within 60 days, we prioritise retention over fresh acquisition. For us, lifetime value is more important than just festive spikes, so we balance acquisition with retention carefully."
The influencer economy
Influencer marketing is now a key part of every fashion brand’s festive playbook, with the season accounting for 40-45% of annual influencer spends. With everyone trying to catch consumer attention during peak shopping time, this year, brands shifted from big celebrity tie-ups to smarter, content-led collaborations.
“Festive is the Super Bowl of influencer marketing,” Khatri says. “We still go big, but we’ve moved away from vanity-led campaigns to a more ROI-focused approach.”
At Libas, around 70% of the influencer budget went to micro and hyperlocal creators in Tier 2 and 3 cities, including Indore, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Kochi. "These partnerships feel authentic and deliver better returns," she said. "For high-reach festive campaigns, we still collaborate with marquee names, but our focus remains content-first."
At FabIndia, influencers are seen as storytelling partners. "User-generated content and influencers not only extend our reach, but also expand the conversation for Fabindia and become a natural part of the larger dialogue," Handa noted. "While we engage with a mix of creators, regional influencers hold particular significance for us, as they help us connect more authentically with local communities across India."
BIBA echoed this sentiment. "Influencers act as regional voices to tap into specific festive markets, while also inspiring audiences by showing how a BIBA outfit can be styled in multiple ways for different occasions," Dutta explained. "Together, they make our festive storytelling both relatable and aspirational."
As the festive lights twinkled and celebrations unfolded, the apparel industry found that personal, authentic, and local stories resonated most. Whether through creators in smaller cities, narratives rooted in craft, or campaigns celebrating both family and friendship, fashion brands realised that genuine connection mattered far more than mere noise.