How Retail Leaders Are Navigating the Demands of Instant Retail

From digital dominance to offline experimentation, founders at India Fashion Forum 2025 shared how they’re building smarter, faster, and more connected businesses that speak to a new generation of shoppers.

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In an era where speed is everything, retailers are being pushed to innovate and re-imagine how they serve customers who expect instant gratification—even in fashion. At a panel titled Infinite Pace: Thriving in the Age of Instant Retail, industry leaders came together to discuss how their brands are responding to this new reality. Moderated by N P Singh, Business Development Director at Samsonite, the session featured insights from:

· Nimish Shah, Co-Founder, Style Union (Nexon Universe)

· Rakesh Jallipally, VP & Business Head, Flipkart

· Sumit Ghildiyal, Sr. VP - Head Retail Business Development & NSO, Landmark Group

Physical First, Digital Supportive

While much of the world obsesses over 10-minute deliveries, Nimish Shah's brand Style Union has taken a very different approach — and flourished. With over 110 stores in South India, the brand has chosen a contrarian strategy.

“Post-COVID, while everyone leaned into e-commerce, we focused on brick-and-mortar with cluster expansion,” Shah explained. “For example, we have 23 stores in Hyderabad and 24 in Bangalore. These neighborhood stores help strengthen brand recognition, repeat purchases, and backend supply chain efficiencies.” The brand operates neighborhood stores, making them part of daily life for consumers. “While we're not big on online sales, we offer Omni support—mainly for size availability issues,” Shah further adds.

Omnichannel with a Purpose

Landmark Group's Sumit Ghildiyal outlined a hybrid approach to instant retail—seamlessly blending offline and online ecosystems.