A Decade of Live Free: The Kaftan Company Marks 10 Years with Middle East Expansion and Homebody Collection
The Kaftan Company (TKC), India’s first brand dedicated exclusively to kaftans, is marking its 10th anniversary with plans to expand into multiple markets across the Middle East. The milestone coincides with the launch of Homebody, a new nightwear collection created for women aged 21–34 who are embracing staying in as a lifestyle rather than simply an alternative to going out.
Founded in 2016 by Prakruti Gupta Rao and Navin Rao, TKC set out to transform the kaftan from a garment traditionally associated with homewear into a distinct fashion category. Ten years later, the brand has built a portfolio of more than 1,000 SKUs across womenswear, maternity, kidswear and menswear loungewear.
The brand is currently available through platforms including Myntra, Nykaa Fashion, Tata CLiQ and Zivame, while also working with boutiques across India. Its retail presence includes a flagship store in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
Ten Years of Building the Category
TKC’s growth has been driven by a series of long-term initiatives, including early investments in near-zero-waste bulk production and proprietary digital printing techniques. The brand has also developed a predominantly women-led workforce, with women accounting for more than 80% of its employees across stitching and production departments. The company also supports the education of employees’ children.
The pandemic became an important turning point for TKC. As consumers spent more time at home and work-from-home lifestyles blurred the boundaries between sleepwear, loungewear and everyday dressing, the brand experienced its strongest phase of growth. The shift helped reinforce comfortwear as an important part of the modern wardrobe.
Co-Founder Prakruti Gupta Rao holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, Canada, and was selected for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Entrepreneurs programme at IIM Bengaluru and ISB Hyderabad. Co-Founder Navin Rao completed an MBA specialising in Fashion, Design and Luxury Goods at Bologna Business School, Italy.
TKC has also received industry recognition, including the “Upcoming D2C Brands to Watch For” award from Kamikaze B2B Media, the “D2C Brandpreneur” honour at the Grand Queens Leadership Awards and the Fashion & Lifestyle award at the HyBiz Women’s Leadership Awards.
“We Built a Category Before We Built a Brand”
“When we started, ‘kaftan’ wasn’t a category in India; it was a word for something your mother wore at home,” said Prakruti Gupta Rao, Co-Founder, The Kaftan Company. “The first few years were spent educating customers on why comfort and style are not opposites. Everything that followed- the print techniques, the women-led factory floor, the 1000 SKUs all came from that one conviction. Ten years later, the customer who once bought a kaftan quietly now wears it to brunch, on holiday and on her Instagram.”
Taking the Indian Kaftan Global
TKC began its international journey in 2018–19 through Fulfilment by Amazon operations in the US and UAE, alongside export partnerships in Botswana. The Middle East is now emerging as a key focus market, with the brand planning expansion across multiple countries in the region during 2026–27.
“Our export experience showed us something interesting: the Indian kaftan, with its prints, fabrics and price point, travels exceptionally well,” said Navin Rao, Co-Founder, The Kaftan Company. “The Middle East is a market where the garment already has cultural meaning. What we bring is a modern, print-led, made-in-India take on it, backed by a supply chain we have spent ten years refining. Global expansion for us is not about being everywhere; it is about being right for the markets where we go.”
Homebody: Nightwear Designed for a New Generation
Alongside its international expansion, TKC has introduced Homebody, a nightwear collection inspired by the growing Gen Z embrace of staying at home.
Created for women aged 21–34, the collection focuses on the space between work and bedtime, combining comfortable silhouettes with soft, breathable fabrics and expressive prints designed for everyday movement.
The collection features playful checks, retro plaids, whimsical cat motifs and tropical florals, bringing a colourful and contemporary approach to nightwear.
“Homebody isn’t a phase, it’s a lifestyle we’re designing for,” added Prakruti Gupta Rao. “We wanted a collection that meets women exactly where they already are, on the couch or in the kitchen at midnight, choosing comfort on their own terms. It is the quieter, at-home expression of everything TKC has stood for.”
The launch comes amid continued growth in India’s sleepwear and nightwear market. According to IMARC Group, the market is currently valued at approximately USD 1.37 billion and is projected to exceed USD 2.2 billion by 2034. Hybrid working patterns, rising disposable incomes and the expansion of online shopping are among the factors contributing to this growth, with online channels accounting for more than 40% of distribution.
The Homebody collection is available through The Kaftan Company, leading online marketplaces and the TKC store in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
