Now Reading: Three Sixty founder builds global luxury brand on Indian leather craft
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Three Sixty founder builds global luxury brand on Indian leather craft
Three Sixty founder builds global luxury brand on Indian leather craft
Vikash Gupta, who spent 16 years running a B2B leather export business, launched Three Sixty in 2009 to create a direct-to-consumer brand that gives Indian craftsmanship global recognition. While studying in the…
Vikash Gupta, who spent 16 years running a B2B leather export business, launched Three Sixty in 2009 to create a direct-to-consumer brand that gives Indian craftsmanship global recognition. While studying in the US and working part-time at a leather store, he saw premium Indian products sold under international brand names with no mention of their Indian origin, which he said was the trigger to shift from being an invisible supplier to building a brand identity.
Three Sixty blends traditional hand-stitching and hand-weaving techniques with modern design, using a 'Scalable Craftsmanship' model to preserve artisanal skills while expanding into Tier II cities such as Bhopal and Patna. The company has collaborated with Raymond's, BMW, House of Glenfiddich, and Kapil Dev. India's leather goods market touched $14 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $20.6 billion by 2034.
Gupta described the brand's philosophy, 'Live the Leather Life', as a commitment to authenticity and leather as a character-driven material that ages with grace, contrasting it with synthetic alternatives. The company aims to become a global ambassador for Indian leather, targeting consumers who want a legacy piece rather than a quick fix.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Gupta's move from B2B exports to D2C mirrors a broader shift in Indian manufacturing, where suppliers of raw materials and intermediate goods are building their own brands to capture higher margins and consumer loyalty. The leather industry, dominated by small workshops in Kanpur, Chennai, and Kolkata, faces challenges of fragmentation and environmental compliance. Three Sixty's ability to preserve handcraft while scaling could set a template for other artisan-based sectors, from textiles to furniture. The company's success hinges on maintaining quality as it expands into new cities and product lines, and on convincing Indian consumers to pay a premium for domestic luxury. Watch for Three Sixty's next round of fundraising or a major retail partnership as signals of its growth trajectory.
Source: inc42.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
