Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands leased 595,000 sq.ft. of retail space in shopping centres and on high streets during the January–June 2025 period, accounting for 18% of total leasing activity, according to property consultancy CBRE.
Fashion and apparel dominated leasing activity among D2C brands in the first half of 2025, accounting for 60% of the total space taken. This was followed by homeware and furnishings (12%), jewellery (12%) and health and personal care (6%).
In its latest report, India’s D2C Revolution: The New Retail Order, CBRE said that India’s D2C brands are increasingly expanding offline to strengthen their connection with consumers. The share of leasing by these new-age brands has more than doubled compared to the same period in 2024, when it stood at 8%.
These companies are diversifying their physical presence through a range of formats, including pop-up shops, showrooms and traditional brick-and-mortar outlets.
Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO – India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa at CBRE, said the offline expansion of D2C brands could be described as their “mainstreaming”. He noted that while online shopping continued to grow, the majority of consumer transactions still took place offline. He added that physical stores allowed brands to create tailored shopping environments that deepened customer engagement and reinforced their ethos.
