This entrepreneur is building a global fashion luxury brand from India; uses finest Italian linen, cashmere – Made Rs 10L Sales In 30 Days

If the Indian apparel space has made it globally, it is often in the realms of bridal and couture.

The country’s ethnic fashion has travelled across the globe, with many people purchasing occasion-driven clothes such as kurtas, lehengas, sherwanis, and sarees. 

Yet, a gap persists. There is still no global luxury brand from India. 

This is the exact gap that Abhishek Shah, co-founder of Rizvol, has set out to address.

“I am a cultural observer. I have been quietly seeing a new trend not just in India, but also in the world. People are moving away from loud clothing and choosing subtlety and precision. The fashion game is slowly becoming more about presence than something performative. Rizvol is just that – precise, present, and intentional,”Abhishek Shah tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

Rizvol offers timeless linen, cashmere, and silk pieces spanning t-shirts, trousers, overshirts, jackets, and shirts.

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HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Born in a village in Gujarat, Abhishek went to Bengaluru to study engineering science for his undergraduate degree. Next, he took a loan to pursue his master's in computer science from University of Southern California in Los Angeles. 

Additionally, he pursued an MBA from Columbia University in New York. 

In 2015, he joined one of the world’s largest professional services firms. 

“Initially, I was into tech consulting. Then, I started developing a knack for product strategy and product development. I did this for about two to three years,”Abhishek tells Startup Pedia.

In 2017–18, Abhishek Shah moved to Europe, continuing his work across technology and media engagements.

Moving to Europe and visiting places like Milan exposed Abhishek to a different philosophy of fashion. He had moved to Europe with his American wardrobe, but very soon realized that fashion in Europe was quieter, more luxurious, and understated. 

“I really like absorbing the cultural nuances of whatever place I travel to. That doesn’t mean I change my personality to fit in, but adapting to the local way of life helps me expand my perspective. In Milan, I truly dug deep into fashion. I started meeting people working in the space, owners of fashion houses, and fabric facilities,” Abhishek explains.

“I think travelling a lot also opened me up to fashion. And honestly, even to life. For example, I met Rosa, my wife, in Amsterdam. She is also an MBA from Columbia University and heads strategy for a company owned by a major PE in the United States,” he adds.

By 2024, Abhishek Shah’s calling was clear – to build a global luxury brand from India and make it reach the world.

In June 2024, after his daughter was born, he moved to India to spend some time with his family. A series of serendipitous moments followed – from a designer sitting next to him on his flight to discovering that a friend had a manufacturing facility in Jaipur.

Being a strategy consultant, Abhishek has never been one to blindly build on an idea. He sat down to conduct research and came up with four clear hypotheses:

1. There is a real lack of a global luxury brand that is built in India and appealing to the world.

2. The Indian fashion space suffers from what Abhishek terms ‘the couture syndrome,’ where everyone works only towards innovating bridal wear and taking it across the globe. Statement and everyday luxury pieces get ignored.

3. The number of High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) is increasing in India. Even so, the country captures only around 15% of global luxury revenue.

4. An inflection point in another one to five years is on its way, where people will want to move toward quiet luxury instead of loud, overly artsy clothes. Customer behaviour will quickly change into a preference for more fluid, understated clothing pieces.

In 2024 itself, Abhishek Shah co-founded Rizvol with his wife, Rosa.

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JOURNEY AND CHALLENGES

Rizvol began with a blend of the founders’ savings as well as an amount committed by Jyothirmayee JT, an angel investor from India. The total fund came to around Rs 1.55 crore

From the get-go, the luxury fashion brand startup founders were clear that they would take time but curate pieces that are thoughtfully designed and put together.

Initially, an Italian tailor was flown into Jaipur. Authentic linen was sourced from Italy. And the design process began.

It took more than 12 months and over 200 samples to get the first linen shirt by Rizvol right.

“We kept creating samples, identifying gaps, and reinventing them. This was a tedious process, but one that started Rizvol on the right foot –  of precision, detailing, and statement,”entrepreneur Abhishek Shah says.

According to the luxury brand startup founders, the total amount of Rs 1.55 crore has gone into the following breakup:

1. 20% of it has been dedicated to marketing Rizvol - signing up with a PR agency in New Delhi, etc

2. 30% to 40% of it has been taken by operations – hiring skilled tailors, quality check people in Jaipur, and packaging

3. Close to 10% of the amount goes into constant sampling and sourcing.

4. The remaining goes into shoots, rent, salaries, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Alongside starting Rizvol, Abhishek and Rosa have continued working at their respective jobs. Juggling a budding startup, managing work commitments, handling the household, and looking after their daughter haven’t been the easiest things to do – but they have persisted.

Rizvol’s market launch in India and New York took place in June 2025.

RIZVOL: CLOTHES DEFINED BY LUXURY AND REFINEMENT

Rizvol, as an Indian and New York-based fashion luxury brand, offers clothing that values authenticity and meticulous detail.

It appeals to a growing segment of Indian HNIs and global professionals seeking understated, investment-worthy fashion.

Every piece is made from the finest linen fabric in the world that comes straight from Italy. Each button used in the shirts, trousers, and pants is crafted from Japanese mother-of-pearl. Each piece that is shipped is quality-checked multiple times before being packaged in thoughtful, sustainable material.

“There is a reason that we source linen only from Italy. It's the finest in the world. This is our focus for other fabrics like cashmere and silk as well – we want to source and utilize the finest of fabrics at Rizvol,” entrepreneur Abhishek Shah explains.

“Our tailors have been trained not to focus on quantities. They’re encouraged to take as much time to design and make the clothes. For instance, they currently take anywhere between one day and one and a half days to tailor a shirt. At Rizvol, simply flooding the closets is not our goal,”the luxury fashion brand startup founder says.

Each garment is produced in small batches in Jaipur, ensuring fair craftsmanship and minimal waste, in line with the brand’s slow luxury philosophy.

From shirts to pants and t-shirts, everything is available in the finest linen at Rizvol.

Also Read: “We made the Saiyaara kurti & it was sold out,” Best Friends From Jaipur Started A Kurti Brand With Rs 17k – Clocked Rs 15 lakh In 6 months

GROWTH

Within just 30 days of launching, Rizvol saw a flow of orders and achieved Rs 10 lakh in sales. The average order value of the brand is Rs 40,000.

The Rizvol team brings together experienced professionals from international fashion, design, and brand strategy.

“For instance, our designer, Zohar Judah, has worked with global luxury fashion houses and our photographer, Kriti Bisaria, works with a world-renowned fashion house. Then, Rushabh Shah, Anshu Khanna, Karishma Jain, and Yashi Agarwal head PR and marketing for us,”Abhishek tells Startup Pedia.

In terms of celebrity traction, the luxury fashion brand has collaborated with the likes of Indian celebrities such as Rahul Dev and Suvir Saran. Rizvol has also specially designed a passage suit for Sanjana Sanghi’s UN event in New York.

According to Abhishek, while Indian luxury has long been dominated by couture names like Sabyasachi or Tarun Tahiliani, Rizvol enters the space with a quieter, more international lens, often compared to brands such as The Row or Loro Piana.

Moreover, as part of its early expansion in India, Rizvol has partnered with AJIO Luxe as its exclusive launch partner, marking a considered entry into the Indian luxury retail landscape.

Rizvol has launched its winter collection, built around musical instruments, fine cashmere, and jackets finished with pure silk lining.

Abhishek Shah and Rosa Keizer are set to scale Rizvol into an ultra-luxury brand that caters to the global fashion scene.

“We are planning to launch a women’s line in the summer of 2026. Think more disruptive designs, more luxury coming straight from India for Indians and the world,” entrepreneur Abhishek says.

“Rizvol has just started, but I am also on the way to launching something new in the fashion space. The playbook in my head is clear - make designs that stay with people. And make them slow, detailed, and luxurious,”he signs off.

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