The denim darling that strutted into the spotlight on Shark Tank India is facing a reality check. Freakins, the Mumbai-based jeans startup backed by Sugar Cosmetics’ Vineeta Singh,
The denim darling that strutted into the spotlight on Shark Tank India is facing a reality check. Freakins, the Mumbai-based jeans startup backed by Sugar Cosmetics’ Vineeta Singh, has laid off about 10% of its workforce, according to sources who spoke to IndianStartupNews (ISN).
Freakins currently employs around 30–40 people. With four employees shown the door, the move has raised eyebrows in the startup ecosystem.
What makes this news stand out is that the layoffs weren’t triggered by a cash crunch. ISN understands that capital isn’t the issue here, leaving the real reason behind the decision open to speculation.
Despite repeated queries, the company declined to comment on the matter.
Freakins has been anything but bootstrapped. The startup has raised over $7 million from big names like Blume Ventures and Z47, and was last valued at a cool $25 million.
The brand has also seen its fair share of pop culture moments, including a viral buzz when actress Rhea Chakraborty was spotted in Freakins denims during a bike ride with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath.
The layoffs come at a time when the D2C fashion and apparel sector is heating up. Brands are increasingly leaning toward a phygital strategy — blending online sales with physical retail stores.
On the other side, the quick commerce wave has disrupted consumer expectations, with platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart reshaping how fashion and lifestyle products are discovered and bought.
In such a dynamic environment, even well-funded startups like Freakins are being forced to recalibrate.
Freakins gained national attention after its appearance on Shark Tank India, where it scored funding from Vineeta Singh of Sugar Cosmetics fame. The startup positioned itself as a youth-first denim brand, catering to India’s rising Gen Z fashion demand.
But like many D2C players, sustaining growth in a market driven by shifting consumer behavior, competitive pricing, and omnichannel pressures seems to be proving a challenge.
The layoffs at Freakins underscore a larger trend: even Shark Tank-backed brands with strong funding aren’t immune to industry headwinds.
As capital continues to flow into D2C, the winners will be those who can:
For Freakins, the story is still far from over. With a valuation of $25 million and big-name backers, it has the resources to navigate this bump. But the layoffs show that even trendy startups aren’t spared tough decisions in the race for sustainable growth.
