What began as an experimental foray into menswear has now evolved into one of India’s most stylish and thoughtfully curated fashion houses. The House of Rare recently unveiled its largest flagship store in Hyderabad’s upscale Banjara Hills, an expansive 10,500 sqft retail haven spread across four distinct levels.
On the ground floor, Rare Rabbit sets the tone with progressive menswear that marries contemporary flair with timeless sophistication. Head up to the first floor and discover Rare’Z by Rare Rabbit, where bold, street-smart fashion and statement footwear cater to the design-forward consumer. The second floor is home to Rareism, a celebration of effortless femininity and individuality through chic womenswear. Finally, the third floor is dedicated to Rare Ones by Rare Rabbit, a vibrant, playful space designed for boys aged six to 16. Every corner of this futuristic store reflects The House of Rare’s design-first philosophy. Gallery-like white walls offer a blank canvas for expressive fashion, while soft architectural curves, mirrored installations, and elevated zoning craft an environment that feels both intimate and avant-garde.
In an exclusive conversation with CE, Lavish Soni, chief business officer (retail) at The House of Rare, shares insights into the brand’s evolving vision and its bold steps in shaping India’s fashion future.
Excerpts
Tell us about this four-floor flagship store.
Hyderabad has always been a surprise element for us. When we started here seven to eight years ago, we thought it might not adapt to fashion trends quickly. But to our surprise, the city showed incredible adaptability. This is actually our 13th store in Hyderabad; the only other city with more is Bengaluru, which houses our head office. The year-round consumer acceptance here has been amazing. We call it ‘trading density’, essentially, the value generated per square foot in relation to footfall and conversions, and Hyderabad has impressed us on that front. So, naturally, we felt this was the perfect city to open our largest store in India. It is spread across 10,500 sqft in Banjara Hills, which I believe is one of the top two high streets in South India — alongside Bengaluru’s Brigade Road and MG Road. Everything here, from the facades to the interiors and the lifestyle, feels larger than life. It was the perfect choice.
How has the journey been in the Hyderabad market so far?
Amazing. We never had to look back or second-guess our decisions. Hyderabad became our tried-and-tested ground; we tested every new idea and product line here first. The market always responded positively. Over the last eight years, we’ve added at least one or two stores every year. Infact, the entire AP-Telangana cluster has been phenomenal for us.
When you designed this four-floor store, what was the logic behind the layout — kids at the top, then women, then men?
Every market has its segmentation. Some streets are women-driven, others are men-driven. Banjara Hills is about 60% male-driven. So, we decided to keep menswear on the ground floor for easy access. Women’s fashion got the second floor, and we gave them a very different vibe, larger space, unique textures, lighting, and trial rooms tailored for that elevated experience. The kids’ section is at the top — again with its own playful aesthetic. Every floor was designed to offer a unique retail experience.
You started with menswear and now have footwear and innerwear too. What was the thinking behind this expansion?
You can’t go all out from day one. It needs careful financial planning, space, brand positioning, and manpower training. We started with menswear. Once we saw traction, we introduced a small 20% women’s collection and when that clicked, Rareism was born. Then came kidswear, and we realised, ‘let’s go inside-out’. What’s more personal than innerwear?
Interesting! So, how has the innerwear segment performed, especially since men are known to be brand-loyal?
Exactly! Through our research, we found that men usually don’t switch innerwear brands more than two to three times in their lifetime. Once they find something comfortable, they stick with it for 10–15 years. Women are more experimental. But for men, this is a high-loyalty category. We saw a gap between premium (often overpriced) and mass-market (compromising on style). That’s where Rare Rabbit Innerwear fits in — premium, fashionable, but accessible. Currently, it’s only men’s innerwear; we’ll test and refine before expanding into women’s, which is a much more nuanced market.
And how’s the footwear line doing?
Footwear is close to my heart; I’ve spent 10 years with brands like Nike and Puma, and many in our team are ex-footwear professionals. We’re sneakerheads. We studied global trends, wore everything from domestic to international brands and realised there’s a price gap. Good sneakers are either underwhelming at Rs2K–Rs3K or overly expensive at Rs10K+. We wanted to create something stylish and comfortable around Rs4K–Rs5K, the same cost as a nice shirt and pant combo. And with India’s average age being around 27–32, sneakers are their go-to.
You recently soft-launched a metallic sneaker range as well. What inspired that?
We asked ourselves: how do we stay Rare? The answer: try things others don’t. So we launched metallics, not flashy yellows, but tasteful gold and silver tones. These are experimental by nature. But people know that if Rare Rabbit is doing it, it’s been thoughtfully created. And colour has always been our strength; even our metallics are designed to suit Indian skin tones and year-round wear.
What inspired you to start Rare Rabbit in the first place?
There was a huge gap in the market. Casual brands were too casual, and formal ones too stiff. There was nothing for the man who’s between 25–35, who’s evolving in life, career, and style. We wanted to be India’s answer to European fashion. Not another international label setting up here, but an Indian brand speaking the global fashion language. Today, our customers span Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Sri Lanka, as well as Indian metros.
What’s the road ahead for The House of Rare?
The focus is on keeping premiumness intact. That means quality over quantity — not oversupplying the market, but meeting the right demand. We want to be relevant to time and lifestyle. And of course, we’re expanding into international markets now, taking Indian creativity global, while continuing to evolve our presence here in India.