Anirudh Kollara on Crafting Linen Trail’s Premium Legacy

An Exclusive Interview with Anirudh Kollara, Co-Founder and Director of Marketing and Strategy, Linen Trail, an Indian premium fashion brand

Meet Anirudh Kollara, Co-Founder and Director of Marketing and Strategy at Linen Trail, India’s trailblazing premium fashion brand.

In this exclusive interview, he unveils the secrets behind blending sustainable luxury linen with innovative strategies, redefining elegance for the modern Indian wardrobe.

You started Linen Trail at 19. What inspired you to enter fashion so early, and how has the journey evolved since 2015?

Anirudh Kollara: I started Linen Trail at 19 with my parents, not because I wanted to enter fashion, but because we wanted to build something of our own. We believed there was space in India for a brand that focused deeply on one fabric and did it exceptionally well.

From 2015 to 2019, we operated like a traditional retail brand—franchise stores, multi-brand outlets, and a strong physical presence. We had no website. The learning was intense. We understood product, customer behaviour, inventory mistakes, and operational discipline the hard way.

In 2019, I built our first basic website. Our first organic order came from Chennai. That moment changed the direction of the brand.

Since then, the journey has evolved from being retail-driven to becoming a focused, digital-first, pure linen brand. Today, Linen Trail is not just a clothing label. It is a point of view on fabric, fit, and restraint.

What were the key decisions behind shifting Linen Trail from offline retail to a digital first D2C brand?

Anirudh Kollara: Two key realizations shaped this strategic transition. First, the offline retail model resulted in significant capital being locked into inventory and rental commitments.

Linen, as a premium fabric, requires substantial depth across sizes and color variants, which in turn demands considerable working capital. This structure constrained our operational flexibility and limited our ability to scale efficiently.

Second, the digital channel provided direct access to the end customer. It enabled us to gather meaningful insights into purchasing behaviour, preferences, and return patterns. This real-time feedback loop proved transformative, allowing us to make more informed product and inventory decisions.

During the 2020–21 COVID lockdown, we made the decision to close our retail outlets and transition to a just-in-time production model. Rather than maintaining large stocks of finished garments, we redirected our investment towards fabric inventory and strengthening our manufacturing capabilities.

This shift reduced inventory risk, enhanced product variety, and enabled us to serve customers nationwide without the need to expand our physical retail footprint.

Ultimately, this transition was not driven by trend adoption, but by a deliberate effort to gain stronger control over our unit economics and deepen our customer relationships.

With 1200 plus pure linen styles, how do you maintain quality and craftsmanship while scaling responsibly?

Anirudh Kollara: Scaling without well-defined processes inevitably compromises quality. Accordingly, we prioritised establishing strong operational systems before expanding our design portfolio.

Our approach is structured and methodical: standardised fabric sourcing, controlled production clusters, and rigorous quality checkpoints at every stage, including cutting, stitching, finishing, and final inspection.

Linen is an exacting fabric; its fall, stitch density, wash treatment, and overall finish reveal even minor inconsistencies. Precision, therefore, is essential.

We follow a fabric-first philosophy. By maintaining fabric inventory and producing garments in carefully calibrated batches, we are able to minimise overproduction while preserving adequate depth across colours and sizes. This model enables both efficiency and consistency.

Importantly, we are deliberate in our pace of growth. We do not rush to introduce new styles to the market. Each design undergoes internal wear testing, structured customer feedback, and multiple refinement cycles before being scaled.

For us, responsible growth means safeguarding craftsmanship first and pursuing revenue expansion second.

What does slow fashion and quiet luxury mean to you, and how does it define Linen Trail’s identity?

Anirudh Kollara: Slow fashion represents a long-term mindset. It prioritises longevity, quality, and relevance beyond seasonal cycles.

Quiet luxury reflects a sense of self-awareness. It embodies value that does not seek attention, yet commands it naturally through substance and refinement.

At Linen Trail, we do not rely on heavy branding or overt design language. The product itself defines the brand. The fabric, the finish, the fall, and the fit must speak for themselves.

Our customers appreciate quality without requiring it to be announced. They value how a garment feels, how it performs, and how it ages over time, rather than the visibility of a logo.

This philosophy defines our identity: understated, material-driven, and built for the long term.

As you expand categories and plan for 2026, what strategic priorities will shape the brand’s next phase of growth?

Anirudh Kollara: The next phase of our journey is centred on structured and disciplined expansion. As a profitable brand, our priority is not growth at any cost, but sustainable progress built on a strong foundation. Our focus is on reinforcing core capabilities while expanding thoughtfully and strategically.

First, category depth remains a key priority. We are actively launching and strengthening our womenswear line, while continuing to scale our menswear segment.

Within menswear, innerwear represents a significant growth opportunity due to its strong repeat purchase behaviour and high customer retention. When customers experience the comfort of linen at this foundational layer, brand loyalty deepens naturally.

Second, transparency and trust are central to our long-term vision. We are developing a digital passport for every product, offering customers clear visibility into fabric sourcing, production processes, and product lifecycle. As a fabric-led brand, this level of openness aligns with our commitment to authenticity and accountability.

Third, we aim to scale globally with intent. We currently serve customers in over 50 countries. Going forward, we will pursue deeper expansion in regions where India has established Free Trade Agreements, enabling us to remain competitive while upholding our quality standards.

By 2026, our objective is clear: to be recognised as the most respected pure linen brand from India, distinguished by product depth, process integrity, and enduring customer trust.

Anirudh Kollara’s vision for Linen Trail proves that premium Indian fashion thrives on sustainability, smart marketing, and bold strategy.

As the brand expands, his insights inspire creators everywhere to weave tradition with tomorrow’s trends. Thank you, Anirudh, for this enlightening conversation.

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