India

What Fastrack actually costs in India, why its MRP is close to fiction, who owns it and where the brand is genuinely worth buying. An honest brand audit.

Xylys sells genuinely Swiss-made watches for less than Tissot, under a name nobody recognises. What it costs in India, who owns it, and whether that trade is worth making.

Carlton London calls itself a UK brand in its own terms of service, then sends disputes to Delhi courts. What the company records and a 2025 court ruling actually show.

Allen Cooper sounds British and is made in Kanpur by a listed Indian company. What its safety shoes cost, whether they are certified, and who should buy them.

Bacca Bucci sounds Italian and says on its own site that it was born on the streets of Delhi. What its sneakers cost, what it discloses, and who should buy them.

Relaxo makes more footwear than any other Indian company and owns Sparx, Flite and Bahamas. What that scale does to the price, and where the shoes fall short.

Sparx is Googled as though it were a foreign sports label. It is made by Relaxo in Bahadurgarh, alongside Flite and Bahamas. What it costs and whether it is good.

Mochi is Indian, not Japanese. What it really costs once the standing discount is applied, who owns it, and why no factory sits behind the name.

Titan Eye+ has 838 stores to Lenskart’s 2,137, and margins going the wrong way. What that means for what you pay, and when it is still the better place to buy glasses.

Metro Shoes and Mochi share a segment, a price band and a 1,600 sq ft store, and once sat ₹11 apart on realisation. What Metro Shoes actually costs in India, and who owns it.

Metro Brands gives Metro Shoes and Mochi the same segment, the same ₹1,000 to ₹10,000 band and the same store size. The last figures it disclosed put them ₹11 apart.

Action Shoes was the school-shoe default of the 1990s. What the filings show now, why its MRPs run 59% to 89% above the real selling price, and who should still buy it.

boAt is India’s largest audio brand and only the number two smartwatch brand. It also lost 7.5 million customers’ data. What that means before you buy.