The story of Gully Labs began with a simple yet powerful vision: creating a sneaker brand that authentically represents India, rooted in both its street culture and global appeal. Growing up in India, I noticed that while the country embraced international sneaker brands, we didn’t have a brand that truly represented us—one that connected with Indian culture while resonating globally. I wanted to build something that went beyond just sneakers; a brand that could tell stories and showcase the distinct beauty of our heritage, something I longed for as a consumer myself.
What inspired you to create Gully Labs and how does the brand name reflect its ethos?
I started Gully Labs because, coming from India, I realised that while we consume a lot of international sneaker brands, many of which are incredibly cool and have strong stories and ethos behind them, there wasn’t a similar brand from India. In such a large and growing country, it felt essential to have a sneaker company that made great products representing both local culture and resonating with people worldwide. This kind of brand just didn’t exist.
We wanted to create something different: a brand focused on human-centered stories and narratives. Every drop we release is centered around this idea. I’d say I was a consumer waiting for a product that didn’t yet exist. So, both Anime and I set out to create it, fulfilling a personal need for a brand with authentic stories and a product with real meaning.
In building Gully Labs, I discovered that many people felt the same way I did and they connected with this idea and became our first consumers. That realization was the beginning of our journey and our ethos. “Gully” itself is a meaningful word: in Hindi, it means “street,” and it’s also a cricket fielding position. It’s a word that was taken up by the British when they were in India and is even in the Oxford English Dictionary today. It felt like the perfect name for a brand that is truly from the streets and recognizable worldwide.
Our name, Gully Labs, reflects this global, street-inspired vision. “Labs” signals that we’re open to experimentation, constantly iterating, and committed to creating a space for innovative ideas and products. This is what Gully Labs stands for.
Google Labs is positioned as a street wear and sneaker brand, but how does Indian Street culture influence your design?
“I’d say right now, we’re really just a sneaker brand. Streetwear, maybe clothing—that might come later, but we’re hyper-focused on sneakers for now. In terms of an Indian street ethos, each of our drops draws from diverse inspirations, like centuries-old embroidery patterns. While street culture as we know it didn’t exist thousands of years ago, it’s definitely alive today, and we pull inspiration from cultural events and things happening around us. For example, the Indian hockey team, which holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals in field hockey, has historically had little representation in high fashion or sneaker culture. That was a space we wanted to fill, to represent something meaningful and cool.
Fun fact: Gully Labs started as an Instagram page originally called Badass Indians, where we highlighted people doing interesting things who weren’t Insta-famous or Twitter-famous but were just doing cool things. That storytelling spirit is still part of our approach. Like with the Hockey Drop, we aim to represent under-appreciated stories, like the team’s recent two Olympic medals. Gully has become a platform for these stories, which, I guess, can definitely be called street culture.”
Could you walk us through the design process? What are the key elements that define a Gully Lab sneaker?
We spend a lot of time internally on this, and I think what we’re doing is creating distinct “families” of products that can grow, evolve, and develop their own unique language and vernacular. Each sneaker has very specific design elements. For example, the front vamp area of both the Gly number one and Gly number two features a pattern that is completely unique to our shoes. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else in the world. It’s inspired by the floral art seen on floors during most Indian festivals, and it takes on a fluid, organic shape with each hole varying in size. That’s something we consider iconic to our brand.
We sometimes get criticism about the bold branding on the back of our shoes, with people asking why our brand name is written in such large letters. But for us, it’s a way to showcase Indic scripts. For example, “Ali” is written in Hindi, and we were inspired by how Japanese companies, like Uniqlo, always include Japanese text alongside English. Or think of Ikea—every single product is labeled in Swedish. When you walk through an Ikea store, you might not know exactly what you’re buying because the labels are in Swedish, but they stick to their roots. It’s about authenticity, and by doing this, they’ve created an iconic brand.
For us, staying true to our roots and representing Indic languages in a bold way is a key part of our identity. We want people from all over the world to experience that authenticity. We also incorporate a hint of embroidery in each drop, at least so far – on both the Gully number one and Gully number two. This embroidery is another iconic element that makes our sneakers unique. These are just a few of the things we’re focused on locking in, refining, and iterating on to create something truly recognisable.
Streetwear is often a blend of art, music, and fashion. Have you collaborated with any artists or creatives that really stuck with you your attention on one of your collections?
Yeah, absolutely. Let me give you two examples. One of our collaborations was with a really talented designer named Yata, who is based in London. We launched a rendition of a dad shoe called The Traveller. The inspiration behind The Traveller comes from Yata’s personal memory of his dad coming home from work in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. His dad would wear a specific type of shoe and carry a brown suitcase, which stuck with Yata as a memory. This emotional connection translated into a numbered, limited edition release of just 48 pairs of shoes, reflecting that personal story. It was a modern take on the dad shoe, influenced by Yata’s nostalgic memory of his dad’s style and daily routine. It was a really cool collaboration that captured an emotional essence.
Another project we worked on was a YouTube series called Wrong Sessions: Wrong Means Colours. This was inspired by Colour Studio, a great musical enterprise. In this series, we had a live musical performance by a musician and, simultaneously, an artist creating a piece of art. We filmed three episodes, and it’s available on YouTube. The interesting part of this series was that every artist involved created a unique artwork, and we were able to auction these pieces. The proceeds from the auction went directly to the artists and helped fund the cost of producing the series. It was amazing to give people the opportunity to own a product that was a byproduct of an artistic endeavor, allowing them to connect with the art and the artist in a meaningful way.
As a relatively new player in the sneakers industry, what challenges have you faced establishing Gully Labs in a market dominated by global giants?
I think you face challenges every single day when starting something new, and yes, we’ve had our fair share. But I wouldn’t call them blockers. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with people who really understand our vision and want to support us. They buy our products and truly appreciate what we’re building.
We’ve also had the privilege of collaborating with shoemakers and craftspeople from India who are deeply invested in helping us produce these shoes. So, while challenges are inevitable, we’ve found an incredibly supportive community that’s helped us build this brand. Over the past several months, this support has been essential in allowing us to grow and move forward.
How has Indian sticker culture evolved in recent years and what role do you see Gully Labs play in shaping its future?
Yeah, it’s a really cool thing to see. Indian sneaker culture has definitely been evolving. Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, sneaker culture wasn’t even recognized. It was something known by just a very small group of people. But over the last decade, and especially during Covid, there’s been a massive shift in awareness. International brands are now entering India, and people are starting to care about sneakers. Guys and girls alike now have strong opinions on sneakers, which wasn’t the case before. Sneakers have become an extension of personal style; people want them to reflect who they are, and they’re more open to experimenting with different styles.
There’s an interesting statistic that the average American guy has about 12 pairs of sneakers, whereas in India, it used to be just two pairs until recently. But now, that number is definitely increasing, and people are starting to buy more differentiated products.
In India especially we are starting to see people appreciating that sneakers are for men like handbags are for women. Men didn’t used to care much about shoes or the other elements of their outfit, but now sneakers have become a key statement piece. The market is growing rapidly, and the awareness around it is only increasing.
Gully Labs is uniquely positioned within this space. We’re probably the only premium sneaker brand in India that is homegrown and indigenous, offering the level of product quality and finesse at our price point. No other company is quite at that intersection. One of our goals is to make these products more accessible to a wider audience, working across different price points so more people can experience our brand. That’s where we’re positioned right now, and it’s an exciting place to be.
What role has social media played in the growth of Gully Labs and your brand visibility?
Oh, social media has played an absolutely massive role in our journey. It’s incredible how much the internet has transformed the way we connect with people. The power of social media gives us this amazing platform where we have a direct microphone to the world, and we’re able to broadcast exactly what we’re doing in real-time. It allows us to share our story, showcase our vision, and tell people about our new products and events.
It’s not just about promoting things, it’s about creating a space where we can engage with our audience and curate experiences that resonate with them. Through social media, we’ve been able to find people who genuinely care about what we’re building. These are the folks who have become our community, those who are following us, supporting us, and who are on this journey with us. And it’s amazing because without social media, where else would we have this kind of direct access to millions of people around the world?
In a way, it’s completely changed the game for how brands, especially homegrown ones like ours, can grow and reach an audience. The internet has made it possible to build a global presence, and for a brand like ours, that’s something we could only dream of before. It’s this powerful tool that allows us to tell our story, get feedback, and engage in real-time with people who care. And that connection is everything. It’s not just about selling a product, it’s about creating relationships and a sense of community, which the internet has made so much easier to build and sustain.
We have two questions that are similar. Where do you see Go Labs in the next five years? How would you like to expand your operations?
A hundred percent. For us, it feels like a dream to have a presence in India’s top metros places like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, where people can step into an actual store and experience our brand firsthand. We want them to feel the energy of what we’re building, interact with our products in person, and see the story we’re telling come to life. And it’s not just about the big cities; we also want to be present in places like Goa, which has this incredible, laid-back vibe. It’s a beach town with a rich cultural scene, making it the perfect place for people to experience our brand in a relaxed, yet vibrant atmosphere.
But that’s just the beginning. We’re also thinking about expanding internationally. Picture us in global cities like New York, London, Paris, LA, or Tokyo, places that are cultural hubs, where people are always searching for new, authentic experiences. We want to be part of that global scene, allowing people to experience our brand in its truest, most authentic form, without any barriers. These cities are home to the kind of international audience we’re aiming for—people who understand and appreciate the vibe we’re creating. To have our products in these iconic places, alongside some of the world’s biggest brands, would be a huge milestone for us. It’s about building a brand that’s not just local, but resonates globally with people who are passionate about authenticity, style, and culture. That’s the vision we’re working towards.
Are there any upcoming projects that you can share with us? Is there anything, any little sneaky previews that we can get?
Yeah, a hundred percent. Right now, we’re in the process of developing a skate shoe that we’re really excited about. We’ve been doing a lot of iterations on it, fine-tuning every detail. And next year, we have a strong intention to launch sandals, like flip-flops, or slide-ons, I’m not sure what the exact term is. But essentially, sandals with a strap on top, not exactly sliders. What would you call them? Maybe just sandals, I guess. I think the term can vary depending on the market, but we’ll definitely have to come up with a good name for them.
We’re experimenting with all kinds of elements, like how to make the upper more durable for things like kickflips, or how to improve the sole for better traction. We’re diving deep into the details to create something truly unique. I believe we’re working towards creating India’s first skate shoe, at least to my knowledge, something like this hasn’t existed here before.
