Islamabad, Dec 12: Global revenues in the South Asian ethnic wear market are projected to reach $129 billion by 2030, with digital spending accounting for nearly $46 billion. Driving this growth, fashion marketplace LAAM has announced a $5.5 million funding round to expand the reach of South Asian fashion globally. LAAM, a leading platform for South Asian fashion, offers a curated catalog of over 100,000 items from more than 1,000 brands.
The seed funding round was led by Zayn VC and Disrupt, with participation from Graph Ventures, Mentors Fund, and tech leaders from Oracle, Microsoft, Google, and Salesforce. With this funding, LAAM aims to further highlight South Asia’s artisans and bring its diverse ethnic fashion to a global audience. With a presence in over 100 countries, LAAM’s top five markets include the US, Canada, the UK, and the Middle East.
Faisal Aftab, Managing Partner at Zayn VC, praised LAAM’s ability to elevate South Asian fashion while empowering local artisans. He emphasized that LAAM has a unique opportunity to change how South Asian fashion is perceived and accessed globally.
LAAM’s extensive catalog of over 100,000 products has made it a global leader in South Asian fashion. By combining cultural heritage with modern e-commerce, LAAM empowers South Asian designers and artisans while supporting over 10,000 families. In addition to its marketplace, LAAM Technologies offers a proprietary platform called Octane, providing e-commerce solutions to help businesses establish an online presence and expand globally. Currently supporting over 50 businesses, Octane is poised for significant growth.
LAAM also empowers small and medium-sized businesses in Pakistan, helping them access international markets and celebrate South Asian fashion’s rich heritage. CEO Arif Iqbal highlighted that LAAM combines cutting-edge technology with South Asian craftsmanship, connecting global consumers with authentic ethnic fashion. The funding will help scale LAAM’s platform, enhance AI-driven discovery, and improve logistics capabilities.
LAAM’s success is driven by a talented team with extensive global tech experience and deep knowledge of the South Asian fashion ecosystem. CEO Arif Iqbal has worked at Meta, Pinterest, and Microsoft, while CTO Ahmed Muneeb brings expertise from Oracle and Microsoft. Product development is led by Bilal Khokhar, formerly of Amazon. Fashion experts Amir Iqbal and Sahar Arif bring over two decades of experience to empower artisans and brands worldwide.
Aaqib Gadit, Founding Partner at Disrupt.com, expressed excitement about LAAM’s potential, noting their exceptional team, technology, and customer focus. He believes LAAM is well-positioned to scale South Asian fashion globally.
