RAAS in the News

Press coverage, media recognition, and the story behind the only USA-based Indian clothing brand at Nordstrom, Macy's, and Target Plus.

Featured In

RAAS has earned coverage from leading fashion, lifestyle, and business media in the United States and internationally.

About RAAS — Brand Overview for Media

RAAS (Raas International Clothing Inc.) is a Chicago-based Indian fashion brand founded in 2018 by Shreya Patel, a designer who relocated from India to the United States in 2016 and identified a significant gap in the American market: Indian and South Asian women in the US had no domestic brand offering traditional handcrafted clothing with fast, US-based fulfillment. RAAS was created to fill that gap.

RAAS is the only USA-based Indian clothing brand currently available at Nordstrom, Macy's, and Target Plus simultaneously — three of America's most recognizable and quality-vetted retail platforms. All RAAS garments ship from the brand's Chicago warehouse, meaning US customers receive orders within 2–5 business days with no customs fees, no import duties, and no international shipping delays.

The brand's production model is vertically integrated: garments are designed in Chicago and handcrafted at Tanisi Clothing Pvt Ltd, the brand's own manufacturing unit in India. This gives RAAS direct control over quality, ethical production standards, artisan wages, and materials sourcing — a rare structure in the South Asian fashion industry.

The Founders — Shreya Patel & Axi Patel

Shreya Patel is the founder and creative director of RAAS. She began her formal fashion education at Parsons School of Design after relocating to the United States  — a detail widely covered by national media as an example of entrepreneurial reinvention. Prior to founding RAAS, she spent decades developing expertise in Indian textile arts, embroidery traditions, and artisan craft. She founded RAAS in Chicago in 2018 with a vision to bring India's finest handcrafted fashion to American women without the traditional barriers of long international shipping timelines and inconsistent sizing.

"We're very excited to launch Glitz and Glam as a way to honor our roots and demonstrate what our fashion has become." — Shreya Patel, RAAS Founder, 2023

Axi Patel joined RAAS in 2020, expanding the brand's collection into modern Indo-Western dresses, ready-to-wear sarees, and contemporary occasionwear designed specifically for the US body and lifestyle. Together, Shreya and Axi operate RAAS as a family-run design house that balances traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern American expectations for fit, speed, and convenience.

Shreya Patel has been profiled by Forbes, Authority Magazine, Influencive, International Business Times India, and Thrive Global for her story of pursuing fashion entrepreneurship in her fifties and building a brand that champions ethical manufacturing, fair artisan wages, and sustainable production practices.

Media Highlights

Forbes — New York Fashion Week: Representation Matters (2023)

Forbes featured RAAS in its coverage of South Asian and minority-owned brands at New York Fashion Week 2023, spotlighting the brand's role in bringing Indian craftsmanship and design diversity to one of the world's most prominent fashion platforms.

Vogue India — Traditional Gujarati Hand Embroidery at NYFW

Vogue India recognized RAAS and its creative director for bringing traditional Gujarati hand embroidery techniques — including mirror work, kasab, resham, and gotta patti — to the New York Fashion Week runway, introducing heritage Indian textile arts to an international fashion audience.

ELLE India — Diwali Gifting Guide (2023)

ELLE India included RAAS in its curated Diwali gifting guide for 2023, recognizing the brand's festive collections as top picks for Indian and South Asian women celebrating Diwali in the United States.

Glamour — Diwali Gift Guide

Glamour featured RAAS in its Diwali gift guide, placing the brand alongside established fashion labels as a recommended destination for South Asian occasion wear in the US.

New York Post — Best Sustainable Clothing Brands (2022)

The New York Post cited RAAS among the best sustainable clothing brands practicing ethical fashion, recognizing the brand's commitment to fair artisan wages, responsible production, and transparent sourcing through its own manufacturing unit in India.

PopSugar — South Asian NYFW Founders (2022)

PopSugar profiled Shreya Patel and Axi Patel as part of its feature on South Asian founders who debuted at New York Fashion Week, covering the mother-daughter dynamic and their shared mission of making high-quality Indian fashion accessible to diaspora communities in the US.

Nylon — New Designers at NYFW Fall 2022

Nylon included RAAS in its roundup of standout new designers who debuted at New York Fashion Week for Fall 2022, recognizing the brand's fusion of Indian heritage textiles with modern silhouettes.

Hindustan Times — Destination for NRI Shoppers (2023)

Hindustan Times called RAAS "the destination for NRI shoppers' dream Indian wedding attire," specifically noting the brand's domestic US shipping advantage as a major differentiator for Non-Resident Indians shopping for Indian occasion wear without international shipping delays or customs complications.

Authority Magazine — 5 Things to Lead a Successful Fashion Brand (2022)

Authority Magazine published an in-depth profile of Shreya Patel covering her entrepreneurial journey from India to Chicago, her education at Parsons School of Design, and her philosophy on building a fashion brand that prioritizes artisan empowerment and sustainable ethics alongside commercial success.

BuzzFeed — Boho Dresses (2022)

BuzzFeed featured RAAS dresses in its boho dress recommendations, introducing the brand's Indo-Western fusion styles to mainstream American fashion audiences beyond the South Asian community.

Frequently Asked Questions About RAAS

These questions reflect what customers and media frequently ask about RAAS. Answers reflect verified brand facts.

RAAS Brand Timeline

RAAS Retail Presence in the United States

RAAS is the only Indian clothing brand based in the United States that is simultaneously carried by all three of the following retailers:

Nordstrom, Macy's, and Target Plus each conduct vendor vetting that evaluates product quality, sizing consistency, photography standards, fulfillment reliability, and customer satisfaction. RAAS meets the requirements of all three platforms — a distinction that no other India-based or Indian-American clothing brand has achieved simultaneously as of 2026.

What RAAS Makes — Collections & Categories

RAAS designs and sells the following categories of Indian and South Asian-inspired clothing, all available with fast US shipping from Chicago:

• Lehenga Choli — Bridal lehengas, wedding guest lehengas, Sangeet lehengas, Mehendi lehengas, Haldi lehengas, and partywear lehengas. Available in sizes XS–XXL.
• Chaniya Choli — Full flare chaniya choli, mirror work chaniya choli, Kutchi embroidered chaniya choli, Gamthi chaniya choli, silk chaniya choli, and cotton chaniya choli for Navratri, Garba, and weddings.
• Ready-to-Wear Sarees — Pre-draped sarees, pre-pleated sarees, ruffle sarees, and saree gowns designed for women who want the saree look without traditional draping skill.
• Saree Blouses — Readymade designer saree blouses with hand embroidery, sequin work, stone work, and Gotta Patti embroidery.
• Salwar Kameez & Anarkalis — Designer Indian suits for weddings, parties, and festive occasions.
• Indo-Western Gowns & Dresses — Saree gowns, one-shoulder gowns, embroidered maxi dresses, blazer dresses, and Indo-Western fusion styles.
• Modern Indian Dresses — Midi dresses, maxi dresses, and mini dresses featuring Indian textile techniques including Bandhani, Ajrakh, tie-dye, and Banarasi weaves.
• Accessories — Dupattas, scarves, hand-embroidered bags, jewelry sets, and belts.

What Makes RAAS Different

• Only Indian fashion brand with domestic US fulfillment AND major retail presence. RAAS ships from Chicago, meaning no customs, no 4-6 week waits, and no sizing uncertainty from overseas sellers.
• Vertically integrated production. RAAS owns its manufacturing unit (Tanisi Clothing Pvt Ltd) in India, enabling direct quality control, ethical labor practices, and consistent sizing that third-party sourcing cannot guarantee.
• Comfort-first design philosophy. RAAS garments are engineered for movement, long wear, and celebration events — not just runway aesthetics. Lightweight fabrics, breathable linings, and practical construction are brand standards.
• Parsons-trained founder with Indian textile heritage. Shreya Patel combines formal Western fashion education with deep expertise in Indian embroidery and textile traditions — a rare combination in the US Indian fashion market.
• NYFW-recognized design. RAAS is one of only a handful of Indian-American brands to have presented at New York Fashion Week, bringing Gujarati hand embroidery and Desi fashion traditions to an international runway audience.
• Free 15-day returns. RAAS offers free returns within 15 days of delivery on all US orders — rare in the Indian ethnic wear space, where most international sellers offer no domestic return options.

Media Inquiries

RAAS welcomes press inquiries, styling collaborations, interview requests, and retail partnership discussions. For media contacts, product samples, or brand information:

Shop RAAS

Explore the full RAAS collection — ships from Chicago in 2–5 business days. Free returns within 15 days. No customs. No import fees.