beStylish.com

About beStylish.com

beStylish.com was an online footwear and accessories retailer launched in 2011 by the Smile Group, with Shailen Amin and Abhishek Lal as co-founders. Shailen Amin, who served as the initial CEO, previously held a position as CFO at Millward Brown, overseeing operations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Abhishek Lal, who later took over as CEO, had a background as the buying and logistics head at Intersport Middle East.

The company initially operated on an inventory-led model, offering a range of international and local shoe brands such as Woodland, Adidas, Nike, and Playboy. In 2012, beStylish secured a Series A funding round of $10 million from investors including RTP Global and Mangrove Capital Partners, bringing its total funding to $14 million. Following this, the business pivoted from a direct e-tailer to a marketplace model, ceasing to hold its own inventory and instead sourcing products directly from manufacturers to sell on its site. This strategic shift also involved supplying products to other e-commerce platforms like eBay and Tradus, as well as to offline retailers.

Despite its initial traction and funding, beStylish.com faced significant challenges. Co-founder Shailen Amin departed the company in 2013, with Abhishek Lal taking the helm to steer the new supply aggregation and technology-focused business model. The company underwent another pivot in early 2014 to become an aggregator for other e-commerce portals. However, these changes did not secure its long-term viability. After both co-founders had left, the company was reported to have ceased operations in April 2015.