Confessions of an IG shopaholic: The homegrown brands edition

If there’s one thing your Instagram algorithm knows, it’s you. What kind of protein you’re having, your latest K-beauty hauls, your deepest, darkest, weirdest secrets. The upside of this know-it-all behaviour means that we’re often getting fed exactly what we like, especially when it comes to fashion. Whether you love niche craft-led brands, minimal jewels or can’t resist a cute slogan T-shirt, Instagram has become a hub to discover new homegrown labels and independent designers. The only downside to shopping on the platform is that, more often than not, it feels like a gamble, especially for a first-timer.

To help alleviate some of that anxiety, we asked The Nod team to share their favourite Instagram discoveries and any advice they had for debutants looking to hit ‘add to cart’ on a new discovery. Scroll ahead to see our picks.

Mohit Bajaj, planning manager

“One item Instagram influenced me to buy that has now become an essential are my white sneakers from Naked Wolfe. They have the perfect mix of added height and comfort—I can genuinely wear them for hours, run around in them all day, and still survive comfortably. Total win! Something I particularly watch out for while IG shopping is if their Instagram is filled only with influencers and barely shows the actual product or real customers wearing it. That’s usually a bit of a red flag for me. I also always check the sizing and return policy before ordering. As someone who is more large-bodied, size inclusivity is non-negotiable. And honestly, if a brand only offers store credit instead of returns, I do hesitate, because if the fit feels weird or the product just doesn’t work for me, the store credit is pretty much useless.”

Shalini Shah, managing editor

“One of my early purchases from IG was from this homegrown label that I discovered, called Folkpants, a Manipur-based vintage clothing store. I’ve found many gems there, like a hat-print shirt or a polka-dot asymmetric skirt that I often get asked about. They now have their own in-house label too; their lace-lined gingham bags make for the cutest lunch bags. Otherwise, I stick to brands I know when it comes to clothing; on IG, it’s the accessories that catch my eye. I recently bought a lovely cord necklace from Hannan after seeing it on my feed—it’s a shiny brass heart with a band-aid embossed on it. It’s called Healer and I love it. My latest purchase was a deodorant from a homegrown brand called Laani.”

Diya Parakh, social media editor

“Something that I bought off the ’gram that is now part of my essentials are my So Fetch gold hoop earrings. When it comes to taking recommendations from influencers, for me personally it helps to know that they have a good follower count. Having mutuals is a big plus-point. I saw a Reel by a friend recommending Wild Child Jewels and ended up buying my sister a starfish necklace from the brand.”

Saniya Jaffer, social media executive

“If my memory serves me right, the first purchase I made on IG was from Lali Vintage. It was a brown maxi skirt with two layers of ruching at the top. I've had it for over a year and never not had someone ask where it's from. I also bought a lovely top ornamented with grommets from Duja. I liked their whole collection but was honestly more sold on the brand before I even wanted a particular item of clothing.”

Chloe Chou, fashion and beauty writer

“The last thing I bought off IG was a cropped ’80s-style windbreaker from Fuseinatti, a young Japanese brand I discovered through their Instagram Reels. The founder makes really well-researched, detail-oriented videos that dive into the history of the garments and he also documents the process of creating each drop, which I appreciate. I would also recommend Lila, which has lovely cotton separates that are great for summer, and With N. I already have two shirts from them, and right now they’re doing a beautiful edit of silk garments. I always search for the brand or product (if it’s popular enough) on Reddit, especially if influencers are raving about it. It’s helpful because I’ve thankfully been deinfluenced a lot of times (saving a lot of money).

Jay Modi, head of visuals

“I have a problem. It’s called impulse shopping and it’s a dangerous game to play. Half the time I’ve bought something at 2 am only to realise later the brand has a strict no-return policy and now I simply have to live with my decisions. There was a phase where I fell back in love with craft and Instagram fully opened that world for me. Suddenly my feed went from nonsense to beautiful textiles—ikat, bandhini, Madras checks. Some of the brands I’ve discovered online are Maku Textiles and Homeland Elegies, and for jeans it has to be Leave the Rest. I also love a good tote bag. I remember seeing some influencer obsess over Monos and calling it the perfect everyday tote. Influenced successfully, because I bought it and honestly…worth the buck.”

Naheed Driver, stylist

“My first Instagram discovery was Studio Love Letter. I’ve loved watching the brand evolve over time, and all the jewellery they create feels so close to my heart. Right now, I have a bunch of things sitting in my cart from The Raw India—I’m honestly obsessed with their patterns—and Olakh, which is this beautiful women-led lingerie brand. Usually I’m quite conscious of which influencers I’m taking recommendations from. Right now I listen to what Global Beauty Finds and Komal Basith suggest. I feel like both of them are really true to what they do and won’t just recommend anything for the sake of it.”