New Delhi, March 30, 2026: In a strategic move to deepen its presence in India’s evolving footwear market, Tauseef Mirza has acquired a 100% stake in D2C casual footwear brand Solethreads. The acquisition marks Mirza International’s expansion into the fast-growing semi-premium segment, combining Solethreads’ digital-first, youth-centric positioning with the group’s established manufacturing and design strengths.

Founded by Sumant Kakaria, Gaurav Chopra, Vikram Iyer and Aprajit Kathuria, the Gurugram-based startup operates in the open and casual footwear space, offering sneakers, slides, and flip-flops across online and offline channels. Solethreads has raised over $7 million to date, including a $3.7 million Series A round in July 2023 led by Fireside Ventures, with participation from DSG Consumer Partners and Saama Capital, along with angel investors.

Post-acquisition, the focus will be on scaling domestic manufacturing, strengthening product development and accelerating offline expansion, particularly through exclusive brand outlets. Solethreads had already built a strong omnichannel presence, achieving a monthly run rate of ₹6 crore within four years and expanding to over 600 multi-brand outlets and eight exclusive stores by 2025.

The deal comes amid heightened consolidation in India’s footwear sector, driven by rising demand for design-led and aspirational products. It follows notable transactions such as Metro Brands’ acquisition of Fila in 2022 and Ananta Capital’s acquisition of Bacca Bucci in 2025 signalling a clear shift towards brand-building and premiumisation in the industry.