At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Gaurav Nijhawan for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Gaurav is an Entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO at 1912 Clothing. Let’s learn more about his background, inspiring journey so far and his advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Gaurav:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My entrepreneurial journey started right after school in 2015. Just three days after my last exam, I joined my father’s spices business. I was managing operations and logistics there.
One of the first things I did was introduce time management for our workers and bring in some team members from different areas to break the internal monopoly and improve team dynamics. It wasn’t easy—convincing people, especially my father, that I was here to help and not mess things up was a big challenge.
In 2019, I started Call Your Cart (CYC), a hyperlocal delivery startup in Noida. It grew fast, and within four months, we even got an investment offer. But then COVID hit in 2020, and we had to shut it down. I tried again with a grocery delivery startup in 2020, but the second wave in 2021 forced us to stop again.
After that, I rejoined my father’s business, but something in me still wanted to build something of my own. So in 2024, I launched 1912 Clothing. What started as a side hustle to fund another project slowly became something I fell in love with. The response from people, and the joy of launching new designs, made me say—This is it.
‘1912 Clothing’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
The name 1912 is actually my birth date—19th December. So it’s very personal to me. People always appreciated my fashion sense, and I used to get my clothes custom-made. That’s when I realised there’s a gap in the market—young people often want clothes that represent their mindset, their vibe, but don’t find such designs easily.
We design for people between 18–35 years old, and most of our customers tell us they’ve never seen designs like ours anywhere else. That’s our strength—our originality. Our goal is to give people clothes that reflect their thoughts, their attitude, and their individuality.
What’s your vision for 1912 in the next 3–5 years?
In the next 3–5 years, we want to take 1912 Clothing to ₹100 crore in revenue as a bootstrapped brand. We’re focused on building a strong community around our designs and making sure every product speaks for the person wearing it.
Along with scaling our online presence, we also plan to explore offline growth and expand into marketplaces to reach a wider audience. The idea is to make 1912 not just a clothing brand, but a movement people feel proud to be part of.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
There are tough days, like when orders get delayed or operations don’t go as planned. We’ve switched delivery partners multiple times just to make sure customers get their orders on time.
But what really keeps me going is the love we get from our customers. A simple message saying “loved the quality” or spotting someone wearing our tee at the airport, that feeling is unbeatable. It reminds me that we’re building something real, something people actually connect with.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
1) Ads don’t build businesses— customer service does.
2) Start small. We began with the least investment to understand the market, and now we’re scaling.
3) Always do and then regret. If you believe in an idea, just execute. You’ll never know until you try.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
Success, for me, is about meeting your goals. Set small goals, achieve them, and then set bigger ones.
Also, success is impact. Many of our designs have quotes that reflect people’s thoughts—things they believe in but don’t always say. If our clothes help people express themselves, that’s a win.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
The biggest advice I can give is—don’t wait for the perfect moment. Just start. If you think you can make something meaningful, you’re already halfway there. Also, if possible, find a cofounder. I have Harshita, and having someone to balance out the highs and lows makes the journey smoother and much more fun.
And most importantly, don’t compare your journey with someone else’s. Your chapter 1 doesn’t have to look like someone else’s chapter 10—but your chapter 1 should have the same energy and grit that their chapter 10 was built on. This journey isn’t easy, but it’s worth it when you keep showing up.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
The most exciting part is seeing ideas turn into reality. From a design on paper to someone actually wearing it and relating to it—that’s surreal.
Also, the little goals we meet along the way keep us excited. Every time we hit a small milestone, it pushes us to set new ones and chase them with the same energy. That constant motion, that hunger to build something bigger, is what makes the journey so thrilling.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
