After bootstrapping holiCHIC for years, and building it into a seven-figure business, the brand raised their first $1.5 million seed round in May 2026. Since then, sales are up 47%. Here are three questions Megha Rao encourages other founders to ask as they consider raising a seed round:
“Growing up in Queens, I could never quite find clothes that felt like me. So I started making them. First for myself, mixing my mother’s saris with denim and leather. Then for friends and family. Then somehow, a whole community,” says Megha Rao, founder of holiCHIC. “The dream grew into something I could have never imagined. From Queens to Nordstrom, people are wearing holiCHIC blazers, saris, dresses and more around the world.”
As a former finance sales professional, Rao had built a successful business on her own for close to 10 years. As a customer of Nordstrom, she couldn’t shake the feeling that holiCHIC and the retailer could be amazing partners. After months and months of cold calling, she was able to secure a pop-up shop opportunity at Nordstrom’s New York Flagship location in 2023, right before Diwali.
“The pop-up show was a massive success, and we exceeded our expectations over those three days,” Rao says. “The opportunity led us to a meeting with the buyer, and then we went into an online partnership with Nordstrom.”
5 million seed round in May 2026. Since then, sales are up 47%.
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