Comet: The Bold Dream That’s Disrupting India’s Sneaker Game

Utkarsh Gupta was a regular corporate employee, slowly climbing the corporate ladder. But one thing made him special. Utkarsh spent his middle and high school years studying at The Doon School, Dehradun. He gave the school credits for invoking certain qualities he finds hard to describe. When starting a company, surface-level qualities like being hardworking won’t do the trick by themselves.

Traits like drive, ambition, persistence, value of friendship, and respect for institutional traditions. These traits aren’t solely acquired from a school, but can originate from family and friends as well. The school is very clear on one thing: survival of the fittest.

Those unable to adjust to the school simply end up leaving, but those who adapt leave as better human beings capable of great things. Being a Dosco myself, I have to agree that though the first year or two were very difficult, in the end, it’s made me a much more well-rounded and overall better human being. Some level of meritocracy is present everywhere, rewarding those who go out of their comfort zones.

Utkarsh never really left his comfort zone. He says he was decent at whatever co-curriculars he participated in and did well in academics without ever having to study much. So when he started his college journey at The London School of Economics, he decided he needed to change this, as he found merit in it. He founded clubs and took part in multiple other activities at college. This habit of leaving his comfort zone played a huge role in Comet’s creation.

Post-college, his corporate journey was going decently well. He was always amongst the more skilled workers at his job and was climbing the corporate ladder slowly. But he wasn’t happy with it; he wanted to start his own business. The first change was a change in mindset; one must understand that starting your own business comes with sacrifices. Parties and vacations will be skipped out on, sleep will be lost, and money will be spent. What was different in this case was that Utkarsh had a passion for sneakers, so even if it did get hard, he didn’t mind it. His passion led him to power through relentlessly.

In a nation overrun by Nike and Adidas, one logo has been able to stand out and gain a new fan following. A native firm that has risen to compete with these giants. Comet, a sneaker brand founded by 2 men with the hunger to do something different, to do something great, to create history. Utkarsh Gupta and Dishant Daryani.

What began as a small start-up in 2023 has now become a brand name. But how did Comet reach these heights? What makes it so different? What makes Comet, Comet? I had a word with co-founder Utkarsh Gupta on these same questions, and I believe this article would satisfy those same questions for you.

By the time Comet came into existence, other sneaker brands were already dominating the market. So what made Comet so special? Focus, focus on what was missing in the market, focus on what the customers wanted. In the age of social media, a lot of information is thrown at you in a short matter of time, but if you focus and find what the market is missing, you are bound to catch the consumer’s attention.

Sneakers became so popular because of storytelling; they were a canvas. Enabling them to enter pop culture. India was missing out on this; even if someone did supply this, most people simply couldn’t afford it. That’s the gap Comet filled, sneakers that tell a story whilst being affordable. Designs that were never seen before globally made their stories special.

“Never Shy, Never Sorry,” Comet’s tagline. Most people wouldn’t know what it entails. Quite simply, it means being bold and unapologetic. They wanted a line that represents the brand as a whole, including its customers. Every single pair of Comet shoes embodies this; take their ice-cream shoes, for example.

A textbook example of being bold and unapologetic. Everybody who owns and wears these shoes inadvertently embodies this phrase; they’re embodying a brand that is trying to do all this. What stands out is the fact that you won’t find any billboards, any television advertisements for Comet. All of its marketing has been on social media only.

It made this brand possible, acting as its lifeline. It’s a place where the user wins at the end of the day, the algorithm shows the user what they want, and the users who want good quality, affordable shoes, the algorithm introduces them to Comet. It allows them to communicate directly with the fans, which helps build a loyal fan base. The fans provide feedback, and the feedback makes the next drop better. It’s a simple cycle of never-ending improvement.

Comet isn’t just a brand, it’s a dream. A dream to be known for decades to come, as the best brand to come out of this country ever. A good foundation is already established for this goal, as the firm grows as we speak. Providing never-before-seen competition, how will other brands react? As of now, they’ve chosen to do nothing, but it’s only a matter of time.

— Krish Ghai

(The author is a Class 11 student of The Doon School, Dehradun. He is pursuing the Business and Economics stream in academics. Krish is also an avid musician, playing the Lead Guitar for his School band.)