Indiska 120 years

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1901-1950
The Indian Exhibition, a store at Regeringsgatan in Stockholm, opened in 1901. It was the beginning of what would eventually become Indiska.
Mathilda Hamilton, a well-traveled woman from the small Swedish city of Finspång, founded the business. As a 17-year-old, she boarded a ship bound for America, where she planned to study mission healthcare. Instead, she ended up on a lecture tour on sobriety issues, which she enjoyed.

In Wyoming, she met an American pastor, Gustaf Adolphus Hamilton, whom she eventually married. They were sent on mission assignments to areas such as Egypt, Palestine, and northern India. They then settled down on the border with Tibet, where they started a business. The time that followed became tough for the couple, they were infected with a severe plague disease in different rounds. Despite the difficulties, the spouses worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in society. They established vocational schools in Delhi and Hazil, where boys learned how to read, write, and count as well as practical skills.
1950
Åke Thambert purchases the gadget and gift shop Indian exhibition in 1951. He was born in Gnosjö and has worked since he was a child. His early side jobs included catching rabbits, selling herring, and delivering “svagdricka” (a Swedish kind of near-beer).
He worked as a young adult for the railroad and in insurance sales. Åke took an early interest in other cultures and returned from business trips to Egypt and Syria started his search for things to import.

However, due to new trade rules and dishonest partners, the project of importing goods became problematic – He was stranded in Cairo for a few months without money but solved the situation by singing in a nightclub in order to make a living. When he returned to Stockholm, he was determined to establish himself as a trader, specializing in oriental goods.
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1960
Indiska is starting to take garment sales seriously. The Indian distributors had much fun with the fact that Åke wanted to make shirts out of cotton crepe, which they use for skirting. The garment were offered in Sweden under the name "Lion of India," but there was a catch: it shrinks by 50% when washed.
Indiska is crocheted by the press, who writes about the "disposable shirt." But Åke had a brilliant idea: he registers both the original and shrunken shirts, as well as a piece of apparel that advertises the garment as a children's shirt that never shrinks after the second wash.
1970
During these years, the company has experienced rapid growth, and it is now a nationwide chain with locations in most mid-sized cities. Indiska now establishes the basis for a purchasing department and develops assortment rules.
The company starts developing products and tailoring their variety and colors to the Swedish market. In 1974, Sweden puts import limits on specific textile items from emerging nations, marking a significant shift. The shirt collection, which accounted for 40% of the company's revenues, has taken a hit.
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1980
Indiska got even more professional in the 1980s. For the first time, they renovate stores, improve the design department, establish a marketing department, and collaborate with an advertising agency. The company's expansion is continuing apace. Indiska's product range is expanding, and the company's overall quality is improving.
During the colder months, a new wool and cotton knitwear collection boosts the profits. On the interior design front, true Indian craftsmanship with vivid hues is beginning to impact a growing number of individuals.
1990
Indian wooden tables are purchased to create an ambiance in the stores. Customers adore them, even though they were designed solely for display. The retailers agree to sell them, causing a little crisis: where should the products be placed? This is the beginning of Indiska's furniture collection.

In 1997, they started collaborating with the Indian organization Peace Trust, which provides training and support to former child workers in the spinning sector.
READ MORE ABOUT PEACE TRUST
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2000
Indiska is establishing itself and changing in the 21st century. Approximately 40 new stores will open in the first half, as well as new markets such as Norway and Finland. Indiska is beginning to work with the goal of adding spice to people's daily lives, and it is becoming evident that it is a lifestyle brand.

The Hurry Curry restaurant opens in Hötorget, Stockholm, and a lunch restaurant with the same concept opens in Indiska's offices in Värtahamnen later that year. A third Hurry Curry is now accessible in Stockholm's Galleria.
2010
Indiska is collaborating with Jade Jagger, a woman who truly embodies the Bohemian Modern style, for the first time in 2010. Jade Jagger is a jewelry designer, artist, and DJ with a beautiful and boho flair. She is the daughter of Mick and Bianca Jagger. The collection is plated in her Goa home, and the partnership is renewed the following year.
In April 2012, Indiska launch its online store/web shop.
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2017
During the spring of 2017 Indiskas sales improved. In September, Indiska got a new CEO, Karin Lindahl, who also became the owner of Indiska later on the same year. Indiska applies for corporate restructuring. The corporate restructuring ends in January 2018.
2019
Indiska launches at Zalando and opens up for the European market. Today, you can find Indiska on many platforms. Zalando is still the largest platform with a majority of customers from Germany. 
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2020
Indiska launches a new website that is faster, more technically advanced and creates the opportunity for more inspiring content, which immediately results in increased revenue. 
2021
Indiska is launching on three more platforms during 2021, fast-growing AboutYou, Namshi och Westwing.
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Indiska today

We are so happy that you are here with us!
Indiska is a Swedish family business that has been around for more than 120 years. We sell fashion, interior design and accessories in our 44 stores in Scandinavia, on the international website Indiska.com and through a number of platforms, where Zalando is the largest.
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