Founded in 2015, Clovia has emerged as one of India's leading lingerie and intimate wear brands by combining affordable pricing, data-led product development and a digital-first strategy. Today, the brand has evolved into a strong omnichannel retailer with its own stores, marketplace presence and extensive offline distribution. In this interview, Soumya Kant, Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer, Clovia, talks about the company's growth journey, changing consumer preferences and the next phase of expansion.
Our expertise lies in creating fits designed specifically for Indian women
Clovia has evolved from a digital-first startup into one of India's leading lingerie brands. What have been the defining milestones in this journey?
Our biggest strength has always been our product economics. We manufacture 100 per cent in India and have built strong control over our supply chain, allowing us to optimise costs while maintaining healthy gross margins. This has helped us remain independent of imported supply chains.
Another defining decision was becoming one of the earliest brands to partner with marketplaces such as Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart and Nykaa. We helped launch the lingerie category on several of these platforms, which gave us a strong first-mover advantage.
We have also always believed in saying "yes" to profitable revenue opportunities. Even in our early years, we sold through television shopping channels because they generated healthy cash flow, despite scepticism from many investors. Those decisions helped us build a sustainable business.
The lingerie market has become increasingly competitive. How does Clovia continue to differentiate itself?
Every growing category attracts new brands, but we entered the market with a distinct proposition. We made lingerie joyful, accessible and affordable while solving a genuine consumer problem through online retail.
We operate in what we call the mass-premium segment, offering high-quality products at prices that remain affordable. We wanted customers to feel they were getting exceptional quality without paying premium prices. That combination of comfort, fit, fashion and value continues to differentiate Clovia.
Customer experience has been central to Clovia's success. How has technology strengthened that relationship?
One of the biggest gaps we identified was that customer feedback rarely reached manufacturers. We built a technology platform that analyses more than 140 million customer data points every night, enabling us to understand exactly what customers want.
Whether it is colour preferences, sizing issues or product improvements, we receive real-time feedback that directly influences product development. Our inventory also adapts quickly to changing demand.
We believe lingerie requires education, but that education should feel friendly rather than instructional. We've always wanted Clovia to feel like a trusted friend helping women make informed choices.
Clovia has expanded well beyond online retail. What is driving your omnichannel strategy?
We strongly believe that customers should be able to find Clovia wherever they choose to shop.
Online remains our largest channel through our own website and marketplaces. Alongside that, we now operate around 78 + exclusive stores, retail through nearly 1300 + large-format stores, including Reliance formats, and have a presence across approximately 500 independent retailers.
Our philosophy is simple: if the customer is omnipresent, the brand should be too.
Consumer preferences in intimate wear continue to evolve. Which categories present the biggest growth opportunities?
Lingerie remains our core business, particularly categories such as full-figure bras, high-support bras, push-up bras, strapless, backless, maternity and beginners' bras.
Beyond lingerie, we see significant opportunities in nightwear, loungewear and activewear. Consumers increasingly want comfortable products that transition seamlessly from home to travel, casual outings and fitness. Those lifestyle shifts are creating strong demand across these categories.
As Clovia enters its next growth phase, how do you balance expansion with profitability?
For us, success is about both top-line growth and bottom-line performance.
We don't drive sales through excessive discounting or marketing expenditure. Our growth comes from delivering the right product at the right price.
Today, nearly 60 per cent of our revenue comes from repeat customers, which significantly lowers customer acquisition costs. Every business unit, whether online or offline, understands its own profitability and P&L. Teams closely monitor warehousing, logistics and packaging costs, ensuring that every new channel reaches profitability faster than industry norms.
What product best represents the Clovia brand today?
More than any single product, I would say our expertise lies in creating fits designed specifically for Indian women.
We pay close attention to sizing, construction and quality checks so that every product delivers comfort, functionality and value. We want every customer to feel they are getting an exceptional product at an accessible price.
Our design teams also receive continuous customer feedback through real-time analytics, allowing every new collection to improve on the last. That relentless focus on product quality and customer experience defines Clovia today. |
