For Preeti Gupta, this is a return with purpose.
After shaping some of India’s most recognisable lifestyle and intimate-wear brands, she has rejoined the Aditya Birla Group — this time as Chief Business Officer, Van Heusen Innerwear at ABLBL.
And while the organisation is familiar, the mandate is entirely new: lead Van Heusen Innerwear into its next chapter of growth in one of India’s fastest-evolving lifestyle categories.
A Strong Foundation in Product & Consumer
Preeti’s journey began with a grounding in design and merchandising at NIFT, where she built her early understanding of fashion behaviour and product strategy.
She spent her first five years at Madura Garments (ABFRL), where she led Allen Solly Women. She handled full P&L responsibility, made the business EBITDA-positive by year two, and helped expand the brand nationwide. She also contributed to the Esprit buying team during its India introduction, strengthening her exposure to international sourcing and brand-building.
Building Fashion for India at Scale
In 2006, Preeti joined the founding team of Reliance Trends, shaping the vision of “democratising fashion in India.”
Here she:
- Built and led the women’s western wear and non-apparels business
- Created and scaled private labels
- Drove exclusive sub-brand architecture
- Led buying, planning, design and sourcing teams end-to-end
This phase established her reputation as someone who can build fashion businesses ground-up and scale them in diverse Indian markets.
She later headed the Licensing Business at Tommy Hilfiger India, steering brand partnerships and category expansion with a focus on brand consistency and profitable scale.
The Innerwear Transformation Playbook: Enamor to Nykaa
Her most defining brand transformation work happened in innerwear and comfortwear.
As COO at Enamor (Modenik Lifestyle), she:
- Repositioned the brand for the modern Indian woman
- Launched a new category contributing 25%+ of revenue today
- Introduced a new store and retail identity
- Grew the brand ~3X while improving EBITDA significantly
- Co-led the strategic journey leading to its acquisition by Advent International, maximizing enterprise value
In 2020, she joined Nykaa Fashion as Chief Business Officer, Owned Brands.
There, she:
- Built Nykd by Nykaa from zero to ₹200+ Cr ARR in under 4 years, while keeping it EBITDA-positive
- Expanded the brand across 2,000+ general trade outlets and 40+ exclusive brand stores
- Achieved top rankings across major e-commerce platforms
- Led the acquisition and 5X scale-up of activewear brand Kica
- Oversaw the owned brands marketplace and physical retail portfolios
- Served as Board Member, FSN Distribution
Why Her Return to ABLBL Matters Now
The ₹55,000+ crore Indian innerwear and comfortwear market is undergoing accelerated change:
- Comfort-first dressing habits
- Higher participation of women in the workforce
- Rising premiumisation and branded adoption
- Body-positive and lifestyle-first consumption patterns
Van Heusen Innerwear already holds strong equity in the men’s segment, with growing visibility in women’s categories.
The next leap requires:
- Sharper brand identity
- Product innovation
- Deeper distribution
- A more emotional, lifestyle-led consumer narrative
This is the opportunity Preeti steps into.
Her track record shows she does not just manage brands —
she builds businesses, reorganises fundamentals, and scales with consumer conviction.
A Homecoming — And a New Beginning
This return to ABLBL is not about going back. It is about stepping into the most pivotal moment for India’s comfortwear evolution — where style, identity, comfort, and culture converge.
Van Heusen Innerwear is entering its next growth arc. And with Preeti Gupta steering the business — the market will watch closely.
