How Nykd by Nykaa is disrupting innerwear through innovation, inclusion

Nykd by Nykaa was launched to address the alarming 80% statistic of women wearing the wrong bra size and simplify lingerie shopping through technology, product innovation & targeted marketing…

In the realm of fashion, comfort begins with the right foundation. The innerwear segment of the industry works hard to build this base, but often lags behind in both innovation and inclusivity. In such a scenario, Nykaa’s innerwear brand, Nykd, has emerged as a transformative force.

Founded with a clear mission to address the significant gap in the Indian lingerie market, Nykd by Nykaa has quickly established itself as a leader in creating products that cater to real consumer needs. It has since embarked on a mission to empower women on their journey to discovering the perfect innerwear – garments that not only fit flawlessly but also instil unwavering confidence.

Preeti Gupta, Chief Business Officer at Nykaa Fashion, shares insights into her brand’s profound journey – the product innovations, technologies used, strategies employed to win and future ambitions.

A Mission to Simplify Lingerie

Nykd by Nykaa was launched to address a glaring issue in the lingerie sector: a majority of women in India wearing the wrong bra size. With an alarming statistic of 80% of women facing this problem, Nykd set out to simplify lingerie shopping and solve real consumer problems through a combination of technology, product innovation, and targeted marketing.

Preeti says, “As a brand, we want to support and stand for everything real, real-life experiences, real product experiences, and real conversations.”

The brand caters to a diverse audience, primarily young, fashion-conscious individuals – starting from their early 20s – looking for a diverse range of products that cater to evolving consumer needs.

“We aim to be there for her (the consumer) at every point of her journey, presenting a wide range of products designed to meet her needs at different life stages. Our products are deeply rooted in consumer insights, with every single item tested on approximately 100 different body types to ensure they meet diverse requirements,” Preeti explains.

Balancing Comfort, Functionality & Style

Nykd’s approach to product development is centred around balancing comfort, functionality, and style. Preeti says that the brand starts with a deep understanding of women’s evolving lingerie needs, ensuring that their solutions are not only functional and comfortable but also stylish and affordable. Notable innovations include:

• The Antigravity range, which provides a gentle lift for everyday wear
• The Barely There collection, designed to eliminate harsh elastics for sensitive skin
• The latest ‘Invisi’ collection which showcases bonded technology that delivers exceptional function while remaining invisible under clothing

“Each of these innovations reflects our commitment to enhancing the everyday experience of wearing lingerie,” states Preeti.

Inclusivity is a core component of Nykd by Nykaa’s ethos. Since its launch, the brand has prioritised catering to plus-size women and has expanded to include petite sizes, offering a comprehensive range from 30A to 44F.

“Inclusivity for us goes beyond just size. We offer over six nude shades tailored for the diverse complexions of Indian women, ensuring that every woman can find lingerie that fits perfectly and feels uniquely hers,” notes Preeti.

Innovative Fabrics, Seamless Technologies

To ensure inclusivity, Nykd works tirelessly on creating cutting-edge collections with a significant emphasis on innovative fabrics and seamless construction styles. Preeti explains that Nykd continually pushes boundaries with advanced materials such as 4-way super stretch body-adapting fabrics, bulge and bounce control shaper fabrics, and no-show-through laces.

Technologies like UV protection and cool tech are integrated to enhance comfort and functionality. The ‘Invisi’ range, in particular, represents a significant advancement, offering lingerie that feels as light as air and redefining the wearing experience.

“We believe that the ideal lingerie should be both unseen and unfelt. This philosophy fuels our commitment to innovation in fabric and technology. We consistently push the boundaries of our lingerie and apparel collections by incorporating advanced materials,” she says.

Nykd also leverages virtual tools to enhance the online shopping experience for consumers. One notable innovation the brand uses is its Bra Advisor Tool.

“The tool was created after discovering that over 80% of women polled use the wrong bra size. We thus set out to design a hassle-free experience without measuring tapes – one that educates users while helping them find the perfect size, fit, and style, all within three minutes,” says Preeti.

The Bra Advisor Tool not only simplifies the process but also offers an important educational takeaway – knowing your breast profile and the ideal bra styles suited for your body type. “That’s it. Just use the tool, and we’ll recommend the perfect product for you,” she says adding, “Lingerie is a huge trust category, and once that trust is broken, it’s hard to win it back. We have arguably the best technical fits and QC team in the industry, ensuring superior quality every day.”

Strategies & More: No Discounts, Value without Compromise

Aside from innovation in fabrics, and state of the art technologies, the brand prides itself on working strategically to increase its consumer base and revenue. It offers exceptional value with a best-in-class return rate, reflecting customer satisfaction and trust in the brand.

The average cart value for online shoppers typically falls in the range of a few thousand rupees, with customers purchasing 2-3 products per order. This aligns with Nykd’s strategic positioning as a value-for-money brand that delivers premium quality at an accessible price point.

“Nykd is very sweetly priced at a pocket-friendly range. We intend to provide a luxurious experience to our customers by offering premium quality products,” says Preeti. Notably, the brand follows a no-discount policy, staying true to its commitment to fair pricing while focusing on delivering real value.

In addition to this, the brand has a marketing strategy with a comprehensive approach, which includes collaborations, performance marketing, and offline campaigns. Preeti points out that recent campaigns like ‘Happy Curves’, which highlights products tailored for different Indian body types, have been particularly successful. Social media, she says, plays a crucial role in engaging with consumers, featuring user-generated content, educational content, interactive polls, and influencer partnerships to build a larger, more engaged audience.

“Content plays a pivotal role in our brand’s strategy, as we aim to genuinely add value for consumers and simplify their purchasing decisions. Every marketing campaign is thoughtfully designed and executed with this goal in mind. As a result, our top campaigns have consistently achieved a return on ad spend (ROAS) of 5 or more,” she reveals.

Sustainability: A Holistic Approach

While being visible on social media is one strategy, the brand also firmly believes in ethical retailing – a behind-the-scenes, eco-friendly approach to sourcing raw materials and manufacturing. For the brand, sustainability is beyond the materials used in production. While the brand takes pride in sourcing eco-friendly materials like responsibly harvested cotton and bamboo, its approach to sustainability is much broader, integrating responsible practice into every aspect of its operations.

At the heart of its sustainability strategy is its no-discount policy. While this may seem as a marketing strategy at first look, Preeti explains that in fact, it is not. She explains that by maintaining consistent pricing, the brand encourages thoughtful purchasing decisions and reducing impulse buys that often lead to excess production and waste.

This approach ensures a focus on quality over quantity, allowing the brand to create fewer, premium products that truly meet the needs of consumers.

Additionally, Nykd prioritises premiumisation in its product offerings, limiting styles and concentrating on high-quality products. Each item undergoes rigorous trials for fit and quality, which helps to reduce returns—a significant factor in lowering the brand’s carbon footprint.

“Our goal is to deliver exceptional products that stand the test of time, supporting a more sustainable future not just in fashion, but across the entire industry,” Preeti says. This holistic approach to sustainability reflects Nykd’s commitment to creating a lasting impact on both the environment and the fashion industry.

Emerging Categories, Expanding Brand

Since its inception, Nykd by Nykaa has caused disruption in the fashion industry and as of March 2024, it was valued at Rs 200 crore+. Currently, approximately 50% of Nykd’s sales come from online channels, highlighting how truly Omnichannel the brand is. Nykd envisions this balance evolving as they continue to scale both online and offline platforms, even though they don’t comment on future financial projections.

Not getting comfortable with this success, the brand is surging ahead, and has already started expanding into newer categories including athleisure, activewear, sleepwear, and swimwear. “Our bras, shapewear, loungewear, and athleisure categories are performing exceptionally well and we are focusing on growing our depth in these categories, continuing to innovate,” says Preeti.

Looking ahead, the brand has ambitious plans to grow its reach.

“Our immediate focus is on expanding General Trade (GT) doors, Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs), and growing our franchise network. Parallelly, we are scaling our owned online platforms – Nykaa, Nykaa Fashion, and our direct-to-consumer (D2C) site. We are also exploring exciting growth opportunities in Quick-Commerce,” Preeti states.

Despite stiff competition in the lingerie market, Nykd by Nykaa has continued to focus on education and content to gradually and surely gain market share. Challenges with abandoned carts and sizing issues aside, the brand maintains an ‘absolute obsession with fits’ and seems more than well-positioned to continue reshaping the lingerie landscape and enhancing the everyday experiences of women across India and beyond.