Derived from the words ‘necessary’ and ‘evening’, Delhi-based luxe loungewear brand NeceSera aims to bring to the table an experience that is essential while being unforgettable.
Describing itself as an atelier of comfort and design, the brand boasts of a special fetish for quality, where for every fabric that is selected, 50 are rejected, in order to stay true to its commitment of delivering high-quality clothing that brings about that warm fuzzy feeling of being home, no matter where you are.
Through butter-soft fabrics that are explored in a plethora of colours, print ideas and designs, NeceSera’s cosy silhouettes are versatile, allowing consumers options to sleep in, travel in, work in and even workout in!
Apparel Resources (AR) gets candid with NeceSera’s Founder, Riddhi Jain, on the idea behind the brand, what it sets out to achieve and how it has been able to capture a growing base of loyalists since its launch, emphasising on the growing demand for comfort-based clothing in the Indian market.
Prior to starting the brand, Riddhi amped up her skills to learn and equip herself with enough experience to run and launch a comfort-based clothing brand in India smoothly. After finishing her Bachelors in Business Administration with specialisations in Information Systems, Operations Management and Marketing, Riddhi went on to study Fashion Business from Instituto Marangoni and also undertook a short course at the business school at Oxford University.
Noticing a huge gap in the Indian market for stylish and comfortable loungewear that one could actually wear round the clock, made Riddhi want to fill that gap and cater to the consumer segment with options that were specifically created for the Indian body type.
PRODUCT CATEGORIES, PRICING AND USP
NeceSera has three main categories — Sleepwear that offers tops, PJs, shorts, slip dresses and lace-touched co-ords (starting from Rs.700) ; Loungewear that offers travel-friendly sets, sweats, track suits, versatile T-shirts and separates good for the winter months (starting from Rs.1500) and Sleep Accessories that offer soft and premium eye masks and scrunchies (starting from Rs.100).
NeceSera offers elevated essentials that are functional and make it easy to do various activities, be it exercise, travel, work, chores, sleep and more.
The brand promises to deliver ultra-soft options that can be worn throughout the day with absolute ease and effortless style. Think elevated essentials that are functional and make it easy to do various activities, be it exercise, travel, work, chores, sleep and more. “Every fabric is designed to offer comfort and every style is product-tested for understanding the needs of the Indian body type. Moreover, reinvention is key for NeceSera, as we always push the envelope when it comes to loungewear. For example, our new patented Luxflo fabric is designed to deliver a premium experience,” Riddhi Jain told Apparel Resources in an exclusive interview.
MANUFACTURING AND SOURCING
Founded in 2017, NeceSera marks six years in business this year, with its main manufacturing unit located in Faridabad.
The production of the brand is done entirely in-house, a decision that helps in ensuring that the premium quality that is a touchstone for NeceSera, is not compromised with in any manner.
Commenting on the same, Riddhi said, “Our first step in the production process is that of R&D, which in my mind is crucial for the success of a collection/ product — it involves a constant cycle of trials and errors with fabric blends, product testing and quality checks. The manufacturing processes are also done in-house, in order to ensure an extensive system for quality checks at every step of the product journey.”
India is famous globally for its local markets and hubs. One of the pillars of NeceSera is to bring global design and aesthetics to the Indian market, so they do look at international markets for inspiration and ideas. For instance, “We are regulars at fairs like ‘Milano Unica’ that take place in Milan, Italy. These fairs give us an overarching view of new global industry trends. When it comes to sourcing, we are always on the hunt for the best. This takes us to famous hubs and suppliers in Faridabad and Nehru Place in Delhi-NCR and Surat and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, to name a few,” Riddhi explained.
FABRICS AND RAW MATERIALS
The brand’s primary goal is to deliver high-quality fabrics with a buttery-soft feel to women all over the world and to achieve the same, NeceSera works with a range of premium fabrics, including:
Supima Cotton: The highest quality of cotton that is grown in the US, known for its unmatched softness, durability and striking sheen. Interestingly, NeceSera is also one of the few brands in the world to use this type of cotton!
LuxFlo: The brand’s newest patented material, it is a unique blend that has been specifically invented to give that NeceSera touch — soft, stylish and super comfortable. “LuxFlo provides silhouettes with a natural draping that flatters, is quite cozy and has high durability for long-wear use. It is a fabric that can only be experienced,” Riddhi explained.
Modal: A fabric that keeps on giving, it is a cosy material that is great for sleepwear. It has a cooling effect that is truly unique and perfectly suited for long Indian summers.
The brand’s primary goal is to deliver high-quality fabrics with a buttery-soft feel to women all over the world and to achieve the same, NeceSera works with a range of premium fabrics, including Supima Cotton, LuxFlo, Modal, Cotton Terry and Fleece.
Other than these, the brand also uses materials such as Cotton Terry and Fleece, which are much more soft and durable in comparison to the qualities that are typically on offer.
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
In today’s day and age, a brand must have practices in place that are sustainable and ethical, as these are a direct reflection of its foundational understanding of the world as well as its ability to grow while still being conscious of its impact.
“We recycle over 70 per cent of the water we use during production, utilise a salt-free dyeing technology that reduces pollution and total water consumption by 20 per cent, employ water-less digital printing and even have strict norms in place for recycling waste materials, as we upcycle a lot of our waste fabrics,” – Riddhi Jain
One of the reasons why NeceSera opted for its production and manufacturing processes to be carried out in-house is to be able to control and manage the impact that the brand creates.
Commenting on the same, Riddhi said, “We recycle over 70 per cent of the water we use during production, utilise a salt-free dyeing technology that reduces pollution and total water consumption by 20 per cent, employ water-less digital printing and even have strict norms in place for recycling waste materials, as we upcycle a lot of our waste fabrics.”
“We may not be perfect in our practices, but the mindset and intention of the brand is to constantly make changes that help us meet our vision of a truly sustainable and ethical brand that grows consciously,” she added.
COLLECTION PLANNING AND STOCKISTS
NeceSera comes out with two collections minimum that are based on the ongoing season at the time and also on what the brand feels its audience is looking for. They try to do away from the trending hues to play with a wider range of colours with every collection in an effort to keep their offerings unique.
NeceSera’s products are available on the brand’s own website —www.necesera.com that ships pan-India as well as internationally. Besides that, the brand is also available to shop on Nykaa Fashion, Ajio, Stage 3 among others.
“Our future plans for NeceSera are big and focused on expanding our presence in India. Once a customer experiences NeceSera, they want more — and this can be witnessed in our high retention rates. The Indian market is beautifully diverse as compared to the global market and that’s what keeps us motivated. We are keen to expand our offerings to cater to this diversity and bring comfortable loungewear to the Indian consumer,” Riddhi stated.
| AR: What is one valuable lesson/skill one must adhere to while launching a successful fashion business in the Indian landscape? RJ: Stay true to your purpose, while growing along with the dynamic consumer’s needs.I believe that expanding from an innate knowing of your company ethos helps the brand create recall in the minds of the consumers. This is what makes one identify with a brand and create a distinct identity that is long-lasting. At the same time, it’s important to keep up with the dynamic environment, where our customer’s needs are constantly changing. AR: What, according to you, is driving consumption in fashion categories in the Indian market? RJ: Two things in my mind are driving consumption in the Indian market – the first being functionality. The majority of Indian consumers are price-sensitive, which makes them look for versatile options that have more to offer. Considering that Indian consumer is also young, they look for efficiency in all things, especially clothing that saves them time, effort, resources and still delivers spades of style. The second would be authenticity. Consumers today have several options to choose from, so they look for brands that are not only a practical choice in terms of functional value, but also emotional value. This includes transparency, imperfect but real communication, relevant and topical content, so that they have the information to make informed choices. |
