India’s intimate wear and personal care market has long been underserved, with shopping often awkward, choices limited, and fit inconsistently addressed. Recognizing this gap, Neha Kant, Co-founder and Director of Clovia, set out in 2012 to redefine how Indian women experience lingerie. An alumna of Delhi University’s Miranda House and the FORE School of Management, Neha spent over a decade in corporate roles at FCB Ulka and the India Today Group, heading sales and marketing before venturing into entrepreneurship. What started as a simple idea, to make women feel understood, comfortable, and confident, has evolved into a data-driven, consumer-first brand offering over 1,000 styles across multiple sizes. By leveraging technology, customer insights, and a deep understanding of body diversity, Clovia has created a personalised shopping experience that combines style, fit, and everyday comfort. Under Neha’s leadership, the brand grew to become a major player in India’s D2C fashion landscape, culminating in Reliance Retail Ventures acquiring a majority stake in 2022 for ₹950 crore, while Neha continues to lead the brand as Director and Chief Revenue Officer. Alongside her role at Clovia, she also serves as an Independent Director at BlueStone. Beyond this, she has been recognized as the “Best Women Entrepreneur” by RBL Bank and the “D2C Icon of India,” and remains an active mentor in India’s startup ecosystem. 

In this conversation, Neha shares how she navigated cultural challenges, scaled a category that was once hidden from discussion, and built a purpose-led brand that empowers women through knowledge, choice, and design innovation.

Clovia entered the market at a time when intimate wear conversations were limited. What do you think helped the brand turn that cultural challenge into an opportunity for empowerment? 

When we launched Clovia, intimate wear was treated as a subject to be spoken about quietly, often without guidance or comfort. Most women had grown accustomed to awkward shopping experiences and very limited choices. Rather than viewing this as a barrier, we recognised it as an important cultural gap that deserved attention. This understanding became the foundation for Clovia. 

Our objective was to bring lingerie buying into the open, create awareness, and replace hesitation with informed decision-making. We began by educating women about sizing, body shapes, and the role of well-designed innerwear in everyday comfort. Through thoughtful conversations on social platforms and an online-first model that offered privacy, women gradually began sharing their concerns and questions. Over time, a category that had once been hidden from discussion transformed into a space where women felt confident expressing their needs. 

“What started as a cultural challenge became an opportunity to empower women with knowledge, choice, and dignity. This shift continues to define Clovia’s purpose and approach.”

Data has always been at the heart of Clovia’s design process. How has this data-led approach helped you better understand and celebrate women’s real needs?

In Clovia’s early years, customer messages revealed challenges that had been overlooked for decades. Women shared struggles with sizing, comfort, and the lack of options suited to their body shapes. These insights made it clear that the industry needed a more informed, structured approach. 

Our Clovia Curve Fit Test emerged from this understanding. What began as a simple idea evolved into a data-backed system that allowed us to study real Indian body profiles, regional preferences, and climate-driven needs. By analysing millions of responses, we identified patterns that helped us design with far greater accuracy. This data became the backbone of our product development. It enabled us to expand into more than 50 sizes, create solutions for nine body types, and launch hundreds of new styles with confidence. The information also helped us refine fabric choices, support levels, and design features based on what women genuinely needed. 

Ultimately, data allowed us to move from a one-size-fits-all mindset to a personalised approach. It helped us celebrate women’s diversity by designing styles that respected their individuality

Building an agile, “Made in India” supply chain was a bold move. What innovations helped you make it both scalable and sustainable?

Building a supply chain for a category as intricate as lingerie required us to challenge traditional norms. The industry had long relied on large production batches and limited fits, which restricted both innovation and inclusivity. We wanted to create a model that offered flexibility, quality, and speed. 

Our approach was to partner with small manufacturing units across India and help them grow alongside us. Many were family-run establishments with strong workmanship but limited resources. Through technical training, process enhancements, and consistent support, these units evolved into capable, agile production partners. 

Technology played a significant role. Data-driven forecasting, small-batch production cycles, and tight inventory planning allowed us to introduce new styles every week while keeping wastage extremely low. This ecosystem gave us the ability to test designs quickly, scale successful styles, and ensure continuous freshness in our catalogue. 

The result was a sustainable, scalable, and truly Made in India supply chain. It supported local entrepreneurship, strengthened our design agility, and ensured Indian women received high-quality lingerie tailored to their needs.

As Clovia grew rapidly, how did you ensure the brand stayed true to its purpose while still achieving strong business outcomes?

At Clovia, we believe ‘Happy is My Superpower’. Our mission has always been to create products that make women feel understood, comfortable, and happy. We didn’t want lingerie shopping to feel intimidating or transactional; instead, we focused on normalizing conversations around lingerie—something often discussed in hushed tones. 

Reading customer feedback became a routine practice that anchored our decisions. Every insight, whether related to fit, comfort, or fabric, helped refine our product pipeline and ensured that the scale did not compromise our standards. Our omnichannel expansion was driven by the same belief. While online channels offered privacy, our offline stores provided touch-and-feel assurance, creating a balanced and customer-centric experience. 

Financial growth followed naturally because the trust we built with customers strengthened over time. Women returned to Clovia because they felt seen and heard. Our team’s alignment with the brand’s purpose further ensured that every function, from design to sales. upheld the same philosophy.

You’ve built a company where women lead, create, and inspire. What kind of workplace culture do you believe truly drives success in women-centric brands?

Clovia’s culture has been shaped by the women who build the brand every day. Many team members have managed personal responsibilities alongside demanding professional goals, and their determination has played a defining role in our journey. Their experiences have continually informed our decisions and enriched our understanding of our consumers. 

A woman-centric brand succeeds when its internal culture mirrors what it aims to create externally. We prioritise psychological safety, equal opportunity, and an environment where ideas can be expressed freely. Flexibility and trust form the foundation of this ecosystem, enabling women to balance their roles without compromising their aspirations. 

“A philosophy that has deeply shaped our organisation is our motto Happy is My Superpower.” 

We believe that when people feel happy and supported, they naturally perform at their highest potential. This approach has helped us maintain low attrition and foster a motivated, collaborative team. 

Ultimately, our culture is not just a set of practices but a shared belief that a happy, empowered workforce drives long-term success for a women-centric brand.