Surat-based XYXX Apparels is a three-year-old premium innerwear brand aspiring to showcase men's innerwear as a fashion accessory rather than essential wear! Claiming to be the only brand to distinguish itself through its choice of fabric - Lenzing MicroModal - the XYXX founder, Yogesh Kabra, talks to Paulami Chatterjee about his product and the changing dynamics of this category.
What potential does the innerwear sector hold in India?
The innerwear sector has huge potential. In 2014, this segment of the market in India was worth ₹19,950 crore and is estimated to grow at 13 per cent to reach ₹68,270 crore by 2024. Lifestyle aspirations, strong economic tailwinds and significant investments in category growth will propel the sector further.
How do you think XYXX is changing dynamics in the premium and bridging to luxury innerwear segment in India?
While comfort is non-negotiable, the past few years have seen innerwear grow from bare essentials to being innovative.
Once a mere necessity, an underwear is the most crucial sartorial decision a man makes in a day and every dapper man out there is looking for innerwear that is both high quality and truly fashionable.
The innerwear industry has become adventurous and is now ahead of the curve. There are innerwear designers that are taking the experiential route to craft cutting-edge underwear, with new trends in patterns and silhouettes to creating style statements in vibrant colours.
The modern man has a highly active lifestyle that requires him to be on a hustle mode always. Innovation for men’s underwear today also brings to light the need for elimination of shifting, adjusting, rubbing and chafing. This calls for underwear that keeps the man dry, cool, safe and in control.
Embedded in consumer insight, the need for underwear that adapts to changing outerwear styles is the need of the hour. Low rise jeans have gone even lower and the innerwear will brave that trend with broader, designer waistbands that offer coverage in style. The silhouettes of men’s garments have changed over the years and the past years witnessed them becoming slimmer and fitter. Thus ugly underwear lines and bunching have become a thing of the past.
How is XYXX marketing its products with respect to other innerwear brands?
We are challenging convention every step of the way. From showcasing innerwear as a fashion accessory rather than essential wear to building a size and personality inclusive narrative to taking on toxic masculinity and even taking the female point of view on men’s innerwear, we have constantly been ahead of the curve.
How has the transformation been in this category in recent years?
The Indian market has changed dramatically with a number of new fabrics, design styles, innovations introduced in the category. A lot of homegrown brands are making their presence felt with unique and differentiated product portfolios that are catering to a growing population aspiring for basics that are beyond boring and merely functional.
What kind of whitespaces do you see in the innerwear segment for men?
The real innovation will come from the shift of focus on the brand side. The consumer today is vocal and demanding which will turn brands into problem solvers and co-creators with consumers rather than just peddlers of products. The great Indian innerwear revolution has already started and is making its mark in changing mindsets of consumers as well.
Where are your manufacturing facilities?
Our manufacturing facilities are located in Tiruppur as well as on the outskirts of Mumbai.
What is the USP of XYXX brand innerwear? What is the market share that XYXX would like to claim for itself?
XYXX is high on style quotient and offers unrivalled comfort. We are only 3 years old and are on a rapid growth trajectory.
Which apparel categories does XYXX have presence in? What about the retail footprint?
XYXX is a comfort wear brand present in the innerwear and loungewear category with a product portfolio that consists of briefs, trunks, vests, jockstraps, t-shirts, pyjamas and boxers. We are present in over 5000 MBOs spread across the length and breadth of the country, both in metros as well as non-metros.
What is the revenue mix derived from metros/non-metros? What is the top revenue generator in terms of your products?
We have an equal revenue contribution from both metros and non-metros. All our products do equally well both online and offline, but our innerwear collections are our top revenue generators.
Are there any expansion plans? Do you wish to enter any other apparel segment?
We would soon be entering the athleisure and performance wear category.
What innovation will XYXX bring with respect to its products in future?
We consider ourselves to be a clothingtech company and fabric as well as design innovation is at the core of everything we do. We were pioneers in introducing innerwear made in modal and bamboo at an affordable price point enhanced with antimicrobial finish and in truly stylish designs.
How do you think XYXX is changing dynamics in the premium and bridging to luxury innerwear segment in India?
While comfort is non-negotiable, the past few years have seen innerwear grow from bare essentials to being innovative. Once a mere necessity, an underwear is the most crucial sartorial decision a man
makes in a day and every dapper man out there is looking for innerwear that is both high quality and truly fashionable. The innerwear industry has become adventurous and is now ahead of the curve. There are innerwear designers that are taking the experiential route to craft cutting-edge underwear, with new trends in patterns and silhouettes to creating style statements in vibrant colours.
The modern man has a highly active lifestyle that requires him to be on a hustle mode always. Innovation for men’s underwear today also brings to light the need for elimination of shifting, adjusting, rubbing and chafing consumer today is vocal and demanding which will turn brands into problem solvers and co-creators with consumers rather than just peddlers of products. The great Indian innerwear revolution has already started and is making its mark in changing mindsets of consumers as well.
Which apparel categories does XYXX have presence in? What about the retail footprint?
XYXX is a comfort wear brand present in the innerwear and loungewear category with a product portfolio that consists of briefs, trunks, vests, jockstraps, t-shirts, pyjamas and boxers. We are present in over 5000 MBOs spread across the length and breadth of the country, both in metros as well as non-metros.
What percentage of your sales is through brick & mortar and what through e-marketplace/own website?
The e-marketplace is our biggest sales generator. One third of our sales today come from retail stores. The remaining is through our own website.
Are you implementing any sustainable processes during the manufacturing process or have plans to in future?
We choose fabrics that are sustainable— like modal and bamboo—for all our garments. We also make sure that our inventory is well planned so as to avoid wastage.
What is the revenue mix derived from metros/non-metros? What is the top revenue generator in terms of your products?
We have an equal revenue contribution from both metros and non-metros. All our products do equally well both online and offline, but our innerwear collections are our top revenue generators.
This article was first published in the December 2020 edition of the print magazine.
Published on: 04/02/2021
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
