Adwaita Nayar on how Nykaa Fashion emerged as 'good' and sustainable entity

New Delhi: In this day and age when one can't ignore the impact of fashion on the environment, one of India's leading fashion platforms, Nykaa Fashion, focuses on sustainability. The brand presents a special edit featuring a mix of sustainability-focused labels from across established as well as upcoming fashion brands. This carefully curated list represents the advocates of eco-friendly, "good" fashion, while staying true to the three R's 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle'.

The list of Mindful Labels includes brands like GAYA, Doodlage, Khara Kapas, GUR, Dobby, Kaarpas Kanelle, Taro, Maati by Neha Kabra, Koyi Taro, Bohame, Mishe, A Humming Way, Urvashi Kaur, Kanelle, Okhai, Koyi Taro, Pozruh, Merakus, Satva and accessories labels like Paio Shoes, Dhaaga Handicrafts, Modern Myth, The Cai Store, The Slow Studio, Dhaaga Handcrafts.

According to Adwaita Nayar, CEO Nykaa Fashion and Founding Team Member Nykaa, "At Nykaa Fashion, being conscious about the choices we make and promote is a continuous, everyday effort. We would like to simplify the idea of sustainability for our consumers by decoding the myths surrounding ethical fashion and making it more accessible to them, while also aiding the discovery of new and mindful labels on our platform."

The Sustainability Edit specially crafted initiatives across the website and app that will help drive awareness, propagate change as well as engage consumers via compelling conversations around sustainable fashion. IANSlife speaks to Nayar to find out more details on why the fast fashion platform sets sustainability as a key goal going forward.

Read Excerpts:

India is key to the sustainable fashion movement being one of the largest producers in the world, how do fast fashion brands like yourself promote sustainable production in fashion?

The conversation around sustainability is no longer restricted to intellectual circles or the fashionable elite. Curiosity around the subject has made its way into the life of the ordinary shopper and we, as Nykaa Fashion, both acknowledge and respond to this shift. As both consumers and brands become more environmentally and socially aware, the meaning of 'fashion' in their life is changing too. We are witnessing brands moving towards more ethical and sustainable practices as a fundamental way of operating, keeping the environment and people first. We believe consumers across all age groups are interested in decoding and engaging with sustainable labels and understanding sustainability. This increased conscientiousness among everyday fashion choices is already translating into tangible results on the platform. Currently, we retail over 50 sustainable brands and are continuously working on strengthening the brand curation for this category.

We are also working on making Nykaa Fashion, a platform that curates relevant, engaging, and educative conversations on sustainability -- by building it into the shopping experience via product tags, and detailed information on product pages. Regularly driving overall awareness around sustainability via lives, videos, and conversations with sustainability advocates on our digital platforms, Nykaa Fashion aims to become a destination where consumers can not only shop sustainable labels but also educate themselves on all aspects of sustainability.

Nykaa is one of the latest entrants in an already overcrowded e-commerce world, what are your key differentiators?

At Nykaa Fashion, selling is personalised, led by curation, discovery, inspiration, and convenience. This is what sets us apart and allows us to deliver a quintessential Nykaa Fashion experience to shoppers. Since our inception in 2018, the response to our offerings by shoppers has been encouraging and made it clear that our model works and owns a distinct space in the market.

Our focus is on curating new and unique styles, brands and seasons for consumers, and presenting it to them in an easy-to-discover format. Delivering on the joy of discovering the 'right' products and style for every consumer is important to us. In fact, the discovery of brands and styles is a key driver for turning intent into purchase on our platform. We inspire consumers with fashion-forward content and bring it alive across all our touch points so that their journey from discovery to purchase is convenient and keeps them coming back for more. Our curations truly set us apart as they reflect and define the trends of the season which consumers are seamlessly able to incorporate in their wardrobes. Sarees reimagined, Summer Silhouettes, Festive Footwear, Sweater weather edit, Denim Days, Sustainable edits, Inclusive finds, Curvy edits, Athleisure edits, are a few curations that have been much loved by shoppers on Nykaa Fashion.

Some could argue it is all about the lowest price in an online model... do you agree and if yes is this what the platform is focusing on?

We believe that today consumers are looking for more than just a discount-led experience. A curated shopping experience, that helps them discover unique brands and styles across categories and price points, is what they seek and exactly what Nykaa Fashion offers. Whether shopping for luxe labels, high-street brands or budget buys, this consumer is happy to be led through a smooth, stylish and educative shopping experience. Hence, our focus remains on ensuring that their journey on the platform is delightful and informative at the same time. While our user interface reflects this shopper's preferences-- less clutter, easy navigation, quick access to products and information and eventually a smooth checkout-- it is curation and discovery that continue to define the overall experience of shopping on Nykaa Fashion.

Nykaa beauty has many Bollywood associations and even independent lines launched in collaboration with celebrities, do you see this model being followed on the fashion platform as well?

Fashion and glamour go hand in hand, celebs drive trends and trends drive customers. We will certainly explore every avenue that appeals to our customers and helps drive their choice.

What does the second wave of COVID-19 and ensuing lockdowns mean for the business of fashion?

Exceptional agility and support are the need of the hour not just from the business of fashion but from every brand and individual in the country. At Nykaa, we continue to prioritise the well-being and health of our employees, customers and our communities as the first and most important step to deal with the pandemic. We're using our reach and resources as one team, to support the country's frontline workers through a partnership with Give India that will help provide them access to essential protective devices, N95 masks, Oxygen masks and sanitisation essentials across the country.

At the same time, paying heed and catering to the requirements of consumers as they navigate a new normal is important and we have been consciously working towards this. The industry has witnessed a rapid adoption of e- commerce during the pandemic, alongside a shift in category preferences. In response to an increased demand for casual and comfortable clothing as people continue to stay indoors, we recently launched Nykd All Day by -- an athleisure, activewear and leisurewear sub-brand of Nykd by Nykaa. Our ready-to-wear label, Twenty Dresses, also introduced a fine selection of basics and elevated basics earlier this year. We are doing this, while navigating logistical uncertainties and operational restrictions to continue delivering on customer experience, without any compromise on the safety of those involved.

How is NF driving fashion awareness in tier 2 cities?

For us educating these consumers is key. Trend translation, guided selling and offering curated content across mediums are the key offerings from Nykaa Fashion. We continuously build trend guides, style files, festive and seasonal edits, providing inspiration to our shoppers. The idea is to make the shopping experience seamless--from the web/app interface, our customers are directed towards the right brands that suit their needs from the wide range of options available at Nykaa Fashion. Given the number of brands we offer on the platform, it is important to create a user journey that meets every need. To this end, we have also developed several tools, for example Nykd by Nykaa has a unique Bra advisor, which ushers the shoppers from picking the right lingerie in terms of size, style, fit, etc. all the way to checkout.

What are the consumer trends observed in Tier II & Tier III cities?

Tier II and III cities have witnessed a faster adoption of e-commerce owing to significant growth in disposable income, access to mobile Internet, and improvement in support infrastructure. This evolution reflects in technology upgrades by e-commerce, improved last mile delivery, and customer-centric return policies. Given the limited presence of organised brands to address an ever-growing demand, consumers are turning to e-commerce and are keen to shop from brands that cater to their requirements. The thrill of access to brands, once available only in metros, is a big draw for shoppers in tier 2 and 3 cities.

Summer trends for the season?

Given the current situation, most trends are leaning towards comfort. Our top picks for this summer are of course fancy sweats by way of cosycore. Then there's dopamine dressing--feel-good clothing in vibrant hues. Think neons, bright solids, tie-and-dye styles, and cheerful prints. Rest assured, athleisure, loungewear, relaxed jeans, mom-fit jeans and kaftans are all here to stay!