India’s maternity wear market on a growth track

Factors like a rise in number of working women, nuclear families and high

disposable incomes have led to the growth of maternity wear segment in India. Experts say, the maternity wear market is worth Rs 1,000 crores and witnessing rapid growth.

Several brands are launching maternity wear to cater to the growing needs of well-fitting clothes for expecting mothers. Earlier, women wore bigger sized clothes that would help them hide their baby bump. But now with brands launching exclusive collections, they can shop for clothes not only covering the baby-bump but also fitting perfectly the rest of their body.

Maternity wear brand Nine for instance has been witnessing rising demand for such clothes even coming from smaller towns. It is seeing over 50 percent orders coming from Tier II towns. Even, W, the women’s wear brand that launched a maternity line last summer, has seen success. Experts say Indian women have started accepting maternity wear not as a luxury, but as a basic need. Growing awareness, especially from the market in the West, and exposure through travelling, the internet, and other media, plus the convenience of online shopping are all contributing factors in making women more conscious about the style quotient during pregnancy and increasing sales.

The collection for New Age expecting mothers includes maternity trousers with a spandex layer, full belly covering churidars, leggings in denim with a ribbed panel, nursing tops and so on. While most international brands, like Mothercare brought to India by Shoppers Stop, or Destination Maternity, have western wear in their collection, Indian brands offer innovative traditional Indian clothes.