Nine plans more products in maternity wear line

With a clear aim of offering unique ensembles for to be mothers, Nine a label from The Shirt Company is moving ahead of its counterparts. “We offer comfortable and fashionable clothing for expectant mothers. They should be able

to maintain their regular looks, trends and preferences in clothing throughout the nine months of pregnancy and beyond,” says Priya Bhave, Director, Nine.

The target audience is working pregnant women between the age-group of 20 to 35 years and who like to sport western wear. “They don’t want to be in salwar-kameezes all the time. Surprisingly our apparel is also picked up by non-pregnant women,” Bhave adds.

Product expansion for bigger market growth

The brand offers a line of products that includes western wear like maternity jeans, tops, dresses. In jeans, the actual tummy is covered in a softer fabric, which can be worn throughout the pregnancy. Then it offers office wear, party wear, fashion wear, nursing wear, Indo-western fusion wear. Elaborating on its range Bhave says, “We have a post-pregnancy range of tops and dresses. Smart casuals are giving us the best response. Our dresses are also selling well. Our prices range is between Rs 695 to 2,500 and we have plans to diversify into lingerie, shoes and skin care products. We will also add feeding gowns, yoga wear and night wear as part of our product expansion plans.”

Bhave likes mixing new trends with classic. Mixing high street wear with exclusive brands or self-designed ensembles keep her inspired. “Right now I have 120 options. Maternity wear is a category that needs more styling and options. For next spring/summer we will have embroidery in neons. So the touch-ups are in bright colours. We will be trendier and peppier,” she explains.

Increasing retail presence

The brand enjoys a presence in 150 MBOs across the India. “Our main markets are Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai. In Mumbai we have 20 MBOs and we are targeting in all 600 MBOs in two years’ time. We distribute through agents and plan to go into the interiors in Tier II and Tier III towns. We are on all major online portals and also have our own website which facilitates e-shopping. This is the medium of the future. We sell 1000 pieces online a month from our site alone,” avers Bhave. Future plans include launching brick-and-mortar stores. As Bhave opines, “We’d like to have these stores exquisitely designed for the mom to be. She should be able to get a comfortable experience in the stores.”

Nine was launched in January 2012 by Priya Bhave, who is also a designer and a mother of two children. “The idea for developing a brand for maternity wear was born during my first pregnancy. Back then maternity wear was not available other than at international brand shops located at far away. I began with making my own styles for maternity, which were appreciated. For the products, we mostly use cotton and eco-friendly fabrics. The aim is to reach a turnover of Rs 100 crores in three years,” Bhave sums up.