The men’s clothing brand, which was founded in 2017, boasts a multi-brand outlet presence that spans across more than 30,000 touchpoints
Bengaluru: Menswear brand XYXX innovates a lot keeping in mind the needs of the young Indian man today. What sets the brand apart is its range of products that are not only suited to the Indian climate but are also designed for the Indian body type using an elevated aesthetic approach to innerwear, loungewear and now athleisure.
Getting the trend on-point
The inception of Yogesh Kabra’s menswear brand ‘XYXX’ is a tale as typical as they come. “After returning from the US, I went to the mall to buy some innerwear and the one thing that struck me was the lack of innovation and experimentation in the segment. I had been seeing the same colours, fabrics and shapes on the shelves for decades. Innerwear is a product that is used daily, and yet the needle has barely moved,” shares Kabra. XYXX was born out of the vision of making innerwear shopping a fun and enjoyable experience for the young, discerning Indian man. “Our brand is spearheaded by design, fabric innovation and consumer insights. Over the years, we captured the loungewear category, and are further diversifying our portfolio by stepping into athleisure to create a men’s lifestyle label that offers an elevated experience of basics across the board,” adds Kabra.
Growing with power
So, how were the early years for the brand? “To make innerwear fun and enjoyable, we had to essentially breathe life into the category. We started by using fabrics that were friendlier to the skin and more adapted for the Indian climate, and moved beyond the traditional cotton underwear,” explains Kabra. Today, XYXX is working with technologies that make its innerwear more moisture absorbent, odour free and smooth on the skin. Fabric is one of the key differentiators for XYXX—it was one of the first brands to introduce underwear crafted from modal (a light, breathable and durable fabric) to India. Innovation has always been the primary driving force behind XYXX. “What sets us apart is our range of products that are suited to the Indian climate and designed for the Indian body type using an elevated aesthetic approach to innerwear, loungewear and now athleisure. From odour cancellation and moisture wicking to quick drying and temperature control, we ensure all our products are crafted keeping climate, breathability as well as consumer needs, movement and lifestyle in mind,” explains Kabra.
Today, XYXX is one of the most popular brands in its category—it has worked very hard to reach this point. “The innerwear category for men was for the most part redundant with limited offeringsthat lacked design, quality, innovation and most essential of all, comfort, for the longest time.
While the innerwear market is one such category that is completely dependent on the experience of the product, we made sure every customerexperience has been a lasting one,” conveys Kabra. The brand’s primary focus has always been to provide products that offer comfort and become a part of consumers’ everyday wardrobes. “The modal fabric and combed cotton we use have been carefully crafted to meet this purpose and hence help us create a stronger customer base. With regards to colours and prints, we offer a wide array for customers to choose from and experiment with in their everyday styles,” adds Kabra.
Taking the big leap
XYXX’s sales channels have been operationally profitable for the last 12 months. “While our target in the next 12 months is to be EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization] and cash flow positive, our current funding is helping us expand into new categories, drive brand awareness and attract quality talent,” says Kabra. His ambition is to eventually opt for an IPO (initial public offering), which will deliver real value to his employees and investors.
Currently, XYXX’s multi-brand outlet presence accounts for over 14,000 touchpoints. Kabra expects it to scale up to 30,000 physical touchpoints by February 2023. “In addition, we launched our first EBO [exclusive brand outlet] in October; we are looking at introducing 10 such EBOs within the coming six months. We have also kick-started our modern trade journey, with a launch at the Azorte store in Bengaluru,” conveys Kabra. XYXX is also expanding across product categories with its first athleisure collection.
Brownie Points
- So far, 2022 has been the most exciting year for XYXX. The brand announced Indian cricketer KL Rahul as not only its first-ever brand ambassador but also as its equity partner.
- This was followed by the brand’s announcement of its Series B funding. XYXX is currently present in over 100 cities in India across more than 14,000 retail touchpoints.
- The brand is slated to hit 30,000 physical touchpoints by February 2023.
- The brand has also forayed into modern trade this year with a big launch at the Azorte store in Bengaluru.
- Moreover, it recently opened its first EBO (exclusive brand outlet) and is looking to launch 10 more by February 2023.
First appeared in The India D2C Yearbook 2022
