These Kurukshetra-based entrepreneurs started an apparel brand in 2017, which clocks Rs 8 lakh a month revenue

It is difficult to sustain a business if the partners don’t complement each other. When Vishal Singla and Ruchi Soni met while working together with Gates Corporation Ltd., little did they know they would build an apparel company, catering to prestigious brands like Khadi India, FableStreet, and more. 

In an interaction with SMBStory, Vishal, the Co-founder of RUVIERO APPARELS, narrates his entrepreneurial journey that started just three years ago in 2017, and reveals how he plans to grow the company further in such bleak times of COVID-19. 

He says, “I did an entrepreneurship course from Singapore, and after returning to India, I joined Gates Corporation where I met Ruchi. We both wanted to build a business, and found a huge gap in the apparel industry.”

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According to Vishal’s findings, good quality apparels are expensive and not easily accessible to the common mass. Further, the affordable ones are not made from quality fabric. Co-founders Vishal and Ruchi wanted to fill this gap by launching Ruviero Apparels. 

Edited excerpts from the interview:

SMBStory [SMBS]: How did you start Ruviero Apparels?

Vishal Singla [VS]: We started Ruviero Apparels in Kurukshetra, Haryana, with our savings of Rs 2 lakh, and outsourced a small unit in Pinjore initially. We used to source materials from Delhi for the manufacturing of apparel. Unfortunately, the cost of the fabric and the manufacturing was expensive for us. So, we decided to set up our own unit.

In October 2018, we hired a team of tailors and cutting master with an initial setup of just five sewing machines. In the first month after launching our collection, that brought in around 40 orders of gowns and dresses, we received good feedback from our buyers. 

We started showcasing the collection in exhibitions, and also listed it in the Shimmer Fashion and Lifestyle exhibition at Ansal Plaza, Delhi. It got an amazing response, not just in terms of sales, but also in making people aware of the brand. 

At present, Ruviero Apparels has a full-fledged manufacturing unit in Delhi. We have even diversified into handicrafts segments, where we manufacture a wide range of handicrafts in-house.

We hired designers from Amity and NIFT, who design our apparels. For three years now, we have been clocking a revenue of Rs 8 lakh per month, with a run rate of Rs 80 lakh this financial year. 

SMBS: What are you selling channels?

VS: We mostly manufacture women and kids wear, as they are our target customers. For that, the company sources fabrics from Delhi, Jaipur, and Tripura.

Recently, we have associated with brands like Baby Hug (in-house brand of FirstCry), Khadi India (Chandigarh), Fablestreet, and BownBee, Kids 1, as their garment manufacturer.  

Besides, we also sell on ecommerce portals like Amazon, Flipkart, and our own website. We focus on both B2C and B2B models, and currently, we plan to grow our client base. 

SMBS: What are your major challenges in sustaining the business, and how are you differentiating from the competition?

VS: As first-time entrepreneurs, Ruchi and I faced many challenges to run, sustain, and grow the business. One of the biggest challenges was finding a team that aligned with our approach. Sourcing the right material for both women and kids wear, as well as handicrafts, was another challenge. 

According to the India Business of Fashion Report, the country’s apparel market is expected to grow at nearly 11 percent to reach $85 billion by 2021. 

Our USP lies in the choice of fabrics and prints we use in our garments. With a firm belief in the versatility of Indian fabrics, the company is working towards creating a unique and creative definition of classy wear.

We are also planning to redefine the online shopping experience of the customers by bringing AI on our portal. Our tech team is currently working on a recommender system by building an interface where customers can put in their measurements, and the system will generate the outfits best suited to them. 

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SMBS: What are your future prospects?

VS: In the next phase of growth, the company plans to seek support from investors who share its vision and will work as a partner. We aim to establish Ruviero Apparels in national and international markets by bringing in new and innovative designs to our customers in the coming years.