This brand takes care of all your stylish and comfy sartorial needs
Delhi-based Pink Soda Exports designs for premium fashion labels sold in stores abroad. Under its brand Pink Soda Edit, it also imports trendy and stylish clothing from South East Asia for sale in India.
Winter, summer, virtual, physical, casual, dressy – whatever the occasion may be, stylish girls must put their best foot forward at all times. Helping them do this is Delhi-based brand founded by Shivalli Jaggi Bhatia in 2016.
Having been spotted on popular influencers like Harpreet Suri of MomWearsPrada, Manka Khatri of TheCovetedCode, Deepali of TheCuriousFancy and TV actress Sanya Irani; this Instagram page and online store has quickly become popular with it-girls around the country.
“Our clothes are for girls who enjoy dressing up while staying comfortable, and our clients keep coming back for more as our pieces match up to global standards of quality while staying on trend. The designs you will find on our Instagram page are chic and one-of-a-kind, at very competitive prices,” explains Shivalli as she joins YSWeekender for a chat.
The journey
After studying at The British School in Delhi, she pursued a BBA degree from IILM. Shivalli credits her education, an interest in fashion and her frequent travels around the world for her international outlook and knowledge of global trends.
After completing her education, she did an internship in the field of Public Relations at popular firm IPAN, and one at GAP India. This early exposure to best practices in PR and retail gave her the confidence she required to branch out on her own. However, she was still unsure about what business to pursue. Then on a trip to the USA, everything changed.
“I was on vacation and walked into a few stores to browse. Their designs were really nice and I sensed a good business opportunity. I felt we could assist them in manufacturing their designs, and they agreed as they realised it would be cost-effective for them,” she explains. This led to the formation of her first company Pink Soda Exports in 2005, of which she is currently the Managing Partner.
Pink Soda Exports exclusively designs and manufactures for high-end boutique brands at various countries around the world, for export out of India.
Once that was set up and doing well, Shivalli turned her sights on the Indian market to cater to its discerning fashionistas by launching her fashion label Pink Soda Edit. Keeping the model affordable, this brand provides trendy and affordable apparel imported from South East Asia.
In the course of her entrepreneurial journey, Shivalli became a mother. This new phase of life opened up more possibilities for her to follow. She became aware of the need for high-quality occasion-wear for infants and toddlers, and created an exclusive clothing brand called Mommy A to Z. Its success spurred her to launch a Facebook page of the same name for young parents, along with her partner and friend Pia Desai. Now, the Mommy A to Z community on Facebook is almost 19,000 members strong and is one of the most popular Indian parenting groups on Facebook where parents communicate and share information with each other.
Image: Pink Soda Edit
The products
“Whether people are dressing for work, a night out, or a lazy day in, our Pink Soda Edit designs have something to address every occasion,” shares Shivalli.
She highlights popular designs like their checked co-ord sets, which are structured for a flattering fit while maintaining a feminine vibe. The polka-dotted co-ord set with frills is a popular option for dinners or other events at night. Their shirt and top sets mimic the comfort of night suits while staying chic. Winter co-ord sets are also popular at the moment, consisting of brightly coloured woollen sweaters and pants.
Though very trendy, co-ord sets are not everyone’s cup of tea. Hence, the team also offers frilly tops, two-toned midi skirts, jumpsuits and dresses in different fabrics. One can also choose from a range of embellished dresses. New collections are launched every quarter and the latest one is the fall / winter collection.
Last year, they began using leftover fabrics to make masks, which were then distributed to those in need. Other social welfare schemes included a summer sale, the entire proceeds of which were donated to the Hemkund Foundation.
“Our brand is confident, beautiful, unpretentious, and stylish. These traits make us unique and different from others in this space. We have a vision to be a leading fashion brand in India’s ecommerce market,” shares Shivalli, further adding, “For exports, our most popular item is our resort wear collection and at Pink Soda Edit, the winter wear has been most popular. Of course, our coordinated sets are hot-sellers too!”
The advantage of having their own manufacturing unit is that they can customise pieces as per a customer’s preference, and add a button here or a pocket there, if needed.
Product pricing begins at Rs 3,000 and increases depending on the style and fabric used.
The growth story
According to the Annual Report of the Indian Textile and Apparel Industry 2021, the Indian domestic textile and apparel market was estimated to be $ 75 billion in 2020-21. The market is expected to grow at 10 percent CAGR to reach $ 190 billion by 2025-26. India’s exports of textiles and apparels are expected to grow to $ 65 billion by 2025-26, growing at a CAGR of 11 percent.
On the other hand, the imports are expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 10 percent to reach $15.2 billion by 2025-26. Hence, both of Shivalli’s primary ventures – Pink Soda Exports and Pink Soda Edit – are poised for significant growth.
This is also evident from her journey so far. She began with a minimal investment of Rs 25,000, and has since grown tremendously.
“Our export business now has presence across the UK, Dubai, Europe, and the USA. The brands that we manufacture designs for sell at stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, and Nordstrom,” Shivalli explains.
With a core team consisting of 25 members, both Pink Soda brands function from their head office in New Friends Colony in Delhi.
Most sales of Pink Soda Edit clothes happen through their Instagram page and exhibitions around the country. “We are also in the process of making our own website, and plan to sell our clothes on a few ecommerce portals soon,” she adds. However, physical retail is off the cards as virtual sales mean lower overheads and higher reach across the country and abroad.
“The pandemic was a very challenging time for us. Our export orders were lower and fulfilling the ones we had was tough as manufacturing was badly affected due to scarcity of labour. Even our import business was affected due to restrictions on flights and subsequent delays in receiving shipments. Fortunately, we have overcome all this and are back in business!” Shivalli smiles.
Edited by Megha Reddy