From a personal lockdown story to a Shark Tank-fuelled growth spurt, Maadhav Saxena, founder of Invogue Shapewear discusses category disruption, Gen Z branding and why comfort and compression can co-exist
At just 25, Maadhav Saxena, Co-founder of Invogue, is reshaping how India views shapewear. What began as a personal mission to restore confidence has evolved into a fast-growing D2C brand positioning itself as a “foundational fashion” label rather than a functional innerwear company. In conversation with BW Retail World, Saxena speaks candidly about viral moments, Shark Tank exposure, category evolution, product innovation and the future of fashion-led compression wear in India.
Invogue has been in the news recently, especially after your viral Shark Tank moment. What inspired you to start the brand?
Invogue started with a very personal story. Around three and a half years ago, during the second lockdown, my partner Ragini—who is now also my co-founder—gained weight due to work-from-home stress and night shifts. It affected her health and, more importantly, her confidence.
We explored shapewear as a quick solution. But the options available in India were disappointing. Most products felt like medical devices—tummy tuckers with hooks and belts—rather than fashion essentials. They neither shaped effectively nor looked good.
While researching, I came across Skims in the US. It was aspirational but prohibitively expensive for Indian consumers. That’s when we identified a clear gap: India needed a brand that delivered performance-driven shapewear that was stylish, confidence-boosting and accessible. That insight laid the foundation for Invogue.
What was the defining turning point in Invogue’s growth?
The biggest initial challenge was normalising shapewear. Three years ago, people were hesitant to talk about it openly. Our turning point came when an influencer posted about our product and the video garnered nearly half a million views. That led to television celebrity Avneet Kaur discovering us and trying our shapewear. Her endorsement changed the narrative around the category and made conversations easier.
A second major boost came from strategic timing. We launched our collaboration with Malaika Arora just before our Shark Tank episode aired. The collaboration tripled our sales. Shark Tank then amplified visibility further, pushing sales up to four times our usual run rate. That compounded traction significantly accelerated the brand.
Could you share a snapshot of Invogue’s financial performance so far?
In our first year of operations, we clocked approximately Rs 5 crore in net revenue. In the second year, we reached Rs 5.3 crore, reflecting modest growth as we strengthened fundamentals.
This year, we expect to close at around Rs 7.5–8 crore, which translates to nearly 50 per cent year-on-year growth. For a still-evolving premium shapewear market, we view this as a strong indicator of category maturity.
The shapewear segment has evolved rapidly. What consumer trends have you observed?
The most significant shift is behavioural. Consumers no longer treat shapewear as something secretive. They openly discuss it and even flaunt it.
We launched a red body shaper in December. Many in the industry believed it would not sell because shapewear is “innerwear”. Today, that red variant accounts for 35 per cent of that product’s sales. Consumers increasingly view shapewear as fashion, not concealment.
Another key trend is differentiated compression needs. Earlier, brands offered uniform compression. We now provide four levels—low, medium, high and supreme—so customers can choose based on comfort and desired shaping. Consumers are far more discerning and informed.
How would you define Invogue’s core USP?
We position Invogue as a foundational fashion brand. Functionality is critical, but we refuse to be perceived as purely functional.
Our USP lies at the intersection of compression and comfort. We speak openly about compression levels—something many brands avoid. Customers want transparency. They need to know whether a product will actually shape their body.
We recently launched what we believe is among the highest-compression tummy tuckers in the market. However, we engineered it to remain wearable for extended periods. High performance without comfort has no longevity.
From day one, our internal benchmark was simple: if Ragini would not wear it, we would not sell it.
India’s climate poses challenges for shapewear. How have you addressed breathability and comfort?
Breathability was a concern in our early days. We intentionally engineered our body shapers to be thinner and lighter than many competitors. While some consumers initially perceive thinner fabric as lower quality, it actually enhances stretch, airflow and summer comfort.
We have continuously iterated based on feedback. Comfort is non-negotiable. That said, we were surprised to discover that a segment of customers prioritises appearance over comfort entirely. This insight led us to develop higher compression lines that still balance wearability.
Where do you position Invogue in a market that includes value imports, legacy brands and emerging D2C players?
We are building the ‘Skims of India’—a fashion-first, performance-backed label.
Many players focus predominantly on function. We integrate fashion, branding and bold visual identity into the category. Even our collaboration with Malaika Arora reflected that positioning. It reinforced the idea that shapewear is not about insecurity; it is about enhancement.
Our consumer base skews young. We are a bootstrapped brand built from a middle-class background, and that authenticity resonates strongly with Gen Z and millennial buyers.
What are your expansion plans?
Over the past year, we experimented with adjacent categories—lingerie, bottom wear, bodysuits and non-compressive silhouettes. Our next launch is shapewear swimwear.
Having tested multiple verticals, we will now double down on best-performing categories rather than expand indiscriminately. Portfolio depth is our current priority.
Finally, what has Shark Tank taught you as a founder?
Shark Tank reinforced the power of clarity and authenticity. Being transparent about our ambitions—and even bold in our comparisons—resonated with viewers.
Beyond visibility, it strengthened our conviction that the shapewear category in India is far from saturated. It is only beginning to evolve. And we intend to lead that evolution.
