Four Udaipur Entrepreneurs Built Rs. 200 Crore Everyday Fashion Brand With Just Rs. 5 Lakh Investment

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Years back, when Shivani Soni was just a schoolgirl, her teacher asked every student to share their dream career. While most of her classmates shared conventional aspirations, Shivani confidently stood up and proudly shared her ambition:

“I want to become a fashion designer.”

But instead of receiving the encouragement she hoped for, her teacher dismissively responded, “Girls like you can’t become a fashion designer. This moment, though painful, ignited a fire within Shivani that would fuel her determination to prove everyone wrong.

In an exclusive conversation with Empowering Indians, Shivani reflected on that pivotal moment, recounting how it pushed her to work harder and set her sights on achieving her dreams.

“I was hurt,” she admitted,” but that only made me more determined.”

She immersed herself in fashion, watching television shows and analyzing the styles worn by actors. One day, she watched a show featuring renowned designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who was making waves globally.

“That was the moment,” she shared. “I got inspired and resolved to become a fashion designer like him.”

Overcoming Village Norms and Family expectations

Shivani’s journey, however, was far from smooth. She hails from a small village, Bari Sadri, in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district. Her father ran a modest shop, providing just enough to make ends meet.

Though the family was lower-middle-class, financial pressures were minimized by living a simple village life, with Shivani and her siblings attending government schools. But pursuing a career in fashion design, which was perceived as a glamorous profession akin to Bollywood, was a foreign concept to her family and the villagers.

“My father was hesitant to allow me to pursue fashion design,” Shivani revealed in the Empowering Indians interview. “It wasn’t considered a respectable or stable career.”

After completing her 12th grade, however, she persisted and convinced her father to let her follow her passion. Shivani enrolled in a fashion design course and began her formal training in the industry.

Launching Beyoung: A Dream Turns Reality

After earning her degree, Shivani completed an internship that allowed her to gain hands-on experience. But rather than settling for a job, she decided to create something of her own. Teaming up with her brother Shivam, her sister-in-law Sakshi, and childhood friend Shankar, Shivani co-founded Beyoung, a fashion brand launched in the small town of Udaipur.

“We wanted to create high-quality apparel for tier 2 and 3 consumers, but at an affordable price,” Shivani explained during the interview with Empowering Indians.

The team recognized a gap in the market—many fashion brands were either too expensive or simply unavailable in smaller towns. Online shopping was often out of reach due to inaccessible delivery zones or high prices.

“People in smaller towns want access to good fashion too, but the products are either too expensive or not deliverable,” she noted.

With an initial investment of Rs. 5 lakh, the Beyoung team launched their first collection with just 4-5 stock-keeping units (SKUs).

“In the beginning, we focused on customized printed T-shirts and vests,” Shivani recounted during the interview with Empowering Indians. “Our goal was to make sure our designs resonated with the trends in the market.”

Evolution of fashion trends in Beyoung

Their breakthrough came when one of their prints, inspired by the movie Uri, gained massive popularity. The design, which featured the now-iconic line, How’s the Josh?, became so successful that it began ranking high on search engines, catching the attention of even their competitors.

This early success motivated Beyoung to innovate further. They introduced a range of customizable and plus-size products and also pioneered the concept of customizable bundles.

“We noticed that in stores, customers had no choice but to buy pre-made bundles,” said Shivani. “We gave them the option to choose different sizes and colours, which was a huge hit.”

This flexibility set them apart from other brands and helped solidify their position in the market.

Navigating Challenges: COVID-19 and Beyond

Just as Beyoung was finding its footing, COVID-19 hit, and like many businesses, they had to adapt. Prior to the pandemic, they had opened three experimental offline stores in Jodhpur and Udaipur, which were doing well. But when the pandemic forced closures, the team shifted its focus entirely online.

“We made sure our team could work from home, and we launched new products like masks,” Shivani said in the Empowering Indians interview. “The response was amazing.”

One of their standout offerings during this time was their “Shop the Look” collection, which catered to the diverse body types of Indian men.

“We noticed that standard Courtside apparel didn’t fit well with many Indian men, so we developed a multipurpose outfit,” she said.

This innovative line allowed customers to select different sizes for the top and bottom, another success that propelled Beyoung forward.

Scaling the Business and Expanding the Brand

Beyoung’s journey from a small startup with just a handful of SKUs to a brand with over thousands of SKUs has been a story of relentless innovation and adaptation. Their commitment to offering high-quality, affordable, and aspirational fashion for everyday wear, especially for tier 2 and 3 markets, has been their unique selling point.

“While most fast-fashion brands focus on trendy clothes for metro cities, we positioned ourselves as an everyday fashion brand for smaller towns,” Shivani, co-founder, explained.

This strategy has paid off. Beyoung now boasts a customer base of 5 million, with 90% of its revenue coming from male consumers.

“We recognized early on the potential in men’s fashion, and it became our primary focus,” Shivani said.

Milestones and Financial Growth

Beyoung’s growth trajectory has been impressive. In its first year, the company reported a revenue of Rs. 35 lakh. Fast forward to 2023, and Beyoung’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) reached a staggering Rs. 200 crore.

Looking ahead, Shivani and her team have ambitious plans. “We are on track to becoming an omnichannel brand,” she said during the Empowering Indians interview.

Over the next three years, we aim to expand and be present in neighborhoods across India and globally with over 300 offline stores in Tier 2, 3, and 4 cities of India by 2027. We strive to be the primary choice for customers by making aspirational fashion accessible to the masses who prefer value-for-money products.

This means providing a seamless shopping experience both online and offline. The company’s goal is to grow its revenue to Rs. 650 crore by 2027.

Impact on Communities and Team Growth

Beyoung’s success has not only brought financial rewards but has also created significant employment opportunities in their community. The company currently employs 300 people, many of whom come from rural backgrounds.

“We’ve seen so many inspiring stories from our team members,” Shivani shared in the interview of Empowering Indians.

Members, like Praveen and Tarun, have risen through the ranks, starting in entry-level roles to now managing departments.

Breaking Societal Norms and Personal Triumphs

Recently, Shivani got married, and her story took another unexpected turn. In a small town like Udaipur, societal norms often dictate that the bride settles into her in-laws’ home. But Shivani’s husband, whose job was in Bangalore, chose to work from home to support Shivani’s career.

“My in-laws have been incredibly supportive,” she said. “I am truly thankful that they go beyond societal norms to help me pursue my dreams.”