The TVC Media Team spoke with Mr Kapil Pathare, Deputy Managing Director, VIP Clothing, at IntimAsia 2025, one of India’s key platforms for the innerwear and intimate apparel industry. With a legacy of over five decades, VIP Clothing showcased its evolving portfolio, consumer-centric approach, and vision for the future of innerwear in India and beyond.
IntimAsia 2025: A Strategic Industry Platform
Could you share your perspective on IntimAsia 2025 and VIP Clothing’s participation at the exhibition?
It is a privilege and pleasure to be at IntimAsia 2025. VIP Clothing has been associated with this platform for many years. As a 54-year-old company, now driven by the next generation, this exhibition continues to be a vital meeting point for the industry. IntimAsia is not limited to distributors and wholesalers; it also brings us closer to retailers, allowing direct interaction and meaningful exchange of market insights.
Through these interactions, we gain valuable feedback on changing consumer preferences, including product demand, fabric choices, elastic choices, packaging, and overall presentation. Understanding what consumers are asking for at the retail level helps us refine our offerings and stay relevant.
Brand Portfolio and Product Offerings
Could you briefly introduce VIP Clothing and the product segments you are showcasing?
VIP Clothing is the manufacturer of VIP innerwear, along with a diverse portfolio that includes brands such as Frenchie, Feelings, Leader, Pratt and others. Our product range spans innerwear, loungewear and accessories across men’s, women’s and kids’ categories. At IntimAsia 2025, we are presenting a comprehensive view of our capabilities across innerwear and garment segments.
Shifting Consumer Priorities: Comfort Above All
Are consumers prioritising comfort, fashion or functionality today? What shifts are you observing?
When it comes to innerwear, comfort is non-negotiable. As a brand, whenever we conceptualise and develop new collections, comfort is always the first priority. With the emergence of Gen Z and younger consumers, styling and design elements have certainly gained importance. However, comfort remains paramount, especially in innerwear. No matter how fashionable a product is, it cannot succeed without comfort at its core.
Why Innerwear Matters as Much as Outerwear
In your view, why is innerwear as important as outerwear?
Innerwear is the closest garment to the skin, making it an integral part of everyday life. It should feel like a natural extension of the body. While developing innerwear, we focus not only on styles and fabrics but also on how the consumer experiences the product. It must be appreciated, accepted and trusted. Innerwear is a fundamental element of life, and its importance cannot be overstated.
Fabric Evolution in Innerwear
Which fabrics do you see as most important for innerwear today?
The innerwear segment initially evolved with cotton fabrics, which later progressed to cotton lycra. Today, we see the growing presence of advanced fibres such as micromodal. We have recently launched our Frenchie X collection using micromodal fabric. Cotton continues to dominate nearly 90 per cent of the Indian market, but fabrics like cotton modal, which are breathable and comfortable, are steadily gaining ground.
In addition, innovations such as branded modal and bamboo fabrics are expected to play a larger role in the near future. While cotton remains the backbone of the Indian innerwear market, the shift toward premium and functional fabrics is clearly underway.
Consumer Awareness and Hygiene Education
Innerwear is essential, yet often overlooked. How do you plan to create awareness among consumers?
Hygiene awareness is a critical aspect of innerwear consumption in India. Consumers need to understand that innerwear should ideally be replaced every six months from a hygiene perspective. While innerwear is not a perishable product, prolonged use can compromise hygiene.
Traditionally, Indian consumers tend to preserve clothing for extended periods. However, when hygiene is prioritised, especially for garments worn closest to the skin, these practices need to evolve. Educating consumers on this aspect is an important responsibility for brands.
Fast Fashion vs Slow Fashion in Innerwear
How do you position VIP Clothing in the fast fashion versus slow fashion debate?
We consider ourselves a fashion-conscious company. While we do develop fashionable collections, we believe in timing and relevance. One cannot be too far ahead or too far behind the market. For instance, micromodal fabrics existed earlier, but they were not widely accepted in India. We chose to introduce our Frenchie X micromodal collection at a time when the market was ready to embrace it.
Our approach is to introduce innovation at the right moment, ensuring consumer acceptance while maintaining quality and comfort.
The Future of the Innerwear Industry
What changes or innovations do you foresee in the innerwear industry over the next five years?
With the growing influence of artificial intelligence, the innerwear industry is also likely to adopt advanced technologies. While these are currently conceptual ideas, it is not unrealistic to imagine AI-enabled innerwear that can adapt to weather conditions, generating warmth in winter or providing a cooling effect during extreme summers at the touch of a button.
As younger consumers become more tech-savvy and open to innovation, such developments could shape the future of the category.
Message to Industry and Visitors
What message would you like to share with those who could not attend IntimAsia 2025?
Exhibitions like IntimAsia are platforms for learning, exploration and market intelligence. They bring together a wide spectrum of fabrics, products and innovations, from cotton and micromodal to emerging materials such as bamboo, offering visitors a clear view of where the category is headed.
With visibility extending beyond Mumbai to national and global markets, such platforms play a vital role in showcasing India’s manufacturing capabilities and reinforcing the Make in India message. For VIP Clothing, participation means staying connected to industry trends while confidently promoting Indian innerwear brands on global networking platforms.
