We focus on providing stylish, quality, and affordable clothing
Berrylush is a dynamic fashion brand dedicated to offering stylish, affordable clothing for young women in India, designed by in-house talent to reflect the bold and evolving spirit of Gen Z and millennial women. Proudly manufactured in India, Berrylush ensures top-notch quality through a rigorous 5-step quality check process, aiming to provide an exceptional online shopping experience. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, Co-founder and COO Alok Paul discusses the company’s origins, strategies, sustainability efforts, and future goals.
What are the most significant trends you see shaping the fashion industry today, and how do you anticipate these trends evolving over the next few years?
In the fashion industry today, we are seeing a strong shift towards personalisation, sustainability, and digital integration. Consumers, particularly in the Gen Z and millennial segments, are looking for unique styles that reflect their individuality. At the same time, there is an increasing demand for sustainable and ethically produced fashion, pushing brands to adopt eco-friendly practices.
As technology continues to advance, we anticipate further digital integration, with innovations like AI-driven personalisation and virtual try-ons becoming more prevalent. Over the next few years, we expect these trends to deepen, with brands needing to balance style, sustainability, and tech-savvy solutions to meet evolving consumer expectations.
What inspired the creation of Berrylush, and how has the company’s vision evolved since its inception?
Berrylush was born from a desire to create a brand that truly understands and caters to the modern woman. We focus on providing stylish, quality, and affordable clothing that allows young women in India to express themselves with confidence. Our mission has always been to offer an exceptional online shopping experience, helping our customers define their own fashion moments.
Over time, our vision has evolved to celebrate the dynamic personality of today’s women—carefree, sweet, and ever-evolving. Our in-house designers craft fashion-forward pieces that empower Gen Z and urban millennial women to shine. Every product is proudly made in India, going through a rigorous 5-step quality check to ensure the highest standards.
Berrylush is known for its vibrant and trendy fashion offerings. How do you ensure that your collections stay fresh and relevant in such a fast-paced industry?
We stay ahead by maintaining a strong design language, fast production cycles, and a commitment to ‘Made in India’ quality. Our success is built on three pillars: our dedicated team, trusted partner vendors, and the love from our customers.
To keep our collections fresh, we leverage technology—digitising designs, using ERP systems, and automating replenishment processes. We also continuously analyse market trends to inspire our product designs. Every piece undergoes multiple quality checkpoints to ensure it meets our high standards.
How does Berrylush differentiate itself from other fashion brands in the highly competitive online retail space?
Focus Areas: Our primary focus is on conversion rate optimisation and retention strategies. By enhancing the customer journey and ensuring a seamless shopping experience, we aim to convert more visitors into loyal customers.
Personalised Marketing: We utilise personalised SMS, WhatsApp, and email marketing campaigns to send targeted promotions and updates about new arrivals. By tailoring our communications to individual preferences, we aim to foster stronger connections with our customers.
Loyalty Programme: Implementing a loyalty programme is a key part of our strategy. This programme will reward customers for repeat purchases and referrals, encouraging them to continue choosing Berrylush for their fashion needs and helping us build a community of dedicated brand advocates.
Can you walk us through the design process at Berrylush, from concept to finished product?
At Berrylush, our design process begins with curating styles and identifying global trends, which are then translated into cohesive mood decks for each collection. We plan our collections months in advance, ensuring a seamless production timeline. During the design phase, we finalise sketches, silhouettes, and fabrics, followed by sampling where prototypes are made and refined. Pre-production is the final stage, where all materials and costs are finalised, setting the stage for smooth and efficient manufacturing.
What steps is Berrylush taking towards sustainability in fashion, and how do you balance this with the demand for new styles?
At Berrylush, we are committed to incorporating sustainability into our fashion practices while meeting the demand for fresh styles. We focus on responsible sourcing, minimising waste, and ensuring our production processes are eco-friendly. By carefully balancing quality, design, and sustainability, we aim to create stylish collections that not only meet our customers’ expectations but also not impact the environment negatively.
With the increasing emphasis on sustainability in fashion, how can brands balance fast fashion’s demand for speed and variety with the need for environmentally responsible practices?
At Berrylush, balancing the fast fashion demand for speed and variety with our commitment to sustainability is a crucial challenge. We understand the need for quick turnaround times and fresh styles, but we also prioritise environmentally responsible practices.
To manage this balance, we focus on adopting sustainable sourcing practices and efficient production processes that minimise waste. Our approach includes carefully planning our collections to avoid overproduction and leveraging technology to optimise our supply chain. By integrating eco-friendly practices into our operations while maintaining a focus on stylish, timely fashion, we aim to offer our customers the best of both worlds—trendy clothing and a commitment to a greener future.
What have been some of the biggest challenges Berrylush has faced, and what opportunities do you see on the horizon?
Manufacturing: One of our initial challenges was manufacturing. While many fashion brands in India source their products from overseas, Berrylush was committed to building a brand that is 100 per cent Indian. Ensuring quality and consistency in local manufacturing was a significant hurdle we overcame.
Building Brand Recognition: Initially, Berrylush gained traction on e-commerce marketplaces like Myntra, where customers would search for generic items like “a black dress”. Over time, as our designs resonated with customers, the keyword ‘Berrylush’ itself began gaining popularity. This shift marked the growth of our loyal customer base. Today, 15 per cent of our sales come from our own channels, while 85 per cent still come from major marketplaces like Flipkart and Myntra.
Entering a Crowded Market: The fashion industry is highly competitive. However, being one of the early participants in the Myntra Accelerated Programme gave us the exposure and support needed to scale rapidly. This opportunity was instrumental in establishing Berrylush as a notable brand in the market.
Can you share any plans for expanding Berrylush’s market presence, either geographically or through new product lines?
We currently have six exclusive brand outlets across India and aim to continue scaling our presence. Our focus now is on scaling our newly launched Berrylush app, available on both iOS and Android, and exponentially increasing our presence on our website and marketplaces.
What are the primary objectives behind launching the Berrylush mobile app?
The launch of our mobile app was a strategic move to compete with global fashion giants like H&M and Zara by building a loyal customer base in India. The app offers exclusive offers and discounts, which not only boost customer engagement but also foster loyalty. Since most of our website traffic comes from mobile devices, creating an app was a natural progression in our growth strategy, allowing us to better serve our customers and strengthen our competitive edge.
Can you share some key features of the Berrylush mobile app?
Our mobile app offers a modern, clean design that ensures smooth navigation. Users can enjoy app-only offers and discounts, along with advanced search and filter options to easily find products by category, size, colour, and price. The app also provides personalised recommendations based on browsing and purchase history, a faster checkout process with multiple payment options, and real-time order tracking to keep customers informed from purchase to delivery.
How do you see the role of mobile apps evolving in the fashion retail industry, especially in terms of enhancing customer engagement and driving sales?
Mobile apps are becoming increasingly vital in the fashion retail industry, especially for brands like Berrylush that cater to digitally savvy consumers. Apps offer a personalised shopping experience, allowing brands to connect with customers in a more direct and meaningful way. Features like push notifications, exclusive app-only offers, and tailored recommendations keep users engaged and encourage repeat visits.
Additionally, mobile apps streamline the shopping process with faster checkouts, easy navigation, and real-time order tracking, all of which contribute to higher customer satisfaction and increased sales. As mobile commerce continues to grow, apps will play an even more central role in driving customer loyalty and boosting revenue for fashion brands.
How is technology transforming the fashion industry, particularly in areas such as production, design, and customer experience?
Technology is revolutionising the fashion industry by streamlining production, enhancing design capabilities, and elevating the customer experience. In production, automation and data analytics are speeding up processes while ensuring quality and efficiency. On the design front, digital tools enable rapid prototyping and customisation, allowing brands to stay ahead of trends.
For customer experience, technology is a game-changer. At Berrylush, our website is built on the Shopify platform, where we leverage over 20 applications to create a seamless and engaging shopping experience. From personalised recommendations to simplified checkout processes, these tools help us deliver a superior buying experience that resonates with our tech-savvy customers.
What challenges do fashion retailers face when implementing an omni-channel strategy, and how can these challenges be effectively addressed?
At Berrylush, implementing an omni-channel strategy presents several challenges, including integrating our online and offline channels seamlessly and ensuring a consistent customer experience across all touchpoints. One key challenge is maintaining real-time inventory visibility and synchronisation between our website, mobile app, and physical stores.
To address these issues, we focus on leveraging advanced technology and robust systems to unify our channels. This includes using integrated platforms that provide real-time updates and streamline operations. Additionally, we invest in staff training to ensure that our team can deliver a consistent and high-quality experience, whether customers are shopping online or in-store. By continuously refining our approach and embracing new technologies, we aim to provide a seamless and engaging shopping experience for all our customers.
What are the key goals and milestones you aim to achieve for Berrylush in the next five years?
Over the next five years, our key goals include increasing our organic website traffic by 50 per cent year over year. Berrylush has already seen profitability during its first four years of operation, and this fiscal year, we are aiming for a 7 per cent EBITDA. These milestones will help us solidify our market position and continue our growth trajectory.
