RiACTIVE is proudly designed for India, by India!
RiACTIVE is a collection of affordable-premium versatile wear, specially designed to complement the contours of the Indian body type. It focuses on offering the perfect balance between comfort, performance, and style, making it an ideal choice for active individuals. With premium quality stitching and innovative designs, RiACTIVE bridges the gap between functionality and aesthetics, offering a diverse range of colours and styles to inspire confidence and comfort in everyday activities and workouts. In a chat with Fibre2Fashion, Founder & CEO Ria Shah discusses designing versatile wear for Indian body types.
How has the growing focus on wellness and fitness influenced consumer behaviour in the activewear market, and what changes are you seeing in product demand?
The focus on wellness and fitness has significantly impacted consumer behaviour, driving several key shifts in product demand:
Increased demand for versatility: With the lines between work and leisure blurring, there is a rising demand for versatile pieces like leggings that can be worn for workouts, at work, or casually.
Emphasis on functionality: Consumers are seeking advanced fabrics and technologies that enhance comfort and performance, such as seamless construction for a better fit and feel.
Styling: Activewear today must combine functionality, versatility, and style. Brands are responding to this by creating innovative, multipurpose designs that cater to these evolving needs.
Size and gender inclusivity: There is also a growing demand for inclusive sizing and gender-neutral designs, as brands expand their product ranges to ensure everyone can find apparel that fits their fitness journey and personal style.
With sustainability becoming a significant concern for both consumers and brands, how is the activewear industry adapting in terms of material innovation and eco-friendly production practices?
The activewear industry is making notable progress in adopting sustainable practices and material innovations:
Recycled fabrics: In response to growing consumer awareness, many brands are shifting towards using recycled polyester and nylon in their activewear and athleisure collections, reducing reliance on virgin materials while maintaining high quality.
Natural fibres: There is an increasing focus on using natural fibres like hemp and bamboo, which are grown without harmful pesticides, offering an eco-friendlier alternative to synthetic materials.
Water-saving dyeing techniques: Eco-friendly dyeing processes, such as waterless dyeing technologies, are gaining traction in the activewear sector, reducing water consumption significantly.
Circular fashion: Many brands are embracing low-impact manufacturing processes to minimise waste and reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, some are adopting circular fashion models by designing durable, recyclable products to promote sustainability throughout the product lifecycle.
What challenges do activewear brands face in balancing performance, comfort, and fashion, and how is the industry addressing these competing priorities?
Balancing performance, comfort, and fashion can be challenging, but the industry is innovating to meet consumer expectations:
Performance and fashion: Brands are now using versatile fabrics that enhance athletic performance while also offering sleek, minimalist, or bold and trendy aesthetics. This allows consumers to look stylish without compromising on functionality.
Comfort and performance: The use of multi-functional fabrics, like nylon-spandex blends and four-way stretch materials, is helping to balance comfort and performance. These fabrics offer compression, support, and flexibility without restricting movement, ensuring activewear is both comfortable and high-performing.
How are advancements in technology, such as smart textiles and wearable tech, shaping the future of activewear design and functionality?
Smart textiles and wearable tech are revolutionising activewear by transforming it into performance-enhancing, data-driven, and eco-conscious gear. These advancements allow brands to design garments that not only look stylish but also improve athletic performance and support health monitoring. For instance, some brands are incorporating virtual trial rooms using AR and VR, helping customers visualise fit and design before purchasing. This fusion of technology and design is setting new standards in the activewear industry.
What inspired you to create RiACTIVE, and how did you identify the gap in the market that your collection addresses?
The inspiration for RiACTIVE came from a deep passion for creating designs that motivate people to embrace movement and self-love. After taking a break from fitness, I struggled to find activewear that reignited my motivation. The available designs did not complement my body shape and felt quite ordinary. This led me to research the unique contours of Indian body types, particularly focusing on tops that not only fit well but also boost confidence. Another issue I encountered was finding beautiful sports bras that ended up hidden under tops. Despite the variety of stylish bras, their details were often lost. This is why RiACTIVE designs tops that highlight the collarbones and shoulders, with eye-catching back designs to complement the overall look.
Can you walk us through the design process at RiACTIVE? What elements do you prioritise when creating a new collection of activewear?
At RiACTIVE, design is our top priority, beyond just ensuring perfect stitching and premium quality. Each collection is the result of thoughtful research, blending the latest trends with aesthetics that resonate with Gen Z and millennials. We focus on creating fashion-forward, versatile wear that balances style and lasting comfort, all while remaining affordable. Our goal is to ensure our designs are both trend-driven and practical, aligning with the needs and preferences of our target audience.
In a competitive market with many established activewear brands, how does RiACTIVE differentiate itself and build a loyal customer base?
What sets RiACTIVE apart is our unwavering focus on the Indian body type. Every detail, from the design of our tank tops and sports bras to the fabric choices and stitching details, is crafted with the Indian physique and weather conditions in mind. This ensures both comfort and style that perfectly suit the local climate and body shapes. RiACTIVE is proudly designed for India, by India!
What has been the most significant challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur in the activewear industry, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge has been ensuring that we deliver premium quality clothing with fresh designs while offering value for money. After a year of market research and countless trials, we have managed to create standout designs and colours, paired with high-quality fabrics. It is an ongoing journey, but with time, we aim to keep evolving as a versatile wear collection offering unique designs and premium fabrics tailored for Indian body types.
Can you share any insights into the kind of customer feedback you have received, and how it has influenced your product development or strategy?
At RiACTIVE, customer feedback is at the heart of everything we do. Before finalising our logo and brand name, we conducted surveys to understand what resonated with our audience. Their insights, combined with our vision, shaped our branding decisions. This customer-first approach extended to selecting the colours for our tank tops, sports bras, and bottoms. Every decision was made with our customers’ preferences in mind, ensuring that RiACTIVE truly reflects the needs and desires of those who wear it.
What role do partnerships and collaborations play in RiACTIVE’s growth strategy, and are there any exciting partnerships you are currently working on?
Partnerships and collaborations are crucial to RiACTIVE’s growth strategy as they help us expand our reach, build credibility, and stay ahead of trends. We are currently collaborating with content creators nationwide who represent different body types, allowing us to deliver authentic content that resonates with our audience. In the future, we plan to expand our geographical reach by partnering with retailers and other fashion brands. These collaborations will allow us to tap into new domestic and international markets, helping us grow even further.
How has the rise of athleisure impacted your brand’s growth, and how do you see the trend evolving in the coming years?
The rise of athleisure has greatly contributed to our brand’s growth. With the increasing focus on health and wellness, the line between leisure, work, and fitness has blurred, making comfort, versatility, and style a priority in consumers’ wardrobes. Athleisure has transformed from a niche trend into a lifestyle choice embraced by all age groups, which has also opened up opportunities for many homegrown brands in India.
Looking ahead, I see the trend evolving with a mix of innovation, sustainability, and changing lifestyle needs.
Tech-infused athleisure: Smart fabrics with features like body temperature regulation, moisture-wicking, UV protection, and antimicrobial properties are becoming more common.
Eco-friendly fabrics: As consumers grow more conscious, sustainable materials like recycled polyester, nylon, bamboo, and organic cotton are gaining popularity in athleisure wear.
Inclusive sizing and transitional designs: The ‘work-leisure’ trend is on the rise, with styles that can easily transition from workouts to casual settings or even the office. Brands are also expanding their size ranges to ensure athleisure is accessible to a diverse audience.
What strategies are you implementing to grow RiACTIVE both domestically and internationally?
Currently, our focus is solely on the domestic market, with international expansion being a part of our long-term plan. Domestically, where our target audience is primarily Gen-Z and millennials, we are leveraging social media to create relevant and authentic content. We are also collaborating with like-minded creators to generate user-driven content and engaging in pop-up events to increase brand visibility and awareness.
What is your long-term vision for RiACTIVE, and what milestones are you most excited to achieve in the near future?
While there are many milestones ahead, a few that excite me the most are: 1. expanding into men’s and children’s categories; 2. evolving RiACTIVE into a full-fledged lifestyle brand, beyond just athleisure wear; and 3. establishing a physical retail presence to complement our online growth.
These milestones represent the next steps in our journey, and I am excited about the potential they hold for the future of RiACTIVE.
