Adgully has been turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series – START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement and have been featuring numerous local/ homegrown businesses, brands, and Apps in the country launched in the last few years.
In conversation with Adgully, Vinod Naik, Co-founder of Newme, dives into the brand’s bold new leap into the officewear category. Known for its trend-forward, comfort-first styles tailored to young Indian women, Newmee is now reimagining workwear for the expressive, style-conscious professional. With youth icon Anushka Sen onboard as Creative CEO and co-creator of the collection, the brand is betting big on breaking the monotony of traditional workwear with vibrant silhouettes, sharp fits, and a whole lot of personality. Vinod shares the story behind this launch, the strategy powering it, and how Newme is shaping the next chapter of fashion for the modern Indian woman.
What inspired Newme to foray into office wear, and how does this new collection align with your brand’s larger vision of style-meets-comfort?
When we started Newme as a brand, our vision was very clear—we wanted to launch trendy, aspirational clothing for the Gen Z woman. That has always been our core mission. The reason we ventured into workwear is that we saw a significant gap in the market. The current workwear options are boring, outdated, and uninspiring. Traditionally, this category has been dominated by men’s brands, and women’s workwear often feels like an afterthought.
But today’s Gen Z woman wants her office wardrobe to reflect her personality—smart, bold, expressive, and creative. That’s what inspired us to create an entire workwear collection that’s elevated, stylish, and aspirational. We also saw this as an opportunity to build a new customer segment for Newme. While we’ve always been Gen Z-centric, this collection appeals to a broader base of young professionals looking to dress sharp for work. This entire range has been co-created by Anushka Sen, who was involved in everything—from fabric selection to silhouettes. She’s expressive, young, and fashion-forward—making her the perfect collaborator.
What unique perspective does Anushka Sen bring to the table as Creative CEO, especially in shaping the tone and aesthetic of this new collection?
We wanted someone who truly understands our Gen Z customer, and Anushka Sen is the perfect fit. She’s an icon for this generation and deeply connected to their sensibilities. When we discussed the idea with her, she immediately resonated with the gap in the market. She was excited to get involved—and not just as a face of the brand, but as a co-creator.
Anushka brought in her fashion sense, perspective, and ideas. That added immense value to the process and helped shape a collection that stands out. When you see the final designs—from fabrics to cuts—you’ll notice how different they are from traditional office wear. It’s fresh, bold, and expressive. That’s the edge Anushka brought as Creative CEO.
How are you designing this office wear line to cater to the evolving tastes of Gen Z and young working professionals who want to blend professionalism with trendiness?
We’ve launched around 500 designs in this collection, spanning trousers, corset tops, blazers, skirts, and even denim. We didn’t want to restrict ourselves to the conventional shirt-and-trouser formula. Instead, we explored a variety of silhouettes to make the collection truly versatile and modern.
Our aim was to create a strong, differentiated offering. This is just Phase 1—another phase will go live in two months, with continuous drops following. Over the past three years, we’ve built a strong data ecosystem, and customer feedback plays a critical role in our design decisions. Many of our customers specifically asked for office wear, so this collection is a result of those insights combined with market observation. It’s very much a customer-driven initiative.
Could you walk us through the marketing strategy behind this launch — from campaign rollouts to influencer collaborations and platform choices?
Anushka being the face of the collection gave us a huge boost in reach. We’re running a full-fledged 360° campaign across social media, especially Instagram. We’re working closely with creators to produce viral reels and gain real-time feedback.
In addition to digital, we’re activating campus ambassador programs across colleges to reach younger audiences in their own spaces. It’s a multi-platform, engagement-led strategy that blends influencer power with community outreach.
With Anushka Sen as a youth icon, how critical is the role of celebrity-driven storytelling in building Newme’s brand identity?
It’s incredibly important. We thought deeply about how to approach this collection in a way that would truly resonate with our audience. Anushka, with her strong digital presence and genuine connection with Gen Z, was a natural choice.
What’s more important is that she’s not just a face for us—she’s been involved in the entire process, right from ideation to execution. That kind of involvement adds authenticity, which today’s audience values. She’s brought in her personal style, taste, and perspective, making this collection more relatable and aspirational.
How is Newme incorporating sustainable practices or functional design in this collection to meet modern consumer expectations?
Sustainability is a core value for us. We operate on a zero-inventory model, which means we don’t mass-produce collections. We first launch designs, observe traction, and then produce based on actual demand. This minimizes waste and ensures that we don’t overproduce, unlike traditional brands.
As a result, our sell-through rate is very high—around 95–96%, compared to the industry average of 50–60%. We also work with ethical factories and are setting up our own manufacturing units in India. We use quality materials and keep our production lean. This model not only ensures sustainability but also aligns with our goal of being a conscious fashion brand.
Post this launch, what can we expect in terms of product expansion or retail presence—especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where demand for stylish office wear is also growing?
We see massive potential in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. These markets are currently underserved, especially when it comes to fashionable workwear. We’re rapidly expanding our offline presence—we already have stores in Surat, Indore, and Chandigarh, and we plan to go deeper.
We understand that the fashion sensibilities of Tier 2 audiences are different from metro cities. So, we’re curating assortments accordingly—more casual yet stylish pieces that still feel fresh and trendy.
On the product front, we’re going deep into wardrobe categories. We’ve launched nail accessories, intimate wear, and jewelry—areas with strong demand but limited offline availability. We’re also introducing a loungewear and athleisure line, and soon, we’ll launch a perfume range.
The idea is to be a one-stop wardrobe destination for Gen Z. We’re not just selling clothes—we’re curating a lifestyle.
Like your collaboration with the ‘Splitsvilla’ TV show, are there any upcoming collaborations we should look out for?
Nothing is finalized at the moment. The ‘Splitsvilla’ collaboration was great for us—it was aligned with our brand vibe and gave us excellent visibility. We’re open to more partnerships, but we’re very selective. If something comes up that resonates with our brand values and connects meaningfully with our audience, we’ll definitely explore it—be it web series, OTT content, or even films.
Will Newme expand into menswear in the near future?
Not for the next two years. While we do have male customers buying unisex items like bags and T-shirts, our current focus is entirely on building the women’s category. There’s still so much to explore—from officewear to loungewear to accessories.
Our priority is to go deep rather than wide—fully understand our core audience and serve them better. That said, we’re always listening. If down the line we feel a strong case for menswear, we’ll definitely consider it.
