Sugandha Raina felt that finding decent fabric with appealing designs was challenging; designer labels were the only way to obtain both, but they were far too expensive for buyers to regularly purchase. This motivated her to launch Ek Dhaaga with Poonam Dubey, an attempt to close the gap between the masses and designer brands to increase the accessibility of high-quality clothing for consumers. In an email interview with Images Business of Fashion’s Karan Nangia, Raina discusses the fashion brand’s journey, aspirations and many more.
Kindly share with us how the idea of Ek Dhaaga was born and your journey so far.
Well, it was on my mind for a while to create a brand similar to Ek Dhaaga. It all began when I was unable to find clothing in the market made of high-quality fabric. Finding decent fabric with appealing designs was challenging. Designer labels were the only way to obtain both, but they were far too expensive for buyers to regularly purchase. This is the reason Ek Dhaaga was created where we are attempting to close the gap between the masses and designer brands to increase the accessibility of high-quality clothing for consumers. As we launched five months ago, I would say the journey is just getting started. We would also like to thank the customers whose purchases inspired us because they praised our quality and collection.
Share with the branding/ marketing strategy you have adopted to enhance the brand’s visibility in the market.
A brand doesn’t become well-known overnight, it develops over time. We believe that building our brand through organic means is important. As we live in a digital age, we have decided to use social media as our main platform for visibility. We are also available at many designer stores across the nation. Ek Dhaaga is being made visible on both platforms.
In what regions are you witnessing strong growth? And why?
For now, our audiences in the north, west, and east are pleased with the designs and level of service we are offering, so we are doing well there. We are gradually expanding our reach and attempting to connect with more potential clients.
Discuss some of the challenges you face often in the competition. Also, discuss the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur.
Every firm confronts numerous challenges such as managing labor, selecting the best employees, remaining competitive, attracting the right customers, handling finances, etc. These difficulties are a part of doing business. Women entrepreneurs occasionally struggle to overcome society’s mentality. Yet time has changed and it is clear that all genders are treated equally. I’m fortunate to have a supportive husband and a family who consistently value my work.
Touch and feel is an important factor. What retail innovations have you incorporated to make shopping at Ek Dhaaga more engaging?
I do, in fact, believe that touch and feel are important, which is why we chose offline selling platforms in addition to online ones. In order to improve the overall customer journey, we have introduced practical clothes at a decent price combined with pre- and post-purchase support.
When can we expect the brand to introduce menswear?
We have plans for menswear as well but not right now, perhaps in a few years.
What’s your take on the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry?
Sustainable brands are the wave of the future in fashion. It is the duty of a brand to inform consumers about sustainability and its impact on the social and environmental surroundings. We proudly say that Ek Dhaaga uses organic fabric because we want to protect the environment and our customers both.
How do you see your brand in the next 5 years?
The space that we have chosen has a huge opportunity. Since we bring a unique proposition we are targeting to get Ek Dhaaga in all the closets of medium to high-income range people.
