The new-age luxury is all about comfort, and nothing’s more comfortable than shopping for your favourite brands in your PJs sans any judgmental side-eyes from a sales rep. A germ of an idea was born at lunch between two friends — Gayatri Reddy Bhatia and Shikha Kajaria — looking to change how luxury was served online to discerning consumers. The two entrepreneurs brainstormed further to create a curated market space called Sverve, an e-space for people to shop contemporary prêt at affordable prices.
Luxury for all
While the term affordable is subjective from person to person, in the first leg of the launch the brand has capped the budget at Rs 50,000 offering a curation of contemporary styles for work and daily wear. Co-founder Gayatri Reddy Bhatia, explains the “luxe for less” concept and mentions, “We witnessed a digital migration during the pandemic which sparked the idea and encouraged the importance of an online platform, allowing shoppers to shop from the comfort of their homes. Being accessible with quality products from renowned names does not dilute the essence of true luxury for us. One can now buy designer wear in a stipulated budget of Rs 50,000 and has access to styles for every age group from 16- 60 on the site.”
The founders believe it’s a special venture close to their hearts, where they were able to bond over common passion and apply it to a business to change the online shopping landscape. Sharing the back story of the brand, Co-founder Shikha Kajaria reveals, “One day, over lunch, Gayatri and I were chatting about how tough it is to find contemporary designer wear in India. What’s available is often expensive and also most clothes are made on order, which takes up to a month. While trying to look for a solution to this we came up with the idea to launch a marketplace that gives women the opportunity to find the best of local and international fashion at competitive prices with extremely quick delivery.”
Brand wagon
Currently, the founders have roped in Indian brands like 431-88 by Shweta Kapur, Amama, Anushree Reddy, De Castro Moda, Gur Organics by Pernia Qureshi, Jayanti Reddy, Kartikeya, Malie, Metallurgy, Not So Serious by Pallavi Mohan, Pinwheel, Shivan & Narresh, Vanilla Moon and Vikram Phadnis.
Elaborating more about the services and perks of shopping with Severe, Gayatri adds, “We have brands like PDKF, which will be added to our roster in the months to come, the brand supports traditional Rajasthani craft and its talented women. Our USP is express deliveries in 24 hours within Delhi NCR, 2-3 days in other cities in India, and 5-7 days maximum for international orders. The brand has also been inclusive by catering to various women’s body types, by adding an option to shop as per a body type; shoppers also have the option to consult a stylist to help clarify any queries.”
Speaking about the brand expansion in the coming business months, the brand plans to make a physical presence through the launch of a physical store in Goa by the end of the year. Spilling some latest updates, Shikha informs, “We are excited to announce that Jayanti Reddy and Anushree Reddy have launched a contemporary pret collection which is exclusive to Sverve, we are also looking at adding international labels as we grow. Our ambition is to build a discerning fashion community that has access to the best designers, beautiful craftsmanship, and most importantly, great fashion.”
