Maternity wear gets increasingly popular with Indian women, however market lacks style and affordable options: Mylo survey

Gurugram (Haryana) [India], September 29 (ANI/PRNewswire):
, a leading full-stack solution for expecting and new mothers, today announced the results of a survey done with expecting and new moms around their preferences in maternity wear.
Mylo surveyed 5400 mothers pan India in their community to understand whether the category was actually popular with Indian women and the maturity level of the category in the apparel business.
The key findings: 76 per cent of Indian women believe that one should invest in maternity wear. 56 per cent wear oversized clothing rather than adopting specially-suited maternity clothes. Maternity dress (33 per cent) found to be more popular than the salwar kameez (26 per cent) with pregnant women. Most popular purchase platform for maternity wear were general e-commerce sites (54 per cent) followed by maternity-specific D2C portals (21 per cent)
While pregnancy is a happy time for women, it can also be an overwhelming and confusing time for many. During this stage of life, one's body goes through a number of changes as it gets ready to support the growth and development of a baby.
As a consequence, this period requires quite a few lifestyle modifications such as changing eating habits, as well as revamping the wardrobe to include clothing that can accommodate the growing body. Maternity wear then becomes a must-have to accomodate the pregnancy bump and to ensure absolute comfort. 76 per cent of Indian mothers surveyed believe that one should invest in maternity wear. Despite the overwhelming recognition of its practicality, more than half of the women (56 per cent) surveyed revealed that they usually size up and wear baggy outfits during pregnancy, rather than wearing clothing that is specially suited for maternity use.
Although the salwar kameez, with its give and forgiving silhouette, has been the go-to option for pregnant women in the country for generations, its ubiquity may be declining. The Mylo survey found that after oversized options, the second most popular pregnancy clothing item was maternity dresses, worn by one-third of women (33 per cent), followed by the salwar kameez(26 per cent).
Maternity tops were donned by 13 per cent of women, while maternity bottoms (leggings and trousers) were used by less than 10 per cent of the respondents. When it came to post-pregnancy clothing, 32 per cent of women reported wearing nursing bras and 30 per cent said that they had used support belts.
Almost every woman who was surveyed reported prioritising comfort when selecting maternity clothing, with a preference for breathable yet structured options that can provide adequate support. However, a yearning for comfort does not equate to a complete disregard for style, with the majority (60 per cent) of respondents describing that their least favourite quality about maternity wear was that it was too casual and not very flattering.
A third of the respondents felt that the market was too limited in general and didn't have enough choices, while almost 40 per cent of the women reported there were not many affordable options for them.
Most women browsed and shopped for maternity wear online, the most popular option being on general e-commerce clothing sites (54 per cent), followed by maternity-specific direct-to-consumer (D2C) portals (21 per cent). Word-of-mouth was the strongest guiding factor for making a purchase, with the majority of respondents (60 per cent) relying on friends and family for advice, followed by 20 per cent depending on recommendations from online influencers.
According to Mylo's survey, celebrities did not come across as influencers for maternity wear with only 2 per cent of Indian women taking their cue from celebrities.
Commenting on the survey findings, Shaveta Gupta, Head, Content & Community, Mylo, said, "Pregnancy is a time when many women experience physical discomfort such as back pain, body ache and sore breasts. Maternity wear is essential to help reduce discomfort and as well as make mothers look and feel good. Women across the country are still looking for the right maternity wear option that not only provides optimal comfort, but does not compromise on style and is available in every budget. Now with the growth of new-age D2C players entering the maternity wear market, the segment is gaining favour with Indian women."
Mylo is an ITC-backed leading full-stack D2C platform for expecting and new mothers. It acts as a close companion to mothers as they embark upon this journey of raising a family. The platform provides a personalised experience, a helpful community of mothers & experts, and curated products - everything a mother needs for her parenting journey.
Last year, Mylo launched its own D2C Brands for Mothers & Babies in personal care, premium Ayurveda and daily essentials based on community feedback and leveraging its R&D capabilities.
Recently, Mylo has launched Mylo Clinic, where a new or expecting mom gets access to curated health packages and can book consultations with doctors and experts. Mylo has recently raised $17 mn in Series B funding. At Mylo, the company's vision is to - "Raise Happiness" of all mothers as "Happy moms raise happy families".
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