If it's an essential piece of clothing it has got to be comfortable. There's no two ways to this town! And when it's second skin -- innerwear/lingerie/undergarments (call it what you want) land, we'd like to double down on the comfort, thank you! Following closely is inclusivity. We love us a brand that celebrates all shapes, forms and genders! Not forgetting, some of us hate having to break the bank to get our hands on something stylish (rewind back to looking at price tags and going "?!?"). We've found solutions to all of this in up and coming Indian labels (although just a handful) catering to these inner needs through different and interesting approaches. Here's our round up of the best Indian innerwear and lingerie brands.
Inclusive, Budget, Stylish, Comfortable: Indian Innerwear Brands That Do It All!
Tailor And Circus
Proudly India's first body-positive and unisex underwear brand, Chennai-based Tailor And Circus comes like a breathe of fresh reality in a market that glorifies toned bodies and blemish-free skin. These guys have real people for models -- cellulite, stretch marks and all sporting their comfy, cool designs. We fully stan! Comfort and sustainably sourced materials is prime to their collection which is why all their pieces are made of anti-microbial modal micro (a beechwood cellulose fibre sustainably cultivated). Here you will find casual soft undies (men & women), snug bikinis, high-waist briefs, boyshorts, lounge bras and more, all in neutral colours and fun prints.
Inner Sense
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Organic, sustainable, soft and supportive all the way is how we'd describe Inner Sense in a sentence. What makes this Gujarat label unique is that they design 'health focused' lingerie aka bras (padded, non-padded, full coverage, backless, strapless) and panties (hipster, bikini, boyshorts, comfy thongs) in a blend of organic cotton and bamboo. This makes their range anti-microbial, odour-free, anti-fungal and suitable for tropical climates. Inner Sense is also one of the only brands that caters to nursing mothers with comfortable nursing bras again made using the same organic and sustainable fabrics. If you imagine their designs to be drab because of this, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Cazaro
Ladies, well-fitted lingerie does not have to be a distant dream because we've discovered Cazaro, a Mumbai-based lingerie brand that tailor-finds for the Indian body-type. Run by a team of expert bra fitters, you can schedule a consultation online to discuss any issue relating innerwear and shape. They will then identify the best fit and cup size for you (going up to K! So plus size is well covered) giving you a host of style and brand options to pick from.
The Underworld Co
Fully understanding that the first piece of clothing every woman wears must aspire beyond the same old polka dots and flowers (tbh, very stereotyped), The Underworld Co makes what they call "statement panties for ladies". This Guragaon label's undies are graphic, snazzy and downright fashion! On their collection you will spot boyshorts, hipster undies with lace and bikini thongs. Some of these have sassy puns like 'bum-ble bee', 'pun star' and 'doggy-style' and prints like crosswords, jungles and lit matchsticks. Nothing's a bum-mer here! Their underwear is also consciously designed for day and night use in eco-friendly modal, organic cotton and lycra.
Wear Equal
Made by and for women, Wear Equal makes sustainable innerwear that is real and unapologetic much like its audience. Using only organic upcycled cotton fabrics and zero waste production techniques, Wear Equal creates breathable classic briefs, hipsters, bikinis and boy shorts in quirky prints and neural solids. A wide and inclusive range of body types and sizes plus their body positive advertising makes this Kolkata-based label one of our favourites on the list. They also use plastic-free packaging!
Butttalks
Men, we know you feel underrepresented in this world of innerwear! It's either boring, an afterthought or just basic in the same two or three colour options. But, Butttalks from Chennai can change all this and more through their first-of-its-kind subscription based underwear service that will deliver to your doorstep once in every four months. All you (or your gf/wife can surprise you with) need to do is choose your favourite brands, preferences and other details and wait for your package to arrive every few months or once (based on your plan).
XYXX
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Refusing to live in the world of black or white when it comes to men's innerwear is Gujarat label XYXX. Their mantra is to let your undergarments reflect your mood much like your clothing does, men. And this they do by offering a variety of comfort and unconventional choices, most stylish and affordable (staying under INR 400). All designs are original (think kites, firecrackers, abstracts) and are available in trunks, boxers, briefs, knitted pyjamas and vests. XYXX uses only the softest premium modal cotton and bamboo to assure max comfort and confidence.
Xxllent
Finding the perfect fitting bra is already a witch hunt as it is and these woes only double when a size does not exist altogether. A shame really! Determined to bring a solution to this is Pune label, Xxllent that is essentially a plus size women's happy place for all things clothing. But it's their lingerie section with trendy bras (lace, push ups, underwire, bralettes) that will have one breathing the biggest sigh of relief. Body positivity radiates here as you will find sizes above 44D! They also have plus size nightwear.
Lavos Performance
From Tirupur, Tamil Nadu comes Lavos Performance, a brand that centers on functional comfort when it comes to inner garments. Their entire range uses a proprietary blend of bamboo from China and organic cotton from India to create a high performance, durable and most importantly comfortable fabric to create boxers, briefs and vests for men and sports bras, and bikinis for women. Lavos is also known for its Period Panties made with an extra-protective 5 layer bamboo and organic cotton and gentle Maternity Briefs.
Paris Beauty
The only thing foreign about this Noida-headquartered brand is its name and classy designs. It is also one of the oldest, referred to as the pioneer in the Indian women's innerwear market. Their collection of bras is vast -- featuring all designs (animal prints, solids, geometric, printed), styles (t-shirt, minimiser, nursing) and also by preference (coverage, wired, padded). They also have panties and shapewear for women.
DaMENSCH
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For men looking to get comfortable, functional, and even sustainable options for their clothing and innerwear, check out DaMENSCH. The Bangalore based men's innerwear brand prioritises comfort and the literal feel in their range that includes trunks, briefs, Boxers (brief, shorts, and inner boxers), and vests (cotton, and bamboo). Largely made of supima and a micro-modal fabric mix, they've innovated their designs to be odour free, wick away sweat, and sit comfortably (perfectly snug in all the right places we're told). Briefs and boxers are available in a range of prints including hearts, leaves, bright stripes (there's even a pro-LGBTQ+ option with a rainbow waistband) if you love expressing yourself, as well as plainer options.
If you're looking for plenty more options, when it comes to innerwear and loungewear, head over to Nykaa Fashion.