Brief Profile of Mr. Ajay Shivan
Ajay Shivan is the founder of Nachke, India’s first dance wear clothing brand. He started off his career in the entertainment industry in 2010 as a Dance choreographer. He is now a filmmaker and has also won the Best Director Award for his short film “Special Day” starring Shantanu Maheshwari and veteran actor Sheeba Chadda.
The idea of Nachke came through his personal experience, his love for fashion and dance was the inspiration behind it. His research proved that there was no category of Dance wear in the Indian Market and people are looking for fashionable and trendy clothing which is also comfortable under one stop.
‘Nachke’ was founded in 2020 and it became India’s first dance wear clothing brand. Ajay wanted to create a platform where anyone can find trendy outfits like tracksuits, joggers, yoga wear, t-shirts, cargos, caps, shoes and so on. It caters to all men and women. Nachke believes that everyone loves to dance and they are here to create apparel which will not only be comfortable but also stylish which is based and inspired from dance.
Ajay has partnered with Girish Dhoot who is the founder and owner of the retail shop, ‘Downtown’ for the past 10 years. Together, they have worked on a lot of projects in the entertainment industry and now they have come together to take this project on another level. Nachke’s website will have an exclusive section for Downtown collections. They are soon going to introduce “Nachke Studio” which will be an online and offline training of Dance, Zumba, and Yoga. The workout will be conducted by popular Indian & International Choreographers and trainers.
Passionate in Marketing caught up with Mr. Ajay Shivan to discuss about Nachke, India’s first dance wear clothing brand
1. Introduction
Nachke is India’s First Dance wear brand along with being a clothing brand which specialises in men, women, teenagers and kids alike. One can get comfortable and stylish regular wear, active and gym wear, casual wear and home wear as well. We keep adding new styles to our collections in order to cater to one and all. From trendy jumpsuits and crop tops to shoes and caps, one can find it all at the same landing page.
2. Can you tell the readers a little more about yourself?
I am Ajay Shivan – Founder & Director of Nachke, an Entrepreneur along with being a Director – Choreographer. I have been in this industry for more than 10 years so the in-depth knowledge of the same helps me in understanding what the customer wants and Nachke aims to cater to the same demand.
3. What was the reason behind starting India’s first dancewear clothing brand?
As an entrepreneur, I think of finding a solution to the problem. If certain products could be a much needed solution to the existing problem then it is eventually going to be a profitable venture. My passion towards entertainment was a part reason for launching a brand which is connected to the industry whilst catering to the mass. My research and understanding of the clothing segment made me realise that India doesn’t have any dance wear clothing brands. The idea was born out of this and then started the hustle to source the right kind of material and deliver the products exactly like I had envisioned it. The fabric is comfortable and stretchable while being stylish at the same time. It took a long time of 2 years to ideate and experiment, and eventually Nachke was born.
4. Was there any bump in the roads through the journey due to COVID, if yes then what?
The whole world has suffered loss due to COVID. Be it small or big companies, monetary loss is something all of us have suffered from. To start a new business in the pandemic period was a herculean task for me. Challenges like Funds, sourcing the right kind of fabrics, manufacturing, designing, managing & executing all these are big tasks in normal times but to manage all of this during the pandemic was an even bigger challenge. So the challenges are getting tougher as COVID isn’t eradicated completely, but I am fortunate that Nachke is getting all the love and appreciation it deserves & I am sure we will overcome all the challenges.
5. What changes you would like to see in the coming years in clothing industry in general?
This is a constantly evolving industry. We see styles trending one day and vanishing off the next day. The trends change here quicker than London’s weather so one needs to be up to date with the trend and be confident enough to launch new styles.
6. Thoughts on Influencer Marketing and trends on social media through a brands POV?
Currently Influencer marketing & social media marketing is the sure shot way to reach a wider audience. As a brand, we target a niche audience and select the influencers accordingly to improve the brand visibility. When the audience trusts the recommendations from their trusted influencers, the sales eventually increase and we could connect to more people.
7. In the world where people usually don’t see beyond trends and hype what is your strategy to be relevant to your customers?
Staying relevant to the customers demands constant evolution in the kind of products you are offering. Customers want unique and affordable products because at the end of the day, quality and pricing plays a huge role as there are multiple competitors. We keep our customers engaged with us on social media to stay alive in their minds.
8. What do you prefer online or offline store? Any plans for opening an offline store?
The idea is to keep it online as of now as e-commerce can be accessed by everyone from any place in the world. The offline store(s) are in the pipeline as I’m fortunate enough to have Girish Dhoot as my business partner. He is the owner of Down Town Shop and has the experience of working in retail clothing business for more than 10 years now. Soon we are planning to set our foot in the major cities of India and explore the overseas options as well.
9. Any upcoming plan for Nachke?
Nachke is now available on Amazon and the next step is to list ourselves on all the other e-commerce websites like Myntra, Ajio, and Flipkart. We are also currently working on opening the biggest workshop centre pan India where we plan to host dance championships, dance workshops and workouts. Along with this we are coming up with new designs which will be based on various dance forms like Ballet, Salsa, and Contemporary to name a few. With all these exciting projects lined up, we are going to have fun times ahead in terms of ideating and bringing all these trendy products to you at the earliest.
