Written By: Harsh Vardhan Singh

India’s innerwear market has quietly transformed over the last decade. What was once a low-visibility, necessity-driven category has evolved into a branded, design-led, and highly profitable retail segment. In this shift, one name has consistently retained its position as a trusted leader: Lovable. As consumer preferences mature and organised retail penetration increases, the innerwear retail franchise category is drawing serious attention from investors. Unlike trend-driven food or lifestyle formats, innerwear operates on fundamentals that rarely fail: repeat purchases, low seasonality, and strong brand loyalty.

This is precisely why, in 2026, the Lovable franchise is being evaluated as one of the most stable and scalable retail opportunities in India.

This guide explores the brand’s strength, market dynamics, investment logic, operational structure, and why Lovablecontinues to attract long-term retail investors.

Why Innerwear Retail Has Become a Serious Business Category

Innerwear is no longer sold as a commodity. Over the years, consumer behaviour has shifted dramatically.

Modern buyers now look for

• comfort-driven design
• size accuracy
• fabric quality
• brand trust
• discreet, professional retail environments

As a result, organised innerwear brands are steadily replacing unbranded local stores.

Key reasons the innerwear retail franchise segment is booming

• Rising disposable income among urban and semi-urban consumers
• Growing awareness around fit, hygiene, and comfort
• Higher frequency of repeat purchases compared to apparel
• Strong participation from women consumers
• Expansion of organised retail in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities

Innerwear retail combines necessity with aspiration, making it one of the most resilient retail categories.

Lovable’s Position in the Indian Innerwear Market

Lovable is not a new entrant. It has spent decades building credibility in women’s innerwear, shapewear, and intimate apparel. The brand has earned trust through consistency rather than aggressive marketing.

What sets Lovable apart

• Long-standing brand recognition across age groups
• Focus on comfort-led design instead of fast fashion trends
• Strong presence in bras, panties, shapewear, sleepwear, and active innerwear
• Backed by professional manufacturing and supply chains
• Pan-India recall through both exclusive stores and multi-brand outlets

In a category where customers rarely experiment with unknown brands, this trust becomes a powerful retail advantage.

Why Lovable Works Well as an Innerwear Retail Franchise

Not every strong brand translates into a successful franchise. Lovable does, because its business model aligns with retail fundamentals.

Key strengths for franchise partners

• Product category with year-round demand
• High repeat purchase rate
• Low product obsolescence
• Minimal discount dependency
• Predictable inventory cycles
• Strong female customer loyalty

Unlike fashion apparel, innerwear does not rely on seasonal launches. This stabilises cash flow and simplifies inventory management for franchise owners.

Understanding the Lovable Innerwear Retail Franchise Model

Lovable typically operates through an exclusive brand outlet format. This allows better merchandising control, customer experience, and margin clarity.

A standard Lovable innerwear retail franchise includes

•  Branded store design and layout
• Curated product assortment based on city demographics
•  Centralised supply chain support
• Visual merchandising guidelines
• Sales and product training
• Ongoing category updates
• Franchise partners handle day-to-day operations while the brand ensures consistency across product quality and presentation.

Investment Requirements in 2026

The investment required for a Lovable franchise depends on city type, store size, and rental costs. However, it remains accessible compared to many fashion retail franchises.

Typical investment components include

• Franchise fee
• Store interiors and fixtures
• Initial inventory
• POS and billing systems
• Staff recruitment and training
• Working capital buffer

Average investment range

₹25 lakh to ₹40 lakh

This positions Lovable in the mid-investment retail segment, suitable for first-time franchise investors and experienced retailers alike.

Store Size and Location Strategy

Location plays a critical role in innerwear retail success.

Lovable stores perform best in

• high-street markets
• neighbourhood shopping zones
• women-focused retail clusters
•  malls with steady daily footfall
• areas with residential density

Ideal store size generally ranges between

300 to 600 square feet

Because innerwear is a planned purchase, footfall quality matters more than impulse traffic

Margins, Revenue and Break-even Expectations

The financial structure of an innerwear retail franchise is relatively stable compared to apparel formats.

General performance indicators

• Gross margins are healthy due to direct brand sourcing
•  Inventory turnover remains consistent
•  Discounting pressure is lower than fashion apparel
• Staff and operational costs are manageable

Well-run Lovable stores typically achieve

• Monthly revenue stability within the first year
• Break-even within 18 to 24 months
• Consistent profitability driven by repeat customers

Performance improves significantly once customer loyalty builds

Why Women-Centric Retail Is a Strong Bet for 2026

Women’s consumption behaviour is evolving rapidly in India.

Key trends benefiting Lovable

• Increasing workforce participation among women
• Higher comfort discussing fit and quality in organised stores
• Preference for private, branded shopping environments
• Growth in shapewear and functional innerwear categories
• Influence of health and lifestyle awareness

Lovable’s positioning aligns well with these shifts, especially in emerging urban centres.

Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities: The Real Growth Markets

While metros remain strong, the fastest growth for innerwear retail is happening beyond them.

High-potential markets include

• Jaipur
• Indore
• Coimbatore
• Surat
•  Lucknow
•  Nagpur
• Bhubaneswar
• Kochi

These cities show

• rising middle-income households
• increasing brand awareness
• limited organised innerwear stores
• strong demand for women-focused retail

For franchise partners, these markets offer lower rentals and higher long-term margins.

Operational Simplicity Compared to Other Retail Segments

Innerwear retail is operationally easier than most apparel formats.

Reasons include

• Limited size variations compared to outerwear
• No fast-moving fashion cycles
• Smaller SKU complexity
• Lower staff training intensity
• Reduced visual merchandising churn

This simplicity allows franchise owners to focus on customer service and inventory discipline.

Potential Challenges to Be Aware Of

While the category is strong, realistic assessment is important.

Challenges may include

•  educating customers on sizing and fit
•  maintaining privacy-focused service standards
•  managing inventory across multiple sizes
•  competition from online marketplaces

However, many customers still prefer physical stores for innerwear due to fitting confidence and immediate availability.

Why 2026 Is a Strategic Year to Enter This Segment

Several factors make 2026 especially favourable

•  Organised retail penetration continues to rise
•  Women-led consumption is expanding
•  Customers are moving away from unbranded stores
•  Innerwear remains recession-resistant
•  Health, comfort, and quality are top priorities

These conditions strengthen the case for a reliable innerwear retail franchise like Lovable

Final Perspective

The Lovable lingerie franchise represents a rare balance in Indian retail. It combines everyday necessity with brand-led aspiration, offering investors stability rather than speculation.

For those seeking

•  predictable demand
• strong brand backing
•  manageable investment levels
•  repeat-driven revenue
•  long-term relevance

Lovable stands out as one of the most dependable innerwear retail opportunities in India for 2026.

As Indian consumers continue to prioritise comfort, quality, and trust, brands that have quietly built credibility over decades will lead the next phase of organised retail. Lovable is firmly positioned among them.

Disclaimer: The brands mentioned in this blog are the recommendations provided by the author. FranchiseBAZAR does not claim to work with these brands / represent them / or are associated with them in any manner. Investors and prospective franchisees are to do their own due diligence before investing in any franchise business at their own risk and discretion. FranchiseBAZAR or its Directors disclaim any liability or risks arising out of any transactions that may take place due to the information provided in this blog.