Buttercups

Buttercups, an Indian lingerie brand, was established to address the significant gap in the Indian market for correctly-sized, comfortable intimate wear. The company was founded by Arpita Ganesh, a serial entrepreneur with a background in advertising who previously ran her own agency, Quicksilver Advertising, for a decade. Her venture into the lingerie space was inspired by a personal bra-fitting experience in New York, which highlighted the limited size availability in India. This realization prompted her to launch Buttercups, initially in 2008 as a boutique in Hyderabad retailing international lingerie brands and offering fitting services. After facing scalability issues, Ganesh relaunched Buttercups in 2014 as an online-first, direct-to-consumer brand with its own product line.

The company's business model focused on a multi-channel approach, combining e-commerce with physical 'fitting rooms' for personalized consultations. This strategy was designed to educate consumers and solve the core problem of poor fit. Buttercups pioneered this concept in India, distinguishing itself in a market valued at approximately $3 billion. Its product line, which expanded to include sports, maternity, and nursing bras, catered primarily to women aged 28-45. Revenue was generated through the online and offline sale of its lingerie and accessories. A key feature was the development of a bra-sizing app in 2013 to help women find their perfect fit remotely. The business secured approximately $1 million in funding across several rounds from investors including Kanwaljit Singh, Rajan Anandan, and Anand Chandrasekaran. In November 2019, Buttercups was acquired by CEK TExstyles, transitioning the brand to be sold exclusively on Amazon.

Keywords: lingerie, intimate apparel, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, bra fitting, women's fashion, Arpita Ganesh, Indian startup, retail, multi-channel retail, online lingerie store, size inclusivity, apparel technology, venture capital, women's wellness, clothing brand, consumer goods, fashion startup, Snapdeal, Rajan Anandan