Ex-Deloitte techie is now owner of a Rs 200 crore fashion brand; Who is Nidhi Yadav?

Nidhi Yadav, a former software engineer and an ex-employee at Deloitte, has transformed herself from a techie to the founder of a thriving brand, Aks Clothing which has carved a significant niche in India’s ethnic fashion market. Based in Gurugram, the fashion brand was first launched in 2014 with a modest investment of Rs 3.5 lakh and a clear vision to provide affordable, stylish ethnic wear for Indian women. Today, the brand boasts an impressive Rs 200 crore revenue, with plans to reach Rs 500 crore by the end of FY 2023-24.

Nidhi Yadav was born in Indore to lawyer parents, Karan Singh Yadav and Rajbala Yadav. Her early life instilled in her a strong drive for excellence. Her entrepreneurial journey reflects her faith in herself and her ability to pivot from a secure and lucrative corporate career opportunity to creating a successful fashion brand that continues to evolve in the e-commerce market.

Nidhi Yadav’s journey
Nidhi Yadav had secured a job in Italy, but she desired to be closer to her family and hence, she chose to return to India and pursue her passion for fashion. Armed with industry knowledge from her time at Polimoda Fashion School in Florence, she founded Aks Clothing with the idea of blending traditional designs with modern, budget-friendly appeal. She drew inspiration from Zara's fast-fashion model and introduced a similar approach of coming up with new collections every two weeks to keep up with ever-changing fashion trends.

The early days of Aks Clothing
The techie-turned-entrepreneur ran the business out of a 2BHK apartment in Gurugram and took on every role herself, be it packaging or managing inventory. Her husband, Satpal Yadav, an MBA degree holder from IIM Kozhikode and an operations manager at Jabong, offered operational guidance to her. The couple would frequently travel to Jaipur with their young daughter to source materials for the brand, and by 2015, they had expanded their operations, renting a basement to keep up with growing demand.

Aks Clothing scaled to new heights
Aks Clothing quickly gained popularity on major e-commerce platforms like Myntra, Jabong, and Limeroad. With growing orders, Nidhi Yadav expanded her operations by partnering with three production units in Jaipur, leveraging flexible credit terms to fuel further growth. By then, Yadav had converted her proprietorship firm into Yuvdhi Apparels Pvt. Ltd., signalling her commitment to taking Aks to new heights.

Thanks to Yadav's innovative approach, Aks Clothing has become a trusted name in the Indian ethnic wear market. The brand’s inclusion in Myntra’s accelerator program further boosted its visibility, and despite her success, Yadav remains focused on expanding the brand's reach and maintaining its affordability.