Founder Story: Desoire By Neha Sikder

We have brought an interesting startup to your attention today: Desoire. Founded by the young visionary Neha Sikder at just 17 years old, Desoire is redefining fashion with a bold, zero-waste, gender-neutral approach.

They challenge the conventional views of femininity and masculinity in fashion, promoting empowerment across all genders through designs that break free from traditional norms.

Neha was inspired to start Desoire at 15, after realizing the potential and pitfalls of genderless fashion. Through diligent market research, she identified that many gender-neutral designs were merely reinforcing masculine ideals rather than truly embracing inclusivity.

Desoire commits to an ethical lifestyle, ensuring that every piece is sustainably made, contributing to a healthier planet while empowering its wearers.

Join us as we explore how Desoire is not just designing clothes but crafting a movement towards a more inclusive and sustainable future in fashion.

I'm Neha Sikder, and I started Desoire when I was 15, while listening to a podcast, I discovered the world of genderless fashion. I slowly fell in love with this concept but realized its many pitfalls. I conducted market research and realized how genderless fashion was being undermined of what it was by promoting the same masculine ideals.

I started Desoire with a dream of reinventing these gender norms and encouraging everyone, regardless of gender to embrace the coexistence of feminine and masculine styles.

Desoire, founded by the visionary Neha Sikder at only 15, is revolutionizing the fashion industry with its unique approach to genderless fashion. This innovative brand focuses on promoting femininity in a market dominated by masculine ideals, offering designs like crop tops and elegant cuts that challenge traditional gender norms.

By creating a zero-waste, sustainable line that caters to all genders, Desoire not only addresses the lack of feminine aspects in genderless fashion but also pioneers a new category that appeals to mainstream consumers.

From its inception, Desoire gained traction through strategic social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and thought-provoking content that sparked discussions around gender norms in fashion. Despite the challenges of standing out in a saturated market, Neha’s relentless outreach through pitches, calls, and emails gradually built the brand’s presence.

Currently self-funded with the support of her family, Neha continues to drive her brand forward with upcoming guest speaking roles, new product launches, and collaborations. With her leadership, Desoire is set to lead the charge in making truly genderless fashion a norm, envisioning a future where fashion transcends traditional gender boundaries and empowers all individuals.

There are few to NO clothing brands that promote the feminine aspect of genderless fashion. Think crop tops, tight fitting, elegant cuts, as opposed to the conventional baggy, shapeless sweatshirts/graphic tees.

We discovered that this market has major potential, as we're dominating a new category in the fashion industry, and making "genderless" fashion more accessible to mainstream consumers, by TRULY going out of the ordinary.

The initial momentum came specifically from our Instagram page, which garnered our first few hundred impressions. We launched some paid ads, partnered with a micro-influencer, and focused on community building.

What really boosted Desoire's social credibility were the blog posts and features on magazines/web pages. Our major strategies that made this success possible were being controversial, which helps others truly associate with our brand, and being consistent with how we show up as a brand for our audience; making sure they feel heard.

The biggest hurdle when establishing our image was trying to stand out in such an oversaturated industry (fashion as a whole). Growing a following, and gathering connections to break into the industry were major aspects that needed to be considered if we were serious about growth.

It was just constant steps forward connecting with people nationwide. I've sent around 1000 pitches, hundreds of cold calls, and emails to get Desoire's name out there. Eventually, someone would respond and would get me one step closer to Desoire's idealized social image.

I am lucky to have a financially stable family, and my parents loaned me around 15k to get things started. I worked a part-time job for a few months, earning me another ~2k, and have used this capital to get me started.

The biggest question was WHERE? I had issues with where I'd retrieve sufficient funds for me to produce enough inventory. I was able to tackle this by carefully using the initial loan given to me in a sustainable manner.

This week I'll be featured as a guest speaker for a podcast on successful business owners, I'll also be giving a TED Talk in the next couple of months on entrepreneurship and my business as a whole, and a few magazine collaboration opportunities.

As we speak, three new garments are being produced and expected to drop in our store in the next month or so. Lots of new developments that we're excited about.

We have a very optimistic approach for our industry. Our viisonary dream is that Desoire can be the one to lead the fight for truly genderless fashion.

As it is an immensely growing sector, with people hopping along the movement day by day, Desoire is truly aspirational for the future of the fashion industry, and we expect to see these barriers fall soon.

At the start of my journey, I would tell my younger self this exact phrase: "That mission you're hoping for, working for, and dreaming of, it's all possible. You have all the resources to make this happen, the only limiting factor is YOU. Make it happen"