By ZHU Yongling
Chinese lingerie and loungewear brand NEIWAI (literally translated as "inside and outside") opened its first overseas store in Raffles City, Singapore. NEIWAI operates more than 140 stores across 40 cities in China. Approximately half of them have opened since the onset of the pandemic.
Initially focused on wire-free bras, the brand has expanded to loungewear, casual suits and sportswear.
Established in 2012, NEIWAI secured its first funding three years after its inception and attracted Series D funding of US$100 million (720 million yuan) in July 2021.
This funding coincided with a booming lingerie market in China, as demand for bras shifted from sexy to comfortable.
According to founder LIU Xiaolu, lingerie sales contribute to only 30 percent of brick-and-mortar revenue, with loungewear and sportswear bringing in the rest. While customers can buy a bra for as little as 115 yuan from the online store, they can only indulge in high-quality wool coats priced at 3,999 yuan at physical stores.
In addition to clothing, NEIWAI has produced several feminist videos to combat body shaming and appearance anxiety, encouraging women to embrace diverse definitions of beauty. Its "NO BODY IS NOBODY" videos have millions of views on social media platforms.
