Making 10,000 Cotton Dresses but Selling Only 2,000 Isn’t Sustainable: Amar Nagaram, Founder, Virgio

When Amar Nagaram founded Virgio, he identified a significant gap in the supply chain technology used by fashion brands. He realised that simply producing apparel in bulk would only worsen inventory pile-ups if not aligned with actual demand. To bridge this, he introduced advanced technology capable of predicting inventory needs and spotting trends before they peak, allowing brands to produce precisely what the market requires. 

In this candid conversation, Amar Nagaram, Co-founder of Virgio, and also the former CEO of Myntra, explains how the company is building a new-age sustainable fashion technology brand by reimagining supply chains, spotting social-driven trends early, and bringing agility to production. Edited excerpts:

You moved from From Myntra to Virgio, what sparked the formation of a sustainable fashion brand?

Virgio came into life to address the issue of inventory pileup and inefficiency in the fashion industry, a problem that I observed extensively during my time at Myntra. It is not because of lack of data; but because of the traditional supply chains which cannot react to a trend in real time. That is why the fashion industry takes bets far into the future, and when those bets do not work, the inventory pile-up happens.

Today, brands have reduced MOQs (Minimum Order Quantity) to experiment more, but replenishment still takes too long. This is exactly where China is ahead with smart factories. I come from a computer science background, not fashion, and I saw a need for technology in the supply chain. That’s how the idea of Virgio began, to create just-in-time fashion that is relevant, reduces unsold inventory, ensures cost efficiency, and allows competitive pricing.

So, while Virgio may look like a sustainable fashion brand, at its core we are a fashion technology company redefining supply chains, not just how fashion is made, but what and when to make.

You mentioned social signals as a key driver. Can you explain how that works?

Today’s Gen Z and younger millennials spend much of their time on social platforms. Intent and influence are happening there. Trends no longer come only from fashion weeks or WGSN reports. Anything can go viral, like a seller wearing a denim dress to a brunch.

We picked that trend, started with 30 units, and thanks to our supply chain, replenished fast. That same dress sold 12,000 pieces. Our MOQs are just 20–30 units, and we replenish quickly, reducing waste and ensuring consumers get what’s relevant without overproduction.

This also means consumers aren’t paying inflated “fresh season” prices that brands use to cover unsold stock. By cutting wastage, we make sustainability meaningful. Sustainability isn’t just about cotton or natural fabrics; making 10,000 cotton dresses but selling only 2,000 isn’t sustainable. True sustainability lies in reducing waste.

How are you using technology differently in Virgio’s supply chain?

On one side, we have trend spotting. We built TESLA (Trend Early Signal Learning and Analysis), to detect early signals of trends. Unlike Chinese white-label factories that produce overnight but compromise on fabric and construction, we get time to make garments right. Fashion should be cherishable, not disposable.

On the other side, we flipped the supply chain model. Instead of betting on garments, we bet on fabrics. We keep fabric ready, then produce in small batches through ATLAS (Automated Test, Learn and Scale), our hub connecting small factories. This lets us produce just 20–30 units, then replenish quickly when demand rises.

Underlying all this is technology, our IP that powers agility in fashion.

How do you view consumer behaviour, especially Gen Z?

Gen Z is often called hypocritical, but I disagree. They’ll be the first generation to put money where their mouth is. The problem is the industry isn’t giving them transparent choices.

If we show them who made their clothes, how, and under what conditions, they’ll choose responsibly. They’re frustrated because those options don’t exist widely. For the first time, we have a generation willing to act and demand better.

In just 11–12 months, we became one of the fastest-growing D2C fashion brands in India. Traditional “sustainable” brands focus on natural fabrics and boring designs, which don’t connect with Gen Z. We focus on trendy fashion, made responsibly with minimal waste. That’s why Gen Z relates to us.

Are you targeting only Gen Z?

Not just Gen Z. We design for anyone conscious about their choices. Our persona is a 27-year-old--the oldest Gen Z and the youngest millennial. This overlap means they are experimental and have purchasing power.

We also launched ‘Beyond the Curve’, our inclusive line for curvy bodies, co-created with actress Anjali Anand. We don’t call it “plus size”; we call it “curvy,” and it’s designed with inclusivity at the heart.

Virgio was first positioned as fast fashion, now it’s sustainable. Did you pivot?

We didn’t pivot, that was a media perception. From day one, we stayed on-trend, but unlike fast fashion brands that cut corners, we make fashion responsibly. We’re trendy and sustainable. That’s our differentiation, bringing the best of both worlds together.

Speed and sustainability usually conflict. How do you balance them?

For us, they don’t conflict. Most brands start producing when a trend peaks. We, with TESLA, catch trends early giving us time to choose the right fabric and construction.

We buy fabric in bulk (60% of garment cost), then make clothes as trends rise. This reduces waste and keeps costs low. In short, our supply chain lets us stay on-trend and sustainable.

How are you preparing for the festive and winter season?

This year, we’re introducing fusion wear and winter wear, without polyester. It was challenging but important. October–December will be big for us. We aim to double growth compared to July–September.

Last year (our first year), we did around INR 30 crore. This quarter alone (July–September), we touched INR 30 crore, that’s the growth curve we’re on.

The e-commerce space is crowded. What’s Virgio’s growth strategy?

Our differentiation is discipline, not marketing. Sustainability is not a label for us, it’s how we build fashion. We’re transparent from pricing to fabrics and Gen Z and millennials value that authenticity.

Greenwashing is rampant. How are you ensuring transparency?

Every product page shows third-party verified data; water used, energy consumed, carbon emissions. Once bought, garments come with a QR code for full transparency: material composition, care instructions, and lifecycle impact.

Even packaging matters. Paper isn’t truly sustainable, most is plastic-coated. We use corn starch-based biodegradable packaging, which decomposes naturally without relying on recycling. No plastic anywhere in our supply chain.

What are your 5-year expansion plans?

Immediately, we’re expanding offline and internationally. We’re live in Amazon US, UAE, Nepal, and soon Southeast Asia. In India, we’ll have nine stores by year-end.

Five years from now, our bigger vision is to become a technology enabler for the entire fashion industry. We want to open-source our tools like TESLA and ATLAS, so all brands can reduce waste. That’s good for business and the planet.

And when will the tech platforms be ready for other brands?

We’re testing everything in-house first. It’s only been 14 months since launch, so we want to get it right before opening it to others. In five years, we see ourselves as a force driving industry-wide change.