Redefining How Women Shop for Intimates Online
From market insights and retail audits to bold design interventions, this case study charts the transformation of Nykd into a specialised innerwear destination with a loyal, growing customer base.
Year
Client
Nykd by Nykaa
Nykd by Nykaa
This case study shows how research, retail audits, and bold design decisions helped transform Nykd from a transactional site into a specialised, user-first innerwear destination that inspires confidence and loyalty.
Platform
Web - Responsive
Collaborators
Arshdeep Singh
Srishti Dudeja
My Role
Design Lead
Skills Used
Design Systems
Creative Direction
Illustration
Icon Design
User Experience
Interaction Design
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Introduction
Nykd’s promise is simple yet powerful: real comfort for real women. But its website wasn’t living up to that promise.
The task at hand was to transform Nykd’s D2C website into an intuitive, mobile, first experience that reflects the brand’s warmth, comfort, and confidence. While Nykd had built strong resonance on social media, its website felt transactional, with limited discoverability, minimal guidance, and little brand storytelling. The redesign focused on creating purposeful user journeys, simplifying navigation, and integrating features like size advisors, bundling, and educational content. The result was a cleaner, more engaging platform, one that mirrors the realness of the brand and makes lingerie shopping feel effortless and empowering.
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The Process
Discovery
2 Weeks
User research, competitor analysis, and stakeholder interviews to identify core problems and user behavior patterns.
Define
Mapped insights into personas, journeys, and success metrics to shape a clear product direction.
Ideate
2 Weeks
Developed modules, features, and flows aligned with user needs, business goals, and tech feasibility.
Design
Created wireframes, UI components, and prototypes to deliver a seamless, mobile-first, brand-consistent experience.
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The Solution
A mobile-first, emotion-forward website that’s not just easy to shop — but makes you feel understood.
Insights & Interventions
UX audit of the old site
Ethnographic in-store visits
Interviews with stakeholders
Customer personas and journeys
Funnel drop-off + heatmap studies
Competitive benchmarking
Feature Strategy
Defined modules for education, bundling, and size assistance
Curated journeys for new users, loyalists, and trend-seekers
Mid-page nudges, sticky CTAs, cross-sell systems
Brand-first storytelling woven through content, layout, and copy
Design Execution
Clean UI with model toggles and uniform backgrounds
Simplified type and tone across the site
Adaptive layouts for product categories and homepage
Modular homepage and collection templates
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UX & Architecture
Information Architecture restructured for goals & occasions
Navigation and content were reorganised around user intent, such as utility, mood, or need, enabling faster discovery and more personalised shopping experiences.
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Modules & Features
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Nykd’s redesigned web experience is structured around four core modules, derived from user research, in-store observations, brand strategy, and the actual sitemap & scope. These modules address the biggest gaps identified in the current website
Discoverability | Education | Sizing clarity | Brand expression | Conversion.
Product Discovery & Navigation
Nykd users struggle with finding the right product, exploring categories, and comparing styles, a major pain point highlighted in stakeholder calls and UX questionnaire responses. This module simplifies discoverability across bras, panties, activewear, and seasonal collections.
Key Features
Mobile-first navigation with clearer hierarchy & nudges
Standardised menus for core categories (bras, panties, sleepwear, activewear)
Modular collection & catalogue templates (Seasonal + Utility)
Improved filter & sort UX (not full-screen, mid-page filters)
Clean, benchmarked product cards — no clutter, consistent backgrounds
User Goals Enabled
Quickly find the right category or style
Compare products visually and functionally
Reduce confusion between padded/non-padded, wired/non-wired, curvy fits
(Based on in-store insights from Zivame/Enamor)
Business Enablement
Higher product discoverability and reduced bounce
More entry points for new launches, hero categories & high-margin products
Stronger pathways for campaigns and influencer traffic (Marketing MOM)
Product Education & Fit Assistance
Across research, Nykd emphasised that education is the brand’s core differentiator , size clarity, and empowering women to understand their bodies. Users also need confidence before switching from their existing lingerie brand.
Key Features
Bra Advisor / Fit Quiz (Specs-based recommendations)
Size recommendation for returning customers
Model information (height, measurements) for sizing comparison
Learn/Education module with videos, guides, content by experts
Clearer PDP layout with offers, sizes, “Recommended for your fit”
User Goals Enabled
Understand bra types and choose correctly
Learn what size fits them (first-time buyers)
Compare different styles and purposes easily
Feel more confident about switching brands
Business Enablement
Higher conversion through reduced sizing doubt
Better returns management
Better brand positioning (expert, real, educative)
Content, Brand Expression & Storytelling
The brand repeatedly mentioned feeling “too transactional” and lacking personality. Nykd’s emotional benefit (“Always real, simple”) and functional benefit (“Second skin simplified”) must come alive through UI + content.
Key Features
Revamped homepage with hero storytelling
Brand pillars integrated into sections
Seasonal & collaboration landing pages
Story-driven PDP modules
Video content placement
User Goals Enabled
Feel the brand’s warmth, credibility & expertise
Explore curated collections & seasonal stories
Experience fashion + function visually
Business Enablement
Stronger differentiation from Zivame, Clovia & Enamor (competitive gap)
Amplifies influencer & campaign performance
Supports high-intent marketing traffic
Increases time on site → higher conversions
Conversion Architecture (PDP → Cart → Post-Purchase)
Conversion improvement is a core business goal. Users need clarity, reassurance, and efficiency from product click to purchase confirmation.
Key Features
New PDP layout: size guide, offers, size selector, sticky CTAs, “Recommended for your fit” carousel (UX direction)
Buy More Save More logic (Nykd’s own promotions)
Shop the Look (cross-selling)
Interest-based modules (Learn + Shop Now) in SOW
Optimised checkout & “Track Order” integration
Verified reviews, ratings & social proof (identified as key trust needs)
User Goals Enabled
Clear path from browsing → adding to cart → checkout
Easy bundling (bras + panties, sports bra + leggings)
Understand product benefits instantly
Reduce doubt through reviews & verified trust signals
Business Enablement
High average order value through cross-selling & bundling
Reduced cart abandonment through simplified CTA structure
Lower returns through clearer size guidance
How the Redesign Influenced Key Metrics
Better Conversion through UX
Conversion rate improved from ~2.6% (FY22) to 2.9% (FY24)—a ~12% uplift over two years, reflecting stronger impact from UX enhancements and experience improvements.
Order-to-visit conversion in Fashion (which includes Nykd) rose from 0.6% to 1.0%—a ~67% gain, likely boosted by conversion-focused design.
Elevated Brand Trust & Repeat Purchases
Repeat customers in Fashion (Nykaa’s broader fashion segment) rose to 75–80% of sales contribution by FY24, signifying deepening trust and experience-led loyalty—especially through features like real-model imagery and size tools.
Marketing efficiency improved, as existing loyal customers contributed higher AOV and conversion—evident in improved margins across the fashion vertical.
Bundling & Upsells (AOV / Basket Value)
₹Average order value (AOV) in Fashion rose to ~₹4,122–4,458 (FY23–FY24), supporting context-based upsell approaches rooted in modular feature design.
Nykd’s monthly orders ≈ 11,000 with average order value ~₹1,000+, suggesting good traction from cross-sell features and bundling modules like "Complete the Look" and style quizzes.
Enhanced User Experience → Reduced Drop-offs, Higher Retention
Overall Fashion GMV grew 27% YoY in FY24, paired with better margins—indicating stronger retention, fewer drop-offs, and higher engagement due to intuitive flows.
Continued scaling of owned brands GMV (including Nykd grew 14× in 3 years to ₹1,660 crore run-rate), which signals sustained engagement and usage of product‑centric UX improvements
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Conclusion
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The new system simplifies how users browse through bras, panties, sleepwear, and activewear with a mobile-first navigation, smart filters, and clear category templates. It reduces guesswork through fit-focused tools like the Bra Advisor, model comparison info, and a dedicated Learn module that educates first-time buyers with confidence. The interface finally brings Nykd’s warm, real, body-positive identity to life through editorial storytelling, collaboration pages, authentic product visuals, and comforting microcopy. And from PDP to checkout, a cleaner conversion architecture with sticky CTAs, bundling modules, verified reviews, and simplified payment flows ensures users move from “just browsing” to “buying” with zero friction. Together, these four modules create an experience that is expert, educative, emotionally warm, and built to convert.
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