Underneath

While women report that most bra shops in India are run by men, a business in Kolkata revolutionizes the bra shopping experience by offering custom bras made by women, for women, with an all-female staff. In this space, women can speak candidly about what they want and reveal how expectations from their community influence what they wear. Swati Gautam is the entrepreneur and bra expert who founded this business, NecessitySwatiGautam, more than 20 years ago.

Swati Gautam, the owner of Necessity, early one morning in her home. Swati owns her home, which is rare for an Indian woman. When Swati first launched her business, she converted her home into her first bra factory until she secured enough capital t… — Swati Gautam, the owner of NecessitySwatiGautam, talks on the phone early one morning in her home. When Swati first launched her business, she converted her home into her first bra factory until she secured enough capital to move it elsewhere.

Swati Gautam, born in Gujarat, India, did not plan to spend her life surrounded by bras. It was destiny, she claims, that determined her path. Fresh out of university, Swati worked as a bra fabricator with a regional brand. After the company closed, she defied pressures to stay at home. She took what she knew – bras and sewing – and hustled to create her own business.

Every morning, Swati begins her day with chanting and breathing exercises. On Mondays, she sings an ancient Sanskrit chant for Lord Shiva called Shiv Taandav Stotram.

Since this chant is known for its strength, she says it is traditionally sung exclusively by men. She prays for happiness and prosperity, and gives thanks to various gods for their provision.

Swati’s entrepreneurial efforts were not without setbacks. Before owning her own retail stores, Swati relied on street vendors to sell the bras she made. However, when vendors saw that Swati’s items were popular, they stole her designs. She changed vendors, but her business was devastated again in 1996 when a government initiative called Operation Sunshine bulldozed vendor stalls to clear Kolkata’s roads. She was left with nowhere to sell. Shortly after, Swati made a move that freed her from relying on vendors. She founded her own business, NecessitySwatiGautam, to design and manufacture custom bras for women of all sizes. As her business grew, NecessitySwatiGautam began to meet a demand in the market for a woman-owned bra shop that prioritized the needs of women.

The entrance to one of Swati’s shops. Swati owns four retail bra shops in Kolkata and multiple, small production factories.

Today, NecessitySwatiGautam attracts a diverse customer base – women of varying body types, ages, economic levels, and perspectives looking for the same thing: comfort. The top selling bra is popular not because it is flashy, but because it feels good to wear. It is a simple, white cotton bra with no underwire. Unlike padded bras made of other fabrics, customers say it breathes well in the hot Kolkata weather, and there is no underwire dig. This bra, like all their bras, is customizable so women do not have to settle for ill-fitting cups and bands. Ironically, while comfort is a priority for many women, many of them find it challenging to find comfortable bras elsewhere. In one of Swati’s shops, women explain:

“It’s difficult to find a good bra. Nobody thinks about it.”
“My cup size and my back size are so different that most of the time, I have to get my bras altered...I have a narrow body and a heavy bust, [so it] becomes a problem for me.”

Swati states that the standard bra on the market targets smaller busts or more “traditional” proportions, which is why she prioritizes making bras that work well for all bodies.

Swati writes a receipt for a customer as a new employee observes. Swati spends most of her time overseeing general operations and only stops into the retail shops to train new employees. Swati employs an all-female staff so that her customers feel c… — Swati writes a receipt for a customer as a new employee observes. Swati spends most of her time overseeing general operations and only stops into the retail shops to train new employees.

Bras are organized in bins sorted by bra type and size.

The Pakhi Violet bra. — The Pakhi Violet bra awaits a customer fitting.

While most women at NecessitySwatiGautam prioritize comfort above all else, purchasing trends show that color also matters. While outer garments are oftentimes vibrant and colorful, what lies beneath is a preference for white undergarments that do not show through the clothes. Many women in Swati’s shops describe a culture and environment where the expectation – from others or themselves – is to keep bras, and women’s bodies, hidden. They elaborate:

“If you’re wearing a shirt and somehow the shirt goes a little down and the [bra] strap can be seen, people would be like, ‘Oh my god, the strap can be seen!’ There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s completely normal. If you talk about the old times, women were supposed to cover themselves completely from head to toe…[but] they should be allowed to do what they want. It has changed, thankfully, it has changed a lot over these years. But still, people are very conservative.”
“Respect yourself, your bodies. One doesn’t have to be obscene…There are a lot of things on the market nowadays [that try] to expose [the body]…The people in the film industry…have to do it, that’s their job. But otherwise, we don’t need to follow each and every step of theirs. I think that modesty counts first.”

Customers pay for their bras while others wait for their bra fitting.

The trends at NecessitySwatiGautam reflect what women say about the societal importance of keeping bras discreet. Swati estimates that for every 70 cotton, non-wired bras she sells, only one is a colorful, cupped bra. The exception to this trend happens during wedding season. When soon-to-be-brides come into Swati’s shops, her sales of colorful bras increase.

A variety of Necessity bras. When Swati was first establishing her business, she remembers going to the market to buy materials to make her bras. The vendors would not sell to her because she was a woman. Throughout her career, Swati has had to prov… — A variety of Necessity bras. When Swati was first establishing her business, she remembers going to the market to buy materials to make her bras, but vendors would not sell to her because she was a woman.

A store manager closes down the shop at the end of the workday.

After more than 30 years making and selling bras, Swati has created a business that is woman-focused, a place where women can buy bras that feel good on their bodies, and where they can explore their options without men in the shop. Whether they want to meet society’s expectations or defy them, women in Kolkata finally have an opportunity to find the bras they want.

Thank you to the women who allowed me to make pictures with them or interview them - for their openness, trust, and vulnerability - and to the NecessitySwatiGautam staff.

An incredibly heartfelt thank you to Swati for opening her doors to me and my camera, for the morning breakfasts together, and for climbing rooftops with me despite our fear the bras would fly off and hit someone in the streets below.

Thank you also to Manik for your willingness to hold up the bras for their portraits despite the heat.

To learn more about NecessitySwatiGautam, go to: www.necessityswatigautam.com

Florence Middleton

Photography

Underneath