Breaking the Taboo, One T-Shirt at a Time – The Lootee Story with Zixuan Singh Sareen
When comfort meets courage, a brand is born. In this episode of The Collaborative Canvas, we sit down with Zixuan Singh Sareen, founder and CEO of Lootee – the braless T-shirt company that’s disrupting the apparel space and empowering women with a product rooted in everyday discomfort.
**From UK to India: A Personal Problem Sparks a Purpose**
Zixuan, a Brit of Chinese ethnicity, relocated to India after marrying her husband and found herself living in a joint family of 11. What seemed like a common cultural adjustment soon exposed a deeply personal challenge — the discomfort of bras at home, where women should feel most at ease. “Taking off the bra after work was the best feeling in the UK,” she shared. “But in India, that comfort wasn’t culturally acceptable, even in your own home.”
This everyday discomfort sparked an idea — could there be a pain-free, sweat-free, modest solution that doesn’t compromise on comfort or style?
**Challenging Norms and Building from Ground Zero**
Her family, like many others, was skeptical. “It’s not a problem,” they said — until they saw the solution. Lootee wasn’t just about fashion. It was about freedom.
From individual tailors to sourcing vendors through Google searches, Zixuan bootstrapped her way to build a product that had never existed before. Lootee offers braless T-shirts that can be worn loose or tight while providing built-in coverage — a game-changer in modest fashion, especially for Indian women.
**Customer-Centric Design and Feedback Loops**
Instead of creating in a vacuum, Zixuan listened — really listened. She sought feedback from her first 50–100 customers, turning every comment into iteration and innovation. “I’d follow up, improve the product, and share back with them. That created loyalty.”
Even Lootee’s packaging experience is sensory — touch, smell, and even sound — reinforcing the emotional connection between brand and buyer.
**Selling with Intention, Not Just Inventory**
Unlike many D2C brands chasing marketplace sales, Lootee is available only through its website. Why? Because education is key. The product is about coverage, not support, and Zixuan wants customers to understand that before they buy.
India’s modesty-first, price-sensitive market presented its own challenges. Despite premium pricing, her patented technology and differentiated experience have helped her carve out a niche. “Being a small business, premium pricing isn’t a choice — it’s a necessity,” she explained.
**Advice to Aspiring Founders**
Her message to aspiring D2C entrepreneurs is simple: “Just start.” You don’t need to have it all figured out. In a saturated market, brand loyalty is built not just through quality but through customer experience and problem-solving.
> “People remember how you fix things when they go wrong, not just when they go right.”
Listen to the full episode with “Zixuan Singh Sareen” on The Collaborative Canvas Podcast—now streaming on YouTube and Spotify.
**From UK to India: A Personal Problem Sparks a Purpose**
Zixuan, a Brit of Chinese ethnicity, relocated to India after marrying her husband and found herself living in a joint family of 11. What seemed like a common cultural adjustment soon exposed a deeply personal challenge — the discomfort of bras at home, where women should feel most at ease. “Taking off the bra after work was the best feeling in the UK,” she shared. “But in India, that comfort wasn’t culturally acceptable, even in your own home.”
This everyday discomfort sparked an idea — could there be a pain-free, sweat-free, modest solution that doesn’t compromise on comfort or style?
**Challenging Norms and Building from Ground Zero**
Her family, like many others, was skeptical. “It’s not a problem,” they said — until they saw the solution. Lootee wasn’t just about fashion. It was about freedom.
From individual tailors to sourcing vendors through Google searches, Zixuan bootstrapped her way to build a product that had never existed before. Lootee offers braless T-shirts that can be worn loose or tight while providing built-in coverage — a game-changer in modest fashion, especially for Indian women.
**Customer-Centric Design and Feedback Loops**
Instead of creating in a vacuum, Zixuan listened — really listened. She sought feedback from her first 50–100 customers, turning every comment into iteration and innovation. “I’d follow up, improve the product, and share back with them. That created loyalty.”
Even Lootee’s packaging experience is sensory — touch, smell, and even sound — reinforcing the emotional connection between brand and buyer.
**Selling with Intention, Not Just Inventory**
Unlike many D2C brands chasing marketplace sales, Lootee is available only through its website. Why? Because education is key. The product is about coverage, not support, and Zixuan wants customers to understand that before they buy.
India’s modesty-first, price-sensitive market presented its own challenges. Despite premium pricing, her patented technology and differentiated experience have helped her carve out a niche. “Being a small business, premium pricing isn’t a choice — it’s a necessity,” she explained.
**Advice to Aspiring Founders**
Her message to aspiring D2C entrepreneurs is simple: “Just start.” You don’t need to have it all figured out. In a saturated market, brand loyalty is built not just through quality but through customer experience and problem-solving.
> “People remember how you fix things when they go wrong, not just when they go right.”
Listen to the full episode with “Zixuan Singh Sareen” on The Collaborative Canvas Podcast—now streaming on YouTube and Spotify.
Inspired from episode: Breaking the Taboo, One T-Shirt at a Time – The Lootee Story with Zixuan Singh Sareen
Listen to the full episode with “Zixuan Singh Sareen” on The Collaborative Canvas Podcast—now streaming on YouTube and Spotify.
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