Mile Collective Is Building Activewear For The Life Around Your Workout

The activewear market in India today is extremely saturated, with no shortage of brands promising the softest fabric, the best fit, the smoothest feel when you’re moving. But scratch beneath the marketing, and very few of them are actually built for the women wearing them. Most performance wear sold here is designed elsewhere first — cut for different climates, different body types, different lifestyles — and adapted for the Indian market almost as an afterthought. The result is a category full of options but strangely short on fit: silhouettes that don’t flatter every body type, fabrics that can’t hold up to India’s heat and humidity, and pieces that only make sense for the one hour you’re actually at the gym.

Harshita Motaparthi and Pravishta Nadella, Founders of Mile Collective, recognised this exact gap when they set out to build a homegrown activewear brand from the ground up — one rooted in research. That thinking became ‘On The Go’, their debut collection, designed around a simple but overlooked idea: that movement looks different for every woman, and her clothing should move with her, not against her. The brand’s profile got a further boost with actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu coming on board as co-founder, bringing her own perspective on product, storytelling and community to the table.

We sat down with Harshita and Pravishta to talk about what it took to build On The Go, why they chose to design for real life instead of just the gym, and where Mile Collective goes from here.

ELLE: Mile Collective’s debut activewear collection, On The Go, is built around the idea of clothing that moves with women throughout the day. What was the starting point for the collection, and what gap in the market were you hoping to address?

Mile Collective (MC): It all started with a problem I was personally facing myself. I couldn’t find high-quality activewear in India that felt premium without being overpriced, so I decided to build it.

As we spent more time researching and talking to women, we realised the problem went far beyond price or availability. Most activewear in the market was designed with Western consumers in mind, right from the fabrics and fits to the silhouettes, without considering what Indian women actually need. That’s what led to “On The Go,” our debut collection. We wanted to create pieces that recognised movement looks different for every woman, so the collection was designed to be versatile enough to support everything from low-impact activities to more intense workouts. We paired that with fabrics suited for India’s climate, tested them for durability and everyday wear, and designed silhouettes that are flattering, functional, and comfortable.

ELLE: Performance wear has traditionally been built around fitness, but the On The Go Leggings and Sports Bra are positioned to work far beyond the gym. Was that a conscious reframing, and what design and fabric decisions made it possible?

MC: Absolutely — that was a conscious decision from day one. We felt the conversation around activewear had become too closely tied to fitness, when in reality, movement means something different to every woman. It could be walking your dog, travelling, running errands, chasing after your kids, or spending hours at work before heading to a workout class. We wanted to design products that support women through all of those moments, not just the one hour they’re in the gym. That’s why we called the collection On The Go — it’s built for real life. Pieces that perform when you need them to, but are comfortable and versatile enough to wear for the rest of your day as well.

ELLE: The foundation of the collection is its comfort-first fabric. Beyond softness and breathability, what were the non-negotiables when developing it?

MC: Durability was a key focus from the beginning. We know washing habits in India are often far more demanding than in many Western markets, so we tested our fabrics and construction to withstand repeated washes without compromising on performance or appearance. The goal was simple: create everyday essentials that last, reducing the need for frequent replacements and encouraging more mindful consumption.

ELLE: As an Indian brand, how much did body diversity specifically shape the way this collection came together?

MC: Quite a bit. India has a huge range of body types, and it didn’t make sense to simply adapt silhouettes designed for a different market. We spent a lot of time making sure the fits genuinely flatter Indian women, rather than assuming one global size logic would translate here.

ELLE: Activewear has increasingly become part of everyday wardrobes rather than something reserved for workouts. How do you see that relationship between fashion and functionality evolving over the next few years?

MC: I think we’re moving towards a future where functionality becomes the expectation, not the differentiator. Women no longer want separate wardrobes for workouts, work, travel, and everyday life — they want fewer, better pieces that can do it all. Performance, comfort, and style will increasingly exist together rather than as trade-offs. The brands that succeed will be the ones designing products for real life, where women can move seamlessly from one part of their day to the next without having to change what they’re wearing. That’s exactly the future we’re building towards at Mile.

ELLE: With Samantha Ruth Prabhu joining as a co-founder, how has her perspective influenced the way Mile Collective approaches product, storytelling and community?

MC: Samantha has always believed that movement is about feeling strong and confident, not chasing perfection, and that aligns closely with what we wanted Mile to stand for. Since coming on board as a co-founder, she’s brought a very customer-first perspective to everything we do — she’s deeply involved in product feedback, brand storytelling, and thinking about how we build a genuine community around the brand. Having someone who is both incredibly discerning as a consumer and deeply invested in the brand has been invaluable.

ELLE: This is Mile Collective’s debut activewear collection, but it also hints at a larger vision. Beyond On The Go, what can we expect from the brand in the future?

MC: On The Go is just the beginning. We believe there’s still a huge opportunity to build a truly world-class activewear brand for Indian women, and our immediate focus is on doubling down on the category — there are so many gaps left to solve, from product innovation and performance to fit and versatility. Our long-term vision extends beyond activewear too. As we continue to earn our customers’ trust, we’ll thoughtfully expand into other areas of their wardrobe, always with the same philosophy of creating premium, functional products designed for the realities of everyday life.

Explore the collection and all things activewear here.