State of You, founded by Chehak Tayal, is a brand that seamlessly blends creativity, comfort, and community. What started as a personal love for unique socks has now grown into a platform where self-expression and individuality thrive. In this interview, Chehak shares her journey of building State of You, the challenges she’s faced, and the pivotal role community has played in her brand’s success. She also reflects on the mental and emotional hurdles of entrepreneurship and what’s next for the brand.

1. Every brand has an origin story. What inspired you to start State of You, and what was the moment you knew you had to go all in?

I’ve always been a huge sock freak. I wore printed socks every single day back in college, and it always excited me to find fun, unique designs, and every time I saw someone else rocking a cool pair, I automatically found them cooler. But back then, finding good designs wasn’t easy; either they were too basic, or the quality wasn’t great. That’s what first sparked the idea for State of You.

But the real turning point was when I went to the UK for my master’s. I saw so many amazing designs, and socks weren’t just an afterthought; they were a big part of people’s outfits. That’s exactly how I had always felt about them, but in India, it wasn’t the same. People didn’t really see socks as an important style element, and there weren’t many options that made them exciting. That’s when I knew I wanted to create something here and bridge that gap.

As soon as my master’s was done, I started working on State of You. But I didn’t just want to sell socks; I’ve always been obsessed with personalised gifts and pretty packaging, so I combined both to create something that feels like a little gift, whether you’re buying it for yourself or someone else. Every detail, from the colours to the unboxing experience, was designed to bring joy.

From the moment I had the idea, I knew I wanted to go all in. How it would work out was always a question, but my focus was just to build something that felt personal, exciting, and truly different, not just for me, but for everyone who wears them.

2. Building a brand isn’t just about creating a product—it’s about creating a movement. What were some of the biggest struggles you faced in turning State of You into what it is today?

Building State of You has been one of the most exciting journeys of my life. One of the first challenges was finding the right manufacturers; it took a lot of trial and error to find someone who could bring the idea to life without compromising on the designs. There were times when samples didn’t turn out right, delays messed up timelines, and I had to start from scratch.

Another struggle was starting alone, without a team. Handling everything by myself—design, packaging, marketing, and logistics—was overwhelming. I still struggle with it in some ways, but I’ve learnt to take it slow and steady. I have plans to grow the team when the time is right, but for now, I’m focusing on building things at my own pace.

Then there was the challenge of standing out in a crowded market. Socks are such a common product, and I had to figure out how to make State of You different. That’s where the personalised experience, playful designs, and unique packaging came in. But even then, getting people to notice the brand took time.

And of course, like any small business, there were (and still are) logistical nightmares—lost parcels, website glitches, orders going wrong, and just the general chaos of running everything myself. I also think struggles are just a part of everything in life, and in a way, I see them differently now. Seeing people connect with it, wear their socks with pride, and share their love for the brand makes it all worth it.

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3. State of You has built an incredible community around it. Was this always part of the plan, or did it grow organically? What do you think makes people connect so deeply with the brand?

Yeah, I think that was always the plan. I always had this feeling that State of You would stand out because, if you look at fashion influencers and their “Get Ready With Me” videos, socks are almost never a part of it, even though, for me, they’ve always been such a huge part of an outfit. They’re fun, they add personality, and they can completely change the vibe of a look, but no one really talks about them. And beyond that, no one really thought of socks as an actual gift either. That’s where State of You is different.

We’re not just selling socks—we’ve created an experience around them. From different themes and playful packaging to the cute Polaroid cards that come with every pair, everything is designed to feel personal and exciting. It’s about that little moment of joy when you open a box, see the details, and feel like it was made just for you.

I think that’s what makes people connect so deeply with the brand. It’s not just about wearing socks; it’s about self-expression, nostalgia, gifting, and making the little things feel special. That’s what I have built, and seeing people resonate with it so much is honestly the best part.

4. Now that State of You has an engaged community, what’s next? How do you see the brand evolving in the coming years?

Honestly, I don’t have a rigid roadmap, and I’m not sure if it’s the “right” business move, but I’m just going with the flow and taking things slow. I think that’s what has worked for State of You so far—keeping things fresh, experimenting, and seeing where creativity takes me.

Right now, my focus is on constantly bringing something new: new themes, new designs, and new ways to make socks more fun and exciting. I don’t want to just follow trends; I want to keep surprising people, whether it’s through packaging, collaborations, or even completely unexpected ideas.

I don’t have a solid five-year plan, but what I do know is that State of You will keep evolving. As long as people are excited about it, I’ll keep creating, experimenting, and finding new ways to make socks an experience, not just a product.

5. Running a brand comes with internal struggles—doubt, burnout, and the pressure to always do more. How do you deal with these challenges while maintaining your well-being?

Oh, absolutely! There have been days when I’ve felt like completely giving up. Running a brand isn’t just about the creative and fun parts; there are also those moments when sales are slow, engagement drops, or orders aren’t coming in, and as much as we say numbers aren’t everything, they do affect you. Their form of validation keeps you motivated, and when things aren’t going well, it’s hard not to feel discouraged. There have been times when self-doubt creeps in, and I find myself stuck in a cycle of comparison, looking at how other brands are growing and wondering if I’m doing enough. But I think that’s just part of the process, and building something from scratch is never a straight road.

What helps is knowing I’m not alone in this. I have friends who remind me that I’m doing great, even when I don’t feel like it. And I’ve learnt to remind myself that highs and lows are part of the journey and the lows shouldn’t overpower the highs, even if sometimes they feel like they do. I try to take things slow and at my own pace, focus on why I started, and trust that as long as I keep going, things will fall into place.

6. If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to build something meaningful—but feels overwhelmed by the process—what would it be?

I’d say just start. It’s so easy to get caught up in overthinking, wondering if things will work out, if people will like it, if you’re even capable of pulling it off. But the truth is, you’ll never have all the answers in the beginning. And you don’t even need to. You figure things out as you go.

It’s overwhelming, yes, and there will be days when nothing makes sense, when things don’t go your way, and when self-doubt creeps in. But honestly, progress isn’t about having everything perfectly planned; it’s just about taking that first step and then the next.

Also, don’t let the lows convince you that you’re not meant for this. Every brand, every creator, every entrepreneur, and every person in their own field, I think, has gone through phases where they felt stuck, and that’s absolutely normal. Just keep showing up and trust that the pieces will come together over time.