Max Fashion's Merchandising Playbook to Master Retail Volatility

By: Pooja Maheshwari, Chief Merchandising Officer, Max Fashion India

Pooja Maheshwari, a founding leader at Max Fashion India, drives product innovation, agile merchandising, and consumer-focused strategies. She has been instrumental in growing Max Fashion from its first store to over 500 across India and shaping Max into India’s largest and most trusted value fashion brand.

In an engaging interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Pooja shares her insights on navigating the volatile retail landscape. Sharing strategies and anecdotes from Max Fashion’s merchandising playbook, Pooja talks about balancing trends with brand integrity, overcoming internal resistance, and resetting during strategic fatigue.

Read the following interview to understand how Pooja Maheshwari is leading Max Fashion India’s merchandising to meet consumer needs and stay ahead in today’s highly competitive retail landscape.

In today’s volatile retail landscape, how do you balance short-term trend responsiveness with long-term brand consistency?

In today’s hyper-competitive retail landscape, challenge lies in staying agile while remaining authentic. The customer’s preferences shift rapidly—what’s desirable today might be obsolete tomorrow and brands must adapt – but without losing brand essence and core values.

I often compare this to a tree: while new branches (opportunities) must grow and adapt to the environment, the roots (our brand values) must remain deeply grounded to sustain long-term relevance. At Max, our brand values of affordability, inclusivity and quality serve as our compass.

For instance, when at leisure suddenly spiked during the pandemic, we pivoted quickly to introduce functional, style-forward collections. But even then, we didn’t chase the trend blindly—we ensured our collections reflected our commitment to affordability, inclusivity, and quality, which are the pillars of our brand. Our sourcing teams worked with existing vendor partners to ensure speed without cutting corners. This responsiveness, combined with a clear brand compass, allowed us to win new customers while strengthening trust with existing ones.

When a product vision meets resistance from data or internal stakeholders, how do you hold ground while staying open—where does perseverance serve, and where must it yield?

Retail, especially in fashion, is a marriage of data and intuition—both science and art. When a product idea encounters pushback, I see it as a healthy friction. I welcome healthy friction as it pushes ideas through more refined lens. Data provides valuable insight, but it can’t always account for instinct, timing or brand sentiment. Moreover, vision cannot be sacrificed at the altar of caution. For me, the guiding principle is always customer-centricity and brand integrity.

There was a time when our team proposed a Plus size capsule. The data didn’t support significant market readiness, and there were questions internally. But we believed in the purpose and the message behind it—representation, inclusivity, and relevance.

We started small in the online space by launching Max Curves, tracked responses in real-time, and iterated. The collection exceeded expectations, and more importantly, it sent a strong signal about our brand’s forward-thinking stance. Purpose-led ideas are always worth fighting for, provided you’re also willing to adapt execution based on learning.

Building a brand from scratch often involves setbacks; how do you personally reset when faced with strategic fatigue, especially while leading creative and commercial teams?

Having been part of Max since its inception nearly two decades ago, I’ve lived through every seismic shift in the Indian retail landscape—from the unorganised markets to the rise of malls, then e-commerce, and now the omnichannel and quick-commerce era.

Fatigue is natural, especially when you’re constantly toggling between long-term vision and short-term firefighting. My reset comes from zooming out, recharge, and reconnect with why we do what we do. Sometimes it’s as simple as a store walk or brainstorm with our youngest team members. Their energy and perspective are refreshing.

How have you used buyer instincts and trend analytics to defy conventional buying cycles and still meet aggressive growth goals without diluting the brand’s narrative?

While we’ve invested in advanced trend analytics tools to predict shifts and respond faster, the human instinct honed over years in the market is irreplaceable.

For instance, when we noticed early signals of a trend like Animal Print, our analytics flagged it as niche. But our buyers, drawing on experience, sensed its momentum. We launched a test capsule using our “Test and Invest” model—limited run, quick turnaround, minimal risk. It sold out in two weeks, proving that a well-informed instinct can beat predictive models.           

To scale this, we integrated agile sourcing mechanisms and built vendor partnerships that support micro-drops. This approach helps us grow aggressively, stay current, and still stay true to the brand narrative: Max style Min Price.

In moments when a breakthrough design or collection falters in the market, how do you transform that disappointment into a learning loop for your team and the business?

Failure is a critical part of innovation. At Max, we treat every miss as a case study—not a black mark. Whether it’s a collection that didn’t land or a campaign that didn’t convert, we dissect the ‘why’ without assigning blame. These moments become part of our institutional memory and help us to build more intelligent system.

As a culture we do not get underwhelmed by product or strategy failure. We analyse whether there was pricing misalignment, lack of storytelling, product issue etc. We analyse, document and share learning across teams. This process of Proof-of-Concept management helps us to continue innovating in everchanging market.

What’s your personal mantra for women in leadership navigating ambition, design conviction, and resilience?

Women in leadership grapple with imposter syndrome -not ability, but the confidence to claim the space. My mantra is simple- Lead with grit, carry it with grace. You don’t have to be fearless-just brave enough to keep moving forward.

In my journey, there were moments I questioned myself, especially in rooms where commercial logics overshadowed creative insights. But I`ve learned to trust my voice, speak with intent and create a space for others to do the same. Women bring empathy, perspective and resilience- qualities that are undervalued but extremely essential. My advice: own your ambition, stay rooted in your values and keep moving forward with dignity and pride even if its uphill, every step forward is a mark of progress.