The Transitioning Fashion Industry – Covid-19 Edition

During the Pandemic, if there is one industry that has faced a severe hit, it is the Fashion Industry. Have you ever wondered where the Fashion Industry headed towards in these challenging times?? Most of you would have guessed it right. The state of Fashion has gone through a change to sweatpants and casual wear! 2020 has been the worst year for the Luxury Fashion industry. This is understandable as everyone has been at home and has nowhere to go. This makes us realize that most of the people around the world would choose comfort over style.

This leads us to wonder what the post pandemic fashion trends would be like. With the accelerated sales of athleisure and casual wear, there has also been a tremendous increase in sales of online fashion channels and stores. One thing that needs to be kept in mind would be the importance of combining style with comfort. Fashionable jumpsuits, loungewear, tracksuits, joggers, shirt dresses, comfortable heels and other types of clothing production needs elevation.

What is gaining importance is the increased shift to digital fashion platforms. To engage users on a wider level, it is advisable for fashion houses to move to the digital platform. People are so used to sitting at home, everything they need being a click away that digitalizing fashion is the way to go to gain mass traction without asking them to leave the comforts of their homes. The digital space is playing a key role for survival and sustenance of many fashion players with even various Fashion Weeks taking place online.

Another change we see in this pandemic is the growth of online thrift stores. These thrift stores sell non branded or slightly used clothes at incredibly affordable prices. It is clear that people have grown the mentality of “use and throw” when it comes to clothing. Instead of repeating expensive outfits, many people have started preferring to buy multiple inexpensive clothing pieces. We also saw an increase in the sales of Indian Designers post the “Make in India” Campaign. These designers have gotten a boost which was difficult earlier due to the popularity of the fast fashion brands.

Along with this, there is an increased need for an ethical shopping experience among consumers. The growth of Sustainable Fashion is one such example. Consumers and celebrities are supporting and endorsing organizations which are giving back to nature or are having a message, purpose or a mission for the betterment of society.

It is amazing to see how the pandemic has affected fashion as an industry – amplification of casualization, sustainable fashion and minimalism being the top trends. The post Covid-19 era will challenge the creative minds of this fashion world to revolutionize the fashion market. This new normal state of fashion has led to the designers and fashion entities break away from the traditional patterns and think of newer approaches to enhance customer base. One such means is greater consumer intimacy. Active steps are being taken by fashion entities to have enhanced customer interactions and build deeper relations. The increased uncertainties have shown the importance of building consumer relations rather than pushing for a greater consumer base and sales. Building connections with the consumers will help brands gain customer loyalty even if they are wary of spending money in these times.

Current times have shown us that nothing is constant and brands have to come up with newer ways of redirecting their creativity and manpower for sustenance in this industry. We believe the key pillars of the fashion world have been ‘adjust, navigate and create’ and we can’t wait to see what is in store for us with the revival of the market and these changing times!

- Muskan Malik

Talentino