According to the Celebrity drape artist, Dolly Jain, there are going to be significant shifts in fashion trends, post the Pandemic:
The Pandemic will definitely force brands to look at alternate ways of promotion. With people being bound to home, screen time is mounting as people are spending an additional number of hours on social media. The natural aftermath is that more and more individuals are following influencers and religiously looking forward to the content they create. As a result, we see more real people joining the bandwagon and foraying into creating content for brands. The influencers create content that flows naturally and the brand/product is integrated into their social media presence in a way that looks and feels seamless. This helps in elevating the brand to a higher level.
Moreover, shopping trends will also witness drastic changes. With shoppers still largely stuck at home, they don’t have much opportunity to wear detailed or luxurious outfits, so the focus will definitely sway towards the basics. Instead of piling up on unnecessary clothing items, consumers will be making purchases which will be more useful and easy to maintain. There will be a huge boost in the E-Commerce segment as an increasing number of consumers are exploring an opportunity to a seamless shopping experience, from the comfort of their homes. Though the websites, the shoppers come across multiple choices from multitude brands, thus delving into a smooth shopping adventure.
The post-pandemic shopping outlook seems to be homing in on catchphrases like “swadeshi”, homegrown and has become a cool hashtag #vocalforlocal. Each handmade product, which is a legacy, the roots of which can be traced back generations in an artisans family will certainly be trending too. Knowing about your purchases, respecting them and most of all, consuming them is a great aid to strengthen efforts for a self-reliant India. The fashion industry is set to see sustainability take the centre-stage. Now, more than ever, the fashion industry will need to alter its course and switch to sustainable practices, a conscious shift amongst designers and other people of influence in the fashion fraternity. The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic will launch a wave of change in consumer behaviour and although businesses will take a few months, to regain its standing, the need to slowly but surely adopt sustainable practices into everyday operations is essential to ensure a better future.
As uncertainty prevails across the world over COVID-19, global fashion brands find creative ways to keep their businesses in place while creating new from the old. “Necessity is the mother of invention”. Rightly quoted, the fashion brands are now rooting into science-based fashion such as Masks and PPE for survival. Also, simpler, more value for money styles with multiple wearability will be a key feature in the shopping trend. The demand for luxury items will also be deflated because people are more focused to purchase necessities and basic clothing garments, instead of splurging. The COVID-19 pandemic will bring a major change in the consumers’ mindset and the value system that underpin their luxury buying decisions.
It’s known from history, each crisis leaves a long term impact and deadly coronavirus is no exception to the rule. The great depression impelled a “waste not, want not” attitude that dictated consumption patterns for years. Likewise, the outbreak of COVID-19 may move consumers to assess things from a different outlook.
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of HelloPost.)
