IMPRESSIONS from a Cross-section

The fashion apparel markets have grown manifold over the years. It is ever changing. Consumers today like experimenting with new trends and styles which is driven by the need to wear the latest. This naturally means short lived shelf life demanding newer things from manufacturers, designers and retailers. This has also expanded opportunities for retail sales through e-commerce. 

In India, with the exposure to foreign brands and domestic investors– the mall culture and retail revolution has also taken up the country by storm – many new brands have come into the picture and many leading brands continue to innovate. The Indian apparel market has started to emulate the markets abroad with many malls coming up in India and organized retail growing rapidly in the country. But we still have a long way to go in terms of scale and processes which the brands abroad have developed.

Men's clothing, no doubt, has always been bereft of a wide choice. The trend still keeps changing in accordance with the season and international liking. Men today are ready to experiment with their looks and clothes, and even the colour pink can be seen being splashed in abundance on men's shirts and T-shirts. As far as our brand is concerned, we have witnessed that the metro sexual men of today want to keep themselves updated about the latest trends that are sweeping the fashion world around the globe. Last summer, pink has really done well in the Turtle basket.

Fashion trends are truly changing inevitably. There was a time when one made the distinction between scarves made of silk and wool-based mufflers. But, now the lines have blurred. In Turtle, we have acrylic, silk and cotton scarves, all very much in demand, all the year round. Apart from the clothes, the accessories for men too come out according to the latest trends across the globe.

(Contd.)

India, over the years, has emerged as the third most attractive market destination in the world for fashion apparel retailers. There has been a paradigm shift in the Indian consumer behaviour especially the middle-class. With changing lifestyle and more disposable income the consumer has become more experimental and demanding. This holds true for men as well.  Fashion-conscious consumers are neither prepared to compromise nor have the patience to wait for global fashion trends to reach India after the world has moved on to something new. The liberalized economy has created opportunities for the customer to interact with the best global brands and is also exposed to best international practices in the industry. Further, the change in demographics not only in terms of age but also education has created a change in the expectations of customers. Preference for ready-to-wear garments is increasing in India. Dressing habits are rapidly changing leading to demand for branded fashion and apparels. One of the main drivers for apparel retail is the willingness of young generation to experiment with mainstream fashion. For today’s generation, price is not uppermost. The burgeoning middle-class is willing to pay extra for better quality products and it is this changing mindset that is driving the growth.

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