Indian shoppers will influence global fashion - Expert

09 Jul '12

4 min read

Apparels are a major part of fashion throughout the world and Indians really believe in the famous saying "Clothes maketh a man".

In fact, a great number of Indians believe that a person is judged by the way he/she is dressed. The clothes not only define the personality of a human being, but also tell a lot about a person’s education and way of thinking.

Sharing his views about Indian apparel sector with fibre2fashion, Mr. Krunal Mehta, Vice President, Brand Management & Corporate Communication, Angel Broking Ltd., said, “The massive Indian fashion consuming class will set the tone for the global fashion industry in the next few years.”

“Rapid growth and rising urbanization have spawned a new class of consumers in India, who have more money to spend, and a growing passion for fashion. Today, apparel is the second largest retail category (behind food and groceries) in India, representing approximately 10 percent of the total market,” he informs.

“As the lifestyles of India’s prospering urban consumers have evolved, their clothing needs have broadened, reflecting more varied usage occasions. Today, Indians are more inclined than consumers in other markets to buy apparel for a specific purpose,” he adds.

Traditionally, the wardrobes of Indian women were limited to home wear and items for special occasions. But, now times have changed and Indian women are more willing to dress differently.

Mr. Mehta expects the demand for apparels in India to continue to rise over the next couple of years, leading to a significant increase in the US$ 40 billion Indian garment market.

“The increase in demand for clothing will come partly from continued gains in disposable income. Secondly, the number of Indians living in cities will grow by leaps & bounds over the next couple of years.”

“A large percentage of these new city dwellers will be in their twenties, and making first-time choices for whole categories of clothing items, including denims and shirts. Over the next couple of years, these citizens will don new styles and fashions to match new lifestyles,” opines Mr. Mehta.

Taking about organized retail, he says, “Large, branded store chains where products are systematically stocked and displayed, will speed the transformation of consumer preferences. Also over the past few years, scores of shopping malls have opened in various cities and the trend is sure to accelerate.”

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