Just like the radiant brides from our favourite rom-com movies, Natasha Gaur wanted all eyes to be on her during her wedding in Mumbai. Preparations started four months in advance, and finding the right trousseau was a crucial part of the plan. The Covid-19 outbreak, however, put the brakes on the London resident’s intentions of combing through boutiques in India on an elaborate wedding shopping spree. Instead, Gaur (name changed) found herself having four-hour-long Zoom video calls with Rahul Mishra, the couturier she had chosen to design her outfit for the big day, tentatively scheduled in early December.
While she missed trying out outfits at the boutique, the 30-year-old was excited about taking the process online, which she found to be unique. Mishra had an idea about what exactly Gaur wanted, so the online appointments were focussed, productive and well-coordinated. “Rahul and his team made me feel so comfortable over the Zoom call. It was interesting, because we weren’t relying on anything visually in front of us in the store, and had to use our creativity and dive into the archives to make something special,” she recalls.
The leaders of India’s high-powered luxury fashion world, like many entrepreneurs across industries, have also turned to the digital ecosystem for a revenue-generation plan that would help them adapt to the changing realities of doing business during a pandemic. Covid-19 has been a leveller in the sense that it has also resulted in shows—the exclusive, by-invite, high-profile events of the fashion calendar—going completely online. Labels of some of the country’s most-admired designers are now sporting an e-store avatar, even as boutiques re-open.
Denne historien er fra October 23, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
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Denne historien er fra October 23, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
