BACK TO BUSINESS: FASHION RETAILERS FOCUS ON SHOP BY APPOINTMENT, ENGAGING CONSUMERS ONLINE

As the lockdown is being lifted in a phased manner across all the marketplaces in the country, fashion brands are coming out of their funk. IMAGES Business of Fashion focuses on how brands and fashion businesses are adapting to the changing needs amid the ‘new normal’ and are working to ‘co-exist’ with COVID-19...

When cities went under lockdowns, it was the non-essential items businesses which were forced to temporarily shutter shop, the worst hit by the pandemic. The supply chain too suffered with the closure of retail units. One of the worst-hit sectors during the lockdown was fashion retail. Clothes became non-essential items in a world where everyone was working from home and meeting friends and family virtually in a bid to comply with the social distancing norms associated with keeping COVID-19 at bay.

Now as the lockdown is being lifted in a phased manner across all the marketplaces in the country, fashion brands are coming out of their funk, focusing on adapting to changing needs amid the ‘new normal’ and working to ‘co-exist’ with the virus.

This lockdown has taught fashion retailers a valuable lesson – to adopt a more customer-focused approach and improved community engagement. Now, as marketplaces – particularly malls – are reopening in Unlock 1.0, retailers are gearing up to giving an ‘experience’ to the consumer on all channels possible.