What does the Covid-isation of Fashion industry look like in the upcoming seasons?

A lot of us have been spending our last few months wearing nothing but pajamas during the lockdown all over the world. So what does this mean for the fashionistas among us? Will we go over the top with our outfits or will we try on the newly introduced designs and fashion statements brought into the market?

Well, apart from our personal preferences, there are planned looks, outfits, fashion statements, and pieces that are introduced and designed by the leading fashion designers and stylists. The crisis management of brands during COVID-19 pandemic has not been very overwhelming as some of them have canceled orders for Bangladesh. Websites/apps like SHEIN are closing their orders for now up till the month of July. While others are working on how to make the availability and the purchasing strength even stronger during these times.

The consumers that have been purchasing fashion online are not disturbed and are continuing to do so over the past few months. However, the challenge for all the digitally running websites and applications is to covert the mainstream offline market consumers.

Here the question is how are they doing that? Clothing applications are providing us with a 3D view of our purchases and digital showrooms. FDCI hosted its first-ever digital India Couture Week in September to try and help designers boost business at least a little in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

The event featured 12 major designers, including Manish Malhotra, Falguni & Shane Peacock, Shantanu & Nikhil, Anju Modi, and helped sell the pieces already created before the pandemic. However, some fashion designers believe that the response was much less than it was expected to be.

What can we expect from the 2021 lookbook?

A return to the classics: Classics are the timeless outfits one invests in, typically more expensive than fast fashion too on the understanding that they will be worn over several years. The fashion consumer will be looking to impress at each event but on a budget.

Pockets: Even bridal lehengas have developed stowaway sachets. As much as it was a dream to have a dress with pockets to slide our favorite accessories in, the pandemic is likely to normalize pockets in women wear, especially in the outfits meant for special occasions, which almost don’t have them. The reason they’re making an appearance, of course, is that everyone needs somewhere to stow their sanitiser.

Modern ease: Here comfort meets fashion. “Sneakers are replacing heels and I don’t think that will change for a while. People don’t want to leave the comfortable clothing style they acquired at home behind, even when they step out,” says designer Payal Singhal. “But the socks and sneakers are funky, sometimes rainbow-coloured, with embellishments or fun soles, so that even if you are in sweats, you stand out,” she adds.

Colours in fashion: The earthy and uplifting tones of the outdoors (greens, ochres, yellows) and sorbet tones, cool pastel shades of blues, greens, yellows are the two pallets best suited for trendsetting fashion.

Comfort chic: Very rapidly the demand for dressy athleisure wear has increased. Nike, Puma and Zara released their lounge/comfort wear collections in the July-August season. Zara has tailored sweatsuits, cropped and fitted sweat tops with balloon sleeves, paired with fitted sweatpants, designed for work-from-home meetings. Current trends show that oversized boyfriend jackets have made a comeback too. Baggy jeans, wide-legged pants and large button-down shirts saw high demand too, according to Ayyappan R, head of business and senior vice-president at Myntra.

Kaftans: The relaxed, one-size-fits-all silhouette, in breezy prints, pastels, chiffons or cotton, were the perfect thing for lockdown and the summer months. Brands such as Masaba, Bhaane, Anamika Khanna and Zwaan released their own chic and classy versions. Wearers included actors Sonam K Ahuja, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Malaika Arora, considering the choice of clothing that people would prefer for their stay at home during the pandemic.

The idea behind introducing pockets in lehngas sound really considerate. The influence that we see today on the fashion industry is brought in due to the WFH culture and the habit of staying comfortable.

Comment below all the fashion changes you would like to see in your closet!

 

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