As India goes into “unlock 1.0” and gradually lifts restrictions, Indian men and women can finally replace those ragged pyjamas.
After nearly two months of the lockdown, retail services have finally resumed in most parts of the country. And as the floodgates of pent-up demand open, India’s fashion retailers seem to be acutely aware of a post-pandemic world whose needs have changed.
Summer dresses, clubwear, formal jackets, and crisp shirts have all been replaced by loungewear, known for its signature loose silhouettes. Athleisure, or formerly known as the less-hipster sportswear segment, is also bound to see a surge given that home workouts are all the rage.
Digital aisles of several apparel websites now prominently display loungewear and sleepwear.
The Indian fashion industry, pegged to be over $50 billion, came to a grinding halt on March 25 when India went into lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus. So now, e-tailers don’t want to miss out on any chance to make up for the losses and are putting efforts to start-up their businesses right away.
For instance, men’s fashion retailers have all sorts of fashion edits around a work-from-home wardrobe.
Some brands that sell professional workwear for men have had to repackage their existing lines to match a post-Covid-19 reality.
With people shunning denims and structured pants, this may truly be athleisure’s moment in India.