COVID Fashion – How Would COVID Impact Consumers’ Choice of Apparel?
Apparel was one of the industries that took a big hit when the COVID lockdown started. We didn’t need much new business wear. We didn’t even need anything new for outings when there was no outing to talk about. With overall sales dropping by as much as 40% in Q2 2020, brands big and small scrambled to find a way out. Here is where COVID fashion comes into its own.
Lounge wear and active wear, which many high fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger didn’t really touch until the pandemic, or at least didn’t focus on, became crucial pillars in COVID times. While luxury apparel suffered a drop in overall demand, brands like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein enjoyed increased search interest thanks to their loungewear and active wear products. With brands like Mango launching activewear lines that perfectly merge functionality and looks, consumers are given more options to look good in situations that have become more mainstream during lockdown life, such as online workout sessions.
As video con calls became a daily routine of our lockdown life, many have also been trying to find the appropriate dress code for the business context. We have all seen those memes many times – shirt, tie and blazer, with pyjama bottoms or beach shorts and slippers, or aka, as-long-as-you-don’t-need-to-stand-up style. One thing the work from home life made many people realize is the importance of the balance between comfort, look and function, and seamless switch between scenes. It feels great when we don’t need to worry about last minute con calls, a quick run to the grocery store downstairs between emails or taking the dog out, and the change of clothes in between.
Why is it interesting?
Now with lockdown measures starting to ease, many people may continue to work from home or may even have the chance to embrace a new hybrid (part time in office) work routine, industry experts predict that many consumers won’t be willing to compromise comfort only for the look again. These COVID fashion trends are here to stay.
At ADK Insights, we continue to monitor trends in the fashion industry to forecast how their impact will influence consumer behaviour, advertising models, and media consumption in general.
To find out more about our experience in fashion industry and what it could mean for you, please contact Nimrod, Rob or Dam.