17th September 2021, Mumbai:

To comply with ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, several apparel shops are urging consumers to explore and make purchases online during Durga Puja this year, developing "phygital" purchasing alternatives.

Durga Puja, which will be celebrated this year from October 11 to 15, is a customary time to buy clothes for people who will be attending the festivities. As the pandemic danger persists, several fashion shops are combining online and offline shopping to boost sales and ensure customer safety, according to the Times of India.

“Our sales were really poor in the early stages of the epidemic, and we really didn't have any resources,” apparel and textiles designer Suchismita Dasgupta told TNN. “Getting enough work for the tailor, weaver, and other craftspeople was proving to be more difficult.

As a result, I spent a significant amount of time generating digital material and uploading it on a regular basis. To keep going, we started manufacturing masks and Covid-friendly clothing.”

Dasgupta maintains stringent safety procedures in-store and encourages customers to purchase online. Some online to offline solutions include encouraging customers to browse and choose goods online before coming in-store or at home to try on their pre-made choices.

Despite the fact that lockdowns have been removed across India and many places have little to no retail restrictions, the third wave of Covid-19 is still a possibility this winter.

Many stores are striving to stay on top of safety procedures in order to avoid a future shutdown and the economic difficulties it would entail. About how the epidemic is still impacting goods, Byloom partner Bappaditya Biswas said TNN,

"We now build specific collections for online uploads, making many pieces of the same object to be sold online and guaranteeing frequent uploads." “It used to be just sarees. However, we are currently attempting to upload more items as well.”

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16th September 2021, Mumbai:

Leading sportswear giant adidas has launched a flagship store in New Delhi. ‘The Home of Possibilities’ store is a blend of multiple digital touchpoints, sustainability zones and embodies the future of retail experience for consumers, according to the company statement. Spread across 5,900 sq. ft. area covering four floors, the store focuses on three important aspects of experience, sustainability, and credibility.

It features 32 digital touch points powered by green energy, and encapsulates the use of advanced technology which includes immersive screens, digital plinths and ceiling screens to give customers a superior digital shopping experience.

The store’s floor is made with upcycled carbon tiles made of carbon collected from environmental pollution. It is the first LEED certified adidas store in the country. In line with adidas’ long-term vision and commitment towards sustainability, the flagship store houses a dedicated ‘Sustainability Zone’. Displaying the End Plastic Waste logo, the zone features collection adidas' best sustainable collection

To create a more inclusive space, the flagship store has been curated in a manner where products and the shopping experience have been curated to encourage movement and support them in their sport and fitness journey.

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• In India, Adidas opens its first flagship shop

13th September 2021, Mumbai:

Barely had apparel retailers in India recovered from the first COVID-19 wave, the second wave plunged the industry into darkness. Retailers are now look at the upcoming festive season to boost demand.

If, as assumed, the industry is not hit by the third wave in November, it is likely to grow 10 per cent over pre-COVID levels, says Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India. Retailers Raymond and Lifestyle also expect the industry to grow in double-digits this festive season.

Festive sales to grow 50 per cent over 2020 A spokesperson from Raymond said, there are enough signs indicating demand revival this festive season. The industry is likely to grow in double digits compared to pre-COVID levels and 50 per cent over the festive season of 2020. Most of this growth will be driven by the extended festive season this year followed by the wedding season.

Markets in eastern India will also see strong growth during upcoming Durga Puja, opines Deverjana Iyer, CEO, Lifestyle Stores. Retailer hopes to clock a double-digit growth as sales pick up week-on-week. Beginning with Ganesh Chaturthi in September and ending in early January with Christmas and New Year, the festive season will witness strong growth in demand for apparels, affirms Sanjay Jain, CEO, PDS Multinational Fashions, which is seeing a strong recovery across all its markets.

The prelude to this growth was witnessed during the Onam festival last month that witnessed good demand despite restrictions in Kerala. Even Eid and Rakhi sales indicated a strong revival in demand. The demand witnessed during these festivals indicated customers’ desire to celebrate after being shut down for two years, adds Umashan Naidoo, Head-Customer, Westside.

Growth to be led by ethnic wear

Growth during the upcoming festive season will be led by ethnic wear and occasion wear across men, women and kids wear, adds Naidoo. He believes demand for casual wear and loungwear will also grow as staycations get bigger. Online sales will aid to this growth with most consumers moving to online platforms for purchases.

Acceleration in vaccination will boost store footfalls though online sales will also grow, adds Jain whose company PDS has already shifted to online portals for shopping over the last 18 months. However, a possible third wave could dampen prospects for the retail industry if COVID-19 cases continue to rise and fresh restrictions are imposed. Retailers are adopting a cautious approach and not adding too much inventory. They are also working with suppliers to ensure smooth deliveries, adds Kumar. They do not wish to be saddled with unsold stocks like last year, he signs off.

TOP 5:

• Vedant Fashions (Manyavar), an Indian ethnic wear company, has filed draught documents for an initial public offering (IPO)
• Aditya Birla Fashions aims for a revenue of Rs 25,000 crore by 2026
• States will compete for a place in the MITRA textiles initiative
• Coutloot receives $8 million in investment from Ameba Capital and other investors
• Akaaro, founded by Gaurav Jai Gupta, has launched a wedding collection

Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQ6v9wBHyOlRPSDgJMsJaA

17th September 2021, Mumbai:

Big Bazaar plans to introduce a unique sales scheme of ‘Savings Bhi Style Bhi for this festive season. As per The Hitvada report, the hypermarket chain plans to give Rs 500 fbb voucher free on shopping of Rs 6,000.

Customer will also be able to avail similar offer on the Big Bazaar app and its e-commerce site: shop.bigbazaar.com from September 13-19. Customers can maximize their savings during this campaign with great deals on apparel, home essentials, kitchen ware and electronics.

The retailer also offers two hour free home delivery for those ordering online. Big Bazaar is an Indian retail chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores. The retail chain was founded by Kishore Biyani under his parent organisation Future Group, which is known for having a significant prominence in Indian retail and fashion sectors. Founded in 2001, Big Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest hypermarket chains of India.

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16th September 2021, Mumbai:

Tirupur, India's largest garment manufacturing city, employs illegal immigrant labor. According to media estimates, around 20 Bangladeshi nationals have been apprehended in Tirupur, a textile town in West Bengal, in the last three months.

Surprisingly, some of them possessed false Aadhaar cards, while others didn't bother to acquire paperwork at all, yet they were still able to get work in various garment manufacturing plants.

Although Bangladesh's clothing manufacturing business offers more prospects than India's, Bangladeshi employees are drawn to Tirupur because of the higher compensation. In India, a worker may make nearly twice as much as in Bangladesh. A factory owner was reported in the media as saying, "If one individual succeeds to visit Tirupur and find a job, he would try to bring his friends and family within the following year." They communicate in Hindi and Bengali and blend in with other temporary employees living in leased housing. According to the police, they would fly to Bangladesh, visit their relatives, and then return to Tirupur. We don't dig any deeper when they generate Aadhaar cards. The garment units would solely focus on getting work done due to a severe labor shortage.”

According to reports, some Bangladeshis will have prior expertise and will work as tailors or cutting masters, while those without prior experience would begin by packaging and gradually learn specialized labor.

MP Muthurathinam, President of the Tirupur Exporters and Manufacturers Association, believes that a method to maintain track of guest workers is long overdue. “At the moment, there is no registration system in place.

They come here and stay in the accommodations of their choice.

Some people relocate to Coimbatore, Erode, or Karur. As a result, a state-wide registration of foreign workers must be established. “The State Government should provide them an identity card,” he added. In 2018, the local police started a mission to gather information on all foreign workers and build a database, but the epidemic and a lack of staff made it impossible to complete.

According to a police spokesman, now that Covid is down, authorities will begin collecting information on migrant workers.

Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQ6v9wBHyOlRPSDgJMsJaA

13th September 2021, Mumbai:

Gaurav Jai Gupta's clothing brand Akaaro will present its first bridal wear line named ‘Meen’ at the upcoming Indian Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA2) fair in Australia this month. As per Fashion Network, the collection includes 16 lightweight lehengas.

Meen, which means ‘fish’ in Sanskrit, features weaves crafted from silk and 5 gm gold plated zari yarn. The color palette of the collection comprises bright reds, golds, magentas, and turmeric yellows and it makes minimum use of decorative motifs.

Designed for the modern woman, the collection was launched on the brand’s dedicated e-commerce site ahead of the upcoming winter wedding season. This month will also see the brand travel to Australia. “We are thrilled to be representing India at (IOTA21) happening in Australia this month,” the brand announced on Facebook.

The IOTA is a curation of artists and designers from countries across the Indian Ocean Rim including Australia, India, Iran, Tanzania, Kenya, the UAE, Sri Lanka, and Thailand among others. The event is taking place throughout the month and, Akaaro will present its collection on September 19 at an exhibition named ‘Curiosity of the Cloth’.

TOP 5:

• Vedant Fashions (Manyavar), an Indian ethnic wear company, has filed draught documents for an initial public offering (IPO)
• Aditya Birla Fashions aims for a revenue of Rs 25,000 crore by 2026
• States will compete for a place in the MITRA textiles initiative
• Coutloot receives $8 million in investment from Ameba Capital and other investors
• Akaaro, founded by Gaurav Jai Gupta, has launched a wedding collection

Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQ6v9wBHyOlRPSDgJMsJaA

17th September 2021, Mumbai:

Festive demand pushed up India’s retail sales to 88 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in August this year. As per a survey by the Retailers Association of India, retail sales had reached 72 per cent of the pre-pandemic levels in July this year. Retail businesses in North and South India indicated 98 per cent and 97 per cent sales recovery to pre-pandemic levels in August 2021 as against 78 per cent and 82 per cent sales in July 2021," it said.

Sales in Western and Eastern markets reached 76 per cent and 81 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in August 2021 against 57 per cent and 69 per cent, respectively, in July 2021.

Sales in the Quick Service Restaurants category grew by 12 per cent compared to August 2019, while 'food and groceries' category clocked a growth of 4 per cent. However, beauty & wellness, which includes salons, apparel, footwear and jewlery are yet to catch up to pre-pandemic sales levels the report says.

Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI hopes, festive shopping will drive growth for most retailers this year, with the possibility of some retailers doing better sales than the pre-pandemic levels.

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15th September 2021, Mumbai:

Jockey India has announced the second phase of #BrasAsVersatileAsIAm campaign with eight new product films across its digital platforms. To be promoted on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google and other digital platforms, these product films showcase the essence of different moods and needs of a woman.

The brand is also using traditional retail and trade channels through, exclusive brand store facades, in-store visuals and POS merchandise as well.

The product films highlight Jockey’s deep understanding of the bra segment through each of the films and showcase the USPs of each product. The films project uniquely different styles that suit every mood with a focus on – magic undercup bra, t-shirt bra, nursing bra, sleep bra, lounge bra, multiway bra, plus size bra, and everyday bra.

The first phase of the #BrasAsVersatileAsIAm campaign – ‘Jockey Knows Me’ was launched last week with a 30-second TVC across multiple channels that showcased how every woman is unique and versatile in her way. The campaign aims to showcase the various needs of a woman when it comes to intimate wear and Jockey’s extensive range that is curated to meet these versatile needs of a woman. It seeks to celebrate the uniqueness of a woman and how Jockey constantly raises the bar and works towards meeting their expectations, says Karthik Yathindra, Associate Vice-President, Marketing and Product Management, Jockey India.

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Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQ6v9wBHyOlRPSDgJMsJaA

8th September 2021, Mumbai:

Year 2020 proved to be a revolutionary for Indian e-commerce industry. With most physical stores remaining closed due to the pandemic, consumers shifted to online shopping. This not only transformed the way brands operated and grew their business but also altered consumers’ shopping behavior.

Even now, consumers hesitate to return to in-store shopping completely; especially those in Tier II and III cities. They prefer the e-commerce retail that offers an opportunity to shop as per convenience.

As per a Business Insider report, India is one of the most notable e-commerce markets globally. It has the world’s second largest internet base with around 480 million internet users. Of these, 90 million are online shoppers, estimates management consultancy RedSeer. It projects, Indian shoppers from small towns and cities will contribute $150 billion to e-commerce GMV until 2030.

Another survey by The Trade Desk and YouGov highlights, around 82 per cent consumers shopped online at least once a month over the past six months. Titled ‘The Festive Season Pulse 2021’, the study says, 91 per cent consumers plan to shop online during the upcoming festive season, of which 60 per cent plan to explore new brands.

New campaigns, discounts an attraction

This boost in consumer sentiment will encourage, e-commerce players to launch new festive campaigns and discount schemes. Online fashion retailer Myntra for example will organize the ‘Big Fashion Festival’ during the 30-day period leading up to the festive season. This will be followed by the Myntra Diwali Sale that will focus exclusively on ethnic wear. The sale will also focus on several celebrity-led digital campaigns with Rajkummar Rao, Sanya Malhotra and Farhan Akhtar. Ayyappan Rajagopal, Chief Business Officer, Myntra says, they expect this festive season to be bigger than last year with more customers using online channels for purchases. The platform expects demand from all markets including metros, Tier I, II, III cities to rise and will look to double its customer base during this period.

E-commerce platforms also plan to incorporate new technologies and marketing initiatives to offer customized and personalized products to consumers. They will increase the use of social commerce by launching new D2C fashion platforms like Bewakoof.com. For example, Bewakoof plans to launch a 360-degree campaign in October for upcoming festive season. It also plans to launch a new gamification-led loyalty program offering new and exclusive products for members. Their plans include capitalizing on the demand for winter wear with more investments and increasing marketing budget for the season to 15 per cent.

Personalized products to narrow sales gap

E-retail platform OLX plans to narrow the gap between its pre and post-COVID sales offering more personalized shopping experiences. It has already digitized the entire process of online retailing, including verification of all premium items. Similarly Amazon plans to enhance its range by launching new products across home & kitchen, fashion & beauty, appliances and smartphones, grocery categories. With more shoppers shifting to online, the e-commerce industry is on a robust growth trajectory.

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Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQ6v9wBHyOlRPSDgJMsJaA

17th September 2021, Mumbai:

Womenswear brand Bhanuni by Jyoti has launched a new collection at the Dubai Mall. As per Fashion Network, the collection includes brightly patterned dresses and loose-fit layers launched with Anthropologie, a women’s clothing and lifestyle retail chain with stores across Europe and the US.

Bhanuni by Jyoti has already launched its collection in a number of other Anthropologie locations internationally.

Notable items from the collection, now available to UAE shoppers, include trapeze-style embroidered maxi-dresses and floaty printed dresses with draped sleeves and skirts. The color palette is bright and resort wear inspired and fusion-style silhouettes mix western casual aesthetics with traditional Indian design.

Jyoti Sharma Bajaj launched Bhanuni by Jyoti in 2005 and the brand made its runway debut at India Fashion Week in October 2010. The brand specializes in ethnic wear and western ready-to-wear.

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15th September 2021, Mumbai:

Women’s wear brand Amrich has launched a limited-edition collection at the Mumbai boutique and e-commerce store of multi-brand luxury Indian fashion retailer Ensemble. The new collection features bright hues, floaty textiles, and relaxed-fit silhouettes.

The apple green, magenta, and white hues create the effect of a watermelon while the tie-dye prints add a resort wear feel with kaftans and robes aplenty.

The brand launched by designers Amit Vijaya and Richard Pandav after graduating from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. The brand’s name represents its vision of true luxury that comes from a confluence of fine natural fabrics, elegant cuts and precise finishes with an essence of tradition to create a distinct look. Made with the confluence of fine natural fabrics and atypical textile treatments, the label depicts the richness of Indian artisanship.

TOP 5:

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• FabIndia re-opens its first store In New Delhi
• Nykaa debuts a plus-size range for Twenty Dresses, a private label
• Textiles may provide 7.5 lakh direct job opportunities under the government's PLI plan

Watch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQ6v9wBHyOlRPSDgJMsJaA

7th September 2021, Mumbai:

E-commerce firms such as Amazon and Flipkart are adding new facilities ahead of the upcoming festive season.

Amazon India is increasing its storage capacity by 40 per cent over the last year. With this expansion, Amazon will have more than 43 million cubic feet of storage capacity, across 15 States, supporting around 850,000 sellers across India. The expansion is in line with Amazon India’s continued efforts to heavily invest in the country and create tens of thousands of direct and indirect work opportunities. Amazon India’s overall fulfillment network will be spread across a floor area of more than 10 million square feet. This is more than the land size of 125 football fields, housing millions of products from notebooks to dishwashers.

Flipkart is adding new facilities ahead of the upcoming festive season. Its new fulfilment centers will help create deeper capabilities to support thousands of sellers, MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), small farmers to cater to the growing customer demand. They would also create more employment opportunities while enabling faster deliveries for consumers.

Flipkart recently strengthened its supply chain network in Karnataka with the addition of three new facilities ahead of the upcoming festive season. These new facilities will serve sellers of large appliances, furniture, mobiles, apparel and electronics and are located in Kolar, Hubli and Anekal. The facilities are helping more than 10,500 sellers. The expansion will further contribute to the state economy and create additional 14,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, as the sellers get national market access for their products.

Recently, Flipkart also strengthened its tech-enabled supply chain network in Maharashtra with the addition of four new fulfilment and sortation centres to support local sellers from the state and cater to the growing demand for e-commerce. The new facilities located in Bhiwandi and Nagpur are helping create over 4,000 direct and indirect jobs. Apart from growing customer demand, this expansion comes on the back of a growing seller count from the state which rose by 30 per cent in the last year.

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