Bespoke clothing trend to persist in India, say experts

The dramatic rise in ready-to-made garment prices and customers’ growing preference for styles blending traditional and contemporary designs is boosting demand for customized clothing in India. Retailers and designers in the country are adapting their business models to accommodate growing demand. There is also a noticeable shift in fit preference and product uniqueness in the Indian apparel industry.

Customized clothing recovers

Indian consumers’ affinity to personalized clothing is not new. Before ready-made garments gained popularity in the country, people preferred personalized clothes. Due to its wide choices, flexibility and better fit, custom fitting remained consumers’ preferred clothing choice.

Over time, the popularity of ready-to-wear apparels overshadowed demand for personalized apparels. However, customized clothing sector is making steady recovery with manufacturers adapting to consumers demands and offering multi apparels choices at affordable prices. This is boosting demand for personalized clothing amongst consumers.

Sustainable production models boost popularity

With consumers becoming aware of the environmental hazards of fast fashion, customized fashion manufacturers are adopting effective and sustainable models of production. The scarcity of affordable readymade brands is also boosting the popularity of customized sustainable fashion amongst consumers.

Each of these sustainable customized garment pieces is made to order. This helps reduce fabric, material and energy wastage by garment producers. Manufacturers too can customize these garments as per buyer’s styles and personalities.

Reclaiming its position

One common reason for online garment returns is wrong sizing. Customized clothing can help resolve this issue by producing clothing based on consumers' body measurement. Through this style, customers can take 3D/AR/MR of their garments and order accordingly. This also benefits fashion makers as they are produce only the required clothes. Thus customized clothing trend addresses both issues of overproduction and waste in the industry.

Moving away from customized apparels, the fashion and apparel industry shifted to readymade fittings. However now, customized clothing is again reclaiming lost position. The industry is fast moving towards bespoke clothing and the trend is likely to continue for a long time. It would also determine the future course of fashion industry in India.