12th August 2021, Mumbai:
Over the last two years, the fashion industry has moved away from latest styles and cuts to more comfortable clothes. The pandemic has made consumers more health conscious, driving them to adopt a more comfortable and aesthetic style of dressing.
This has led to a spurt in demand for new athleisure styles in India, says Manoj Kumar Nair, CEO, Gaurik Lifestyle, owner of the brand Guess in India. The American fashion retailer recently re-launched its retail presence in India with a store at the DLF Mall in Delhi-NCR.
Bridging the gap between comfort and style
Inspired by the rapidly evolving shopping habits of the new-age consumer, the store launched with a new athleisure collection that bridges the gap between consumers’ demands for comfort and style. The collection also introduces a more fashion-centric, trendy approach to activewear, adds Nair. Alongwith this athlesiure collection, Guess also launched a new handbags range comprising satchels, totes backpacks, luggage bags, etc. The bags accentuate the brand’s new casual athleisure range with its varied styles like mini, shoulder bags , large totes etc.
Adopting sustainable production practices
Nair opines, the pandemic has accelerated digitization trend across sectors. However, the fashion industry continues to depend on brick and mortar stores to drive sales. These stores enable brands to create an experiential environment for the consumer. The pandemic has also made the fashion industry more sustainable. The industry is reinventing manufacturing practices to make them more co-friendly and sustainable.
Guess is adopting sustainable production processes by recycling plastic waste into yarn and using organic cotton for its denims. The brand has introduced the Indigo Flow Process that reduces water consumption for washes by 70 per cent while increasing dye penetration.
India expansion
Post pandemic Guess aims to expand to Tier I and II cities. It plans to gradually expand into the micro markets and launch accessory stores in smaller cities for key categories like handbags, watches etc. The brand’s latest store in DLF Mall is just the beginning its journey that is likely to cover all prime locations in Mumbai and Pune in coming months. By the end of this fiscal, Guess aims to launch more than 10 stores, informs Nair. The market condition is ripe for Guess’ entry in India. The brand aims to take the Indian market by storm with its innovative offerings.
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