Apparel brands launch new initiatives, collections to attract customers

To attract consumers, apparel and lifestyle brands have introduced a clutch of initiatives besides launching new comfortable clothing ranges and expanding online presence Label Ritu Kumar which has launched ‘Label Basics’ range to cater to demands of work-from-home, athleisure wear. The price of the range begins from Rs 1,500 and targets younger consumers. The company has also launched ready to wear brand Aarké to tap into the mid segment of women’s wear.

Forever New plans to launch a relaxed and casual line this summer for consumer’s working from home. The company’s sales from online operations account about 25-30 per cent of its overall business. The brand alongwith Marks & Spencer also offers steep discounts of up to 50 per cent, online. United Colors of Benetton plans to launch its own portal by July-August 2021, as part of its expansion strategy. Its online business accounts for around 20 per cent of its turnover. The company expects to grow by15-20 per cent in the next two-three years, says Sundeep Chugh, CEO and MD, Benetton India

During the second COVID wave, brands plan to allocate a significant percentage of their marketing dollars on digital platforms, with most of them investing anywhere between 60-70 per cent on the medium. They also plan to concentrate more on comfort and lounge wear, says Uniqlo India spokesperson. The brand has introduced the Shop-from-Home service to deliver products to people in more than 17,000 pin codes across the country.

Ashwini Deshpande, Co-founder and Director, Elephant Design, advises high street fashion brands to tap into specific trunk shows in outdoor spaces, launch special ranges for work from home and also introduce more natural fabrics.