Designers observe rise of mindful shoppers during pandemic

Chennai

Instead, they tend to make conscious fashion choices, which has become the new normal. “Lockdown has been a real eye-opener for shoppers. I had a conversation with a few people and understood that three important questions lingered in their minds — what exactly we need, how important is it to buy and should we need those things. When it comes to fashion, many have decided to make mindful fashion choices. People are going to recycle, upcycle and mix and match their clothing. There is no harm in repeating your clothes.

 Also, there is a general perception that foreign brands are better than local ones. That is going to change because the economy has been badly hit. Shoppers will start identifying homegrown brands, weavers and small businesses. If you look at social media, the conversation on supporting ‘local’ has already begun. But this support shouldn’t be only for the time being. We should be loyal to all the local brands and artisans who need our help,” says Vijayalakshmi Nachiar, who championed traditional Tamil Nadu weaves.

 For the past 80-plus days, many would have been staring at their closet full of clothes and wondering about their ‘hoarding’ mentality. Fashion designer Nazia Syed observes that textile recycling will be the next thing. “Right from wedding trousseau to daily wear, people are going to make ‘wise’ decisions without burning a hole in their pockets. Three months is more than enough to make conscious choices when it comes to fashion. These days, customers are asking to make something modern out of what they already have. Instead of spending lakhs on a designer lehenga, brides are ready to transform a saree into a lehenga or a gown. I am getting orders for that,” says Nazia.

 The designer also notices that people have become more environmentfriendly and wanted to lead a simple life. “Social media is full of tutorials on how to upcycle and recycle old outfits and a lot of women are following these tips. There will be a tendency to mix and match instead of buying a lot of things. For eg, if you can pair a blouse with six sarees, then you don’t have to spend more. There will be a rise in smart shoppers who will invest in the classics and don’t follow any trends,” she adds.