Formal wear, smart casuals re-enter the shopping cart

All this augurs well for the ailing apparel sector, which had been hit severely in the last two years of the pandemic. With people staying at home during the lockdown, consumers avoided switching to formal wear or occasion wear, athleisure and lounge wear. According to a note by Crisil Ratings, the brick-and-mortar apparel retailers are expected to grow 20-25% year-on-year in FY22, following a 40% decline in revenue in 2020-21.

Obviously there is a sense of relief among the people associated with the business of selling clothes. Online fashion marketplace Myntra has acknowledged the significant growth in demand in the formal wear segment for both men and women. The company has seen over 2X growth in formal wear in the last three months and expects this to increase further as people return to offices.

Padmakumar Pal, Vice President and Business Head, Apparel, Myntra said, “We are ramping up our portfolio and offerings for the fashion-forward consumers who are eagerly waiting for a fresh wardrobe.” The company has added 5,000 new options to its workwear. portfolio in the last three months. These include fashion basics such as white and black shirts, khakis and trousers as well as the latest spring-summer collections from popular domestic and international brands. “We will continue to expand the portfolio and widen the spectrum of selection. And brand for the category,” Pal said.

Manish Singhai, Chief Operating Officer, Peter England and Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Head – E-commerce, Lifestyle Brands, acknowledge that the trend of formal and back-to-office clothing is on the rise. With Covid on the decline, consumers want some level of normalcy in their lives, he said. But one needs to be mindful of the fact that styles that were earlier considered only semi-formal are today acceptable as formal in the post-Covid world, said Singhai. “We need to accept these shifts and adjust our merchandise offerings accordingly.” The company will introduce a contemporary take on formal that is more appealing to the young, modern consumer.

The workplace is certainly moving toward being more casual, and hybrid work is the order of the day, said Satyenne Momaya, chief executive officer of French menswear brand Celio, adding that power dressing is a no-no. “We are working on fabrics and styles in shirts that are semi-formal and casual. Knitted shirts and Tencel shirts with cotton are examples of products that we are launching to address this consumer need.”

According to Momaya, casualization is here to stay and the new fits are helping make the wardrobe fit more comfortably than skinny. “Consumers are also looking forward to smart casuals in pants and tees, and our 100% linen tees made from the most natural and sustainable fabrics are getting an even better response,” he added. Celio’s 24-hour smart pants are helping revive demand. trousers

Similarly, consumers in Peter England are expecting soft formals, that is, fabrics that have a soft handfeel and are flexible, Singhai said. In casuals too, the brand is seeing a growing demand for premium casual wear in lighter tones, shorter checks and linens. Slim, super slim, active formal shirts as well as white, black and pastel shirts are on the rise. Singhai said the demand can partly be attributed to the increase in jobs at all levels. While “last mile” jobs are on the rise, consumers with white-collar jobs are returning to the offices.

For now, with Covid easing, customers are keen to socialize and connect. They want to spend more time outside their homes, evident in increasing trips to retail and entertainment, attending weddings, the office and resuming physical and hybrid modes of travel.

Singhai observes diverse consumer behavior that has led to an increase in the demand for formal wear as well as casual, semi-casual and semi-formal wear. To capitalize on this demand, Myntra said that it is working on selecting the best and providing consumers with a great shopping experience, allowing them to get back to work in style.