The State of Fashion 2021

Impact of Covid on Fashion business in 2021

We never expected a year to be so long and tough. Since the global COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in March 2020 the whole crisis is far from over but we are now witnessing a light at the end of the tunnel. Slowly but surely we are on our way to gain some normality by the end of this year.

Change is always in the cards for  Fashion Industry

With the lockdown continuing beyond this year with stop and start strategy by different governments it is really hard to get a head start for the fashion business sector. The unforeseen upheaval of consumers’ choices and needs impacted the fashion industry heavily, with many brands clinging on to face masks and comfort-based apparel just to stay afloat. There are still doubts that the impact of this Covid can force fashion retail in a far worse position than last year.

The World Health Organization expects the COVID-19 pandemic to last well into 2022 which means there are chances of moderate consumption of fashion in coming seasons, due to remaining restrictions and public health measures –especially for physical stores.

Moreover, during this pandemic, there is a shift in consumer behavior with a majority of consumers claiming that they most likely won’t visit the physical stores when re-opened, unless they are completely vaccinated.  Many of them have also become more mindful about their shopping & spending habits.

Physical shops or Digital Channels?

By now, we all have witnessed major shifts in the fashion businesses and customer mindsets.  This COVID-19 pandemic have already accelerate industry trends from physical shops to digital channels, as a result of extending lockdowns and the closure of physical retail shops. There is no doubt that many fashion brands have been under pressure due to lesser activities in their physical stores. For instance, fast fashion brand Zara, is planning to cut 1,200 stores over the next two years in order to invest €2.7 billion in digital stores.

Moreover, countries with a high e-commerce consumption rate, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have seen an increase of 50% in e-commerce, in the year before.

This shows that as we recover from the pandemic, there will be certain themes, which will define the fashion industry in 2021. It is unlikely that demand for fashion will return to pre-pandemic levels due to the loss of jobs and low purchasing power. Furthermore, permanent store closures will continue to rise during and after the pandemic. Hence, there will be increasing traffic in virtual shopping, resulting in a revolution in the business of fashion.

What are the ways?

Go for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to make your site more discoverable in searches
Make sure your fashion website is optimized for mobile devices
Engage with your customers through social media marketing
Consider developing mobile app for your fashion site if you don’t have one yet
Write good product descriptions

How does Fabusse contribute to the growth of fashion brands?

At Fabusse, we dedicate ourselves to enhance fashion brand’s footprint in the digital world through our well-planned strategies and activities.  Clothes. Especially in times of the COVID-19 crisis, we see innovative solutions as vital to deal with the present crisis and turn them into profitability.

If you want to know more about our services please email us at – info@fabusse.com