India Fast Fashion Market Changing Consumer Preferences
Over the past decade, consumer preferences in India have undergone a massive shift. With rising disposable incomes and exposure to global trends through social media and television, Indians want to stay up to date with the latest fashion trends. However, the high prices of premium international brands remains unaffordable for most. This growing demand for on-trend fashion at affordable prices has given rise to the fast fashion industry in India.
India Fast Fashion brands like Zara, H&M and Uniqlo made their way into India a few years ago and found widespread popularity among urban youth. They launched new collections every 2-4 weeks with pieces inspired by runway trends at much lower price points compared to luxury brands. However, a large portion of the Indian population still couldn’t afford even these moderately priced fast fashion options.
Domestic Fast Fashion Players Emerge
Seeing this gap in the market, several homegrown fast fashion players like FabIndia, Jaypore, Global Desi, Indya and many others launched their own fast fashion lines targeting middle income customers. They adopted the business model of foreign fast fashion brands by churning out trendy new collections every few weeks at extremely low prices. Regional and ethnic fashion also became very popular among these brands.
Online Fast Fashion Boom
With the rapid growth of internet and smartphones in India, online shopping has emerged as a major driver for the fast fashion industry. Several online-only fast fashion brands like Nykaa Fashion, Ajio, Myntra Fashion, Ajio etc. entered the market and gained immense popularity with their exclusive collection add ons every day. The ease and convenience of online shopping coupled with massive discounts and cashback offers led to these platforms becoming a major hit among the young population.
Sustainability Concerns Mount
While fast fashion has undoubtedly fuelled the aspirations of fashion-conscious Indians, it has also given rise to significant sustainability and environmental concerns. The extremely low prices of these clothing items are possible only because of unethical practices like excessive use of chemicals, low wages for workers and lack of factory regulations in many cases.
The linen “fast fashion” clothing has a very short lifespan of maybe 5-10 wears before it starts pilling or fading. This results in tons of textile waste ending up in landfills every year. Many argue that fast fashion promotes a culture of excessive consumerism and throwaway items. The huge water footprint and carbon emissions from these industries is also extremely damaging for the environment.
Sustainable Fast Fashion – A Way Forward?
In the face of these valid criticisms, some fast fashion brands are now making conscious efforts towards sustainability. Fabric choices are evolving – natural, recycled and eco-friendly materials instead of polyesters are gaining traction. Extended sizes are more common to reduce overproduction. Campaigns promoting slow fashion ethos of lesser but better quality pieces are resonating well with conscious consumers.
Indigenous fabric production techniques like handloom, natural dyes, zero-waste cutting are being incorporated into designs. Global brands like Zara and H&M are investing heavily in renewable energy, fair wages, green packaging etc. to offset their carbon footprint. If implemented thoughtfully across the value chain, these sustainable initiatives can make fast fashion a respectable industry that balances trends with environmental protection.
India Fast Fashion Market Power of Influencers
Social media influencers play a pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior today. They expose millions of followings to latest fashion trends everyday through curated Instagram posts. Fast fashion brands leverage this by sponsoring favorite influencers with free clothing, event invites and discounts. In return, influencers promote new collections to their target audiences, driving huge sales.
Influencer marketing campaigns have proven highly effective for brands in creating hype and urgency to buy newly “dropped” items before they sell out. They also help expand customer base beyond metros into tier 2/3 cities. While this tactic speeds up the proliferation of fast fashion, more influencers are now conscious of promoting sustainable brands as well for a balanced impact.
Overall, fast fashion has gained a strong foothold in India and transformed the retail landscape. It has democratized fashion by making latest global trends affordable for all. However, concerns over its environmental and social costs need to be addressed proactively. With collaborative efforts across the supply chain and more emphasis on slow fashion advocates, the industry can transition into a sustainable model that balances profitability with protection of people and planet.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
