Inspirations & Innovations: fusion wear promises new opportunities for Indian retailers

Fashion is an ever evolving and vibrant segment. Indian consumers are getting more and more conscious regarding their looks. Their preference grows toward ethnic apparels with a touch of modernity. A contemporary fashion getting popular in recent times is fusion wear. This is a creative blend of styles of any two or more culture. Silhouettes are basically from Western influence, and are blended with Indian textiles and styling. Fusion wear is a preferred choice of people of all class and ages. Enrique Iglesias sported in his music videos wearing sporting embroidered kurtas is a classic example.

A recent survey about womenswear states that India women, particularly the working class prefer trousers over saris due to their comfort. This trend is also a preferred choice for Indian youth. Retailers are fast adapting to this change, and are stacking their stores with new apparels. Consumers in the age group of 18 to 30 years are fast emerging as a major market and are the main target for retailers. They are ready to experiment with new styles, and this makes fusion wear, an interesting category for designers and retailers.

Market for fusion wear is highly price sensitive, and hence retailers price their merchandise to go with the customer expectations, and also focus on enhancing their portfolio. They are cashing in on the trend by aligning their merchandise as per customer preference, and feeding their aspirations