Page 30 - FOLKLORE

Fashion

It's All About Nostalgia & Comfort

This Time Without speaking of all the things involved,

one can, without a doubt, say that the world is
- Tanya Balwate
witnessing an economic slowdown. In India,
to be particular, the slowdown was speculated
back in 2019, and the pandemic has just made
things worse. This slowdown has already started
affecting various sectors in terms of business.
One Fashion industry is just one of them. Every
time there is some economic fluctuation or
political changes, the fashion industry is widely
influenced. For instance, the great depression
had brought in the idea of reuse and rehash
to keep a check on the waste. Minimalism
was an introduction of the recession in 2007.
This time yet again, the fashion industry will
witness a number of changes. K. Radharaman
from The House of Angadi says that the new
fashion trends will emerge from a thought
of “introspection and sensitivity towards
everything from resources to crafts and even
to the local weather. However, it looks like
designers are hopeful and think that all this will
pave paths for unique styles from various parts
of the world.
In the 2007 recession, the fashion had boiled
down to classic silhouettes and functional
designs. Designer Shruti Sancheti points out
how white T-shirts and blue jeans had become
the wardrobe staples at that time. A similar
phenomenon will happen now. Practical and
cost-effective fashion trends will take the lead
as consumers are facing issues emotionally and
economically. Consumers have now started
asking for fashionable clothing that could be
multi-functional, classic, and things that live
long. It would be a fashion investment.
Designer Anjul Bhandari feels that reuse will
be another trend to follow in the coming years.
People will want to invest in pieces that they
could hold in forever. Things that they can pull
out of their closets and wear again and again.
While, of course, business is going through
a lot, the pandemic has given everyone an
opportunity to pause, think, and re-evaluate.
People will be very mindful of their choices of
fabrics and the kind of trends they would want
to follow. With that said, how will the winter
fashion shape? What clothing pieces one can
look forward to?