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THE CONSUMER MINDSET POST PANDEMIC
The Business of Fashion podcast poses the suggestion that post pandemic there is possibility
of a depression and then a modern “roaring 20’s.” (2020) This can be explained by after such a time of trauma and depression people will have readjusted their values and want to enjoy themselves in excess again. However, this theory could be seen as far- fetched as although the wall street crash and the COVID 19 pandemic have devastated people and caused masses of financial issues, the similarities do not go much further. In contradiction, the reaction could be the opposite of that as shown by the 2008 depression “it will become distasteful to have big brands” Drapers (2020). Due to the amount of people who will be struggling financially after the pandemic and shows of wealth become resented and
unsympathetic.
A more balanced view is that of “pent up desire to spend” WGSN (2020). As has already been seen after the first lockdown people queued in masses to re-enter shops “fashion as a form of escapism and comfort will be a key factor of recovery” Drapers (2020), people want to be distracted from reality and being allowed to go back into stores gives the sense of returning normality. “People are quick to forget when trauma happens and want the same comforts they had before.” Chana Baram Drapers (2020). A limitation to the view of pent up desire can be seen due to people still being nervous about the return to normality out of fear of the virus.
An alternate view is that “People have learnt to
live with the bare essentials and will realise that they don’t need clothes all the time.” Chloe Collins Drapers (2020). This outcome is similar to the roaring 20’s outcome in that people’s values have been reassessed, however the results of what people have learnt is the opposite. Due to people being more limited in their disposable incomes because of the lack of jobs, “employers are planning double the redundancies as the last recession.” WGSN (2020), people have been utilising money more and only buying what they need and have therefore learnt
to live without a constant stream of new clothes. Challenging this is the proposal that “Consumer culture is too engrained for this crisis to make too much of a difference.”- Drapers (2020)