The fashion industry is one that goes through regular change and a desire to deliver on changing expectations from consumers, and are quick to make adjustments to a changing priority – for a number of years, those in the Middle East and across Asia have undergone this change as ready-to-wear fashion is growing in popularity – whether this is more traditional options like kurtas for women undergoing big Black Friday deals or for more focussed western wear, but what is leading the change and is it a sustainable adjustment?
These regions are more well known for couture styled garments that are more fit for the red carpet than the workplace, but off the rack, designers are starting to find a way to penetrate this market as locally made ready-to-wear fashion could look to see a huge increase year on year, the change comes as those who would previously seek out tailored and custom made clothing are turning to affordable everyday clothing to support a shift into the workforce where something more durable and less expensive is required – and something that can suit the needs of a younger audience too looking to embrace their roots.
This change may also come with growing interest in westerners looking to explore different cultures and fashion has always been a great way to do so – images emerging of Instagram of those wearing traditionally eastern clothing and sharing the excitement to doing so, and content creators showing exciting parts of culture that may have been missed by those not ordinarily seeking them out – given a lot of the ready-to-wear products are still very well detailed almost handmade look that continues to deliver on the same aesthetic that had been more common in the more couture fashion.
It has also been of great help that the growing interest is leading to more infrastructure for partners to produce high-quality ready-to-wear garments and are able to do so at a lower price point too – some more traditional clothing had typically come at a much higher price, and this has led to a much more accessible fashion choice too.
It’s a very exciting period of change and one that will take some time to get up to speed, but with the change only occurring in the past few years, there are still some growing pains to be seen too. It has been suggested that in many ways, regional fashion for these newer options particularly in the East are still in their infancy, so those looking to find a unique opportunity ought to invest early to reap the benefits.
