Why are more Indian designers switching from a bespoke business model to an e-commerce platform?

The country’s e-commerce sector is booming and bespoke designers want a piece of that pie too 

Not to get existential, but it’s been over two years since the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world, and its effects are still seen in the way we view various aspects of life, which happened to be completely different before the pandemic struck. This includes the way we shop now. Pre-pandemic, going to a store and trying out new clothes before buying one or two pieces we liked was the norm–an experience that required time and effort on our part. Fast forward to today where you can get anything at your doorstep with just a tap on your phone and can return the items you don’t like even faster.

What the pandemic did was that it prompted retailers and consumers to pivot to the digital retail model, as the consumer’s expectations and behaviours shifted from physically going to shops to choosing their products of choice. According to a report by Statista, the size of the online fashion market in 2020 was about $11 billion dollars in the direct-to-consumer sector in India. It is predicted to increase approximately to $43 billion by 2025. With the influx of international fast fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Mango and Vero Moda making the most of development, Indian e-commerce retailers like Myntra and Nykaa are working hard to connect these brands with consumers through their respective online platforms.

As the world moves to shopping from their phones, where does this leave the designers who make a living through a made-to-measure business model? We spoke to designers in India who are transitioning their business from a custom-tailoring, bespoke way of operations to an online retail model.

Need for a shift

The convenience of shopping from any brand through your phone while simply sitting in your bed is undeniable. With platforms like Tata Cliq and Ajio battling for consumers’ attention by on-boarding more domestic and international brands to their platforms, monthly discounts and flash sales make it more attractive and viable for consumers to purchase items and receive them in a few days, instead of getting a made-to-measure outfit from a designer, which could easily take a few weeks.

“Online shopping has become our reality. I think we all are running against time, packing in a lot within a day. So is the case with retail as well–we need to shop on the go especially for essentials and easy-to-wear clothing,” says designer Anand Kabra, who, although currently retails through Pernia’s Pop-up Shop, a multi-designer retail platform, is working towards building an e-commerce website. Baani Sachdev and Nikita Jain, the duo behind custom-made ready-to-wear label E.Z.R.A, recognise this shift as the new way to preserve their brand loyalty. “Post COVID-19, a lot of people have moved to online shopping, which we, as a brand, need to now cater to. The idea of having an online retail store is to give our brand a digital and an ethical recognition. It’s about reaching a larger audience and trying to give the essence of in-store shopping to our online shoppers,” says the duo.

Switching to an online retail model has its own set of advantages, as bespoke menswear designer Govinda Mehta points out. “Fundamentally, the need to move to a read-to-wear line through an online business is because we believe we have a lot more that we can offer. But there are limited hours in a day in terms of how many people we can meet. Through an online ready-to-wear line, I’m able to communicate my signature taste that can be accessible to a larger number of people, as opposed to a limited few who choose to explore the concept of one-on-one consultation. It will also help me monetise my time better,” explains the designer.

The reality of setting up an e-commerce business

According to Capgemini Research Institute’s recent report on ‘What Matters to Today’s Consumer,’ boomers are the most likely to interact in-store (76 per cent), and Gen Z the least likely (66 per cent). So while the future of retail lies in digitalisation, shifting a whole business model comes with its own set of challenges. “Having a bespoke, made-to-measure model means that you are offering your clients a wholesome shopping service and an experience. Now to have that same service and experience translated on our online retail store has its limitations. The kind of communication and assistance that we carry out in person can obviously not be as detail-oriented online,” reveal Sachdev and Jain.

Kabra, too, acknowledges that building his own online retail platform is a different ball game altogether. “It’s not about switching the business model but adding to the existing business. In an online format, clothing needs to be price sensitive, easy to understand and most importantly, needs to grab one’s attention within seconds. It needs to convey design through a visual medium as there is no tactility. The biggest change in thought would be to work backwards, to determine price points for an item of clothing and then get down to convincing design; the design philosophy has to change without compromising on the essence of the label,” he explains.

The test also lies in keeping a vast amount of stock ready when it comes to building an online presence, the logistics of which Mehta points towards. “The biggest challenge is the change in mindset. You have to be able to understand the kind of volume, inventory, stock and price points that go into it. The challenge is to create higher perceived value products at fairer price points,” he says. “I think the whole concept is driven by how we can be more commercially practical to service the retail brick-and-mortar sort of format so that we can reach out to a wider audience,” Mehta adds.

The reality is that with the Indian government aiming to create a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2025 (according to a 2022report by Statista), how do bespoke designers get their share of the pie without fighting dirty in this cut-throat segment of e-commerce?

Navigating an overly competitive sector

Digitalisation has made it easier for consumers, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, to have access to a wide range of domestic and international brands that previously would not have been possible with a brick-and-mortar model. Even platforms like Nete and Ikkivi are making smaller and sustainable brands easily available to a wide demographic across India, many of whom offer their consumers 24/7 assistance, chatbots and other AI technologies to make their purchase experience seamless. In this hyper-competitive space of e-commerce, how can a brand attain their customers’ loyalty? For Kabra, the answer lies in building awareness. “I want to sell luxury, a lifestyle–not just clothing. In order to do so, we need to create an awareness about the brand philosophy, educate the consumer on what makes the product unique (from a price point of view) and then to create clothing that caters to their needs,” he explains.

Meanwhile, for Jain and Sachdev, it’s about nailing that sweet spot between online and offline services that they can offer to their loyal clients. “Yes, digital is taking over the world, but as a brand, each of us have our own USP and the idea is to never move away from that. It’s more about knowing your audience and their needs. Our brand will definitely have a well-integrated language of communication to make the shopping more seamless,” the duo concludes. 

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