The answer is yes! There’s never been a better time to start your own clothing brand, especially loungewear, activewear and leisure wear.
As Michael Jordan said “you can always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.”
Not convinced yet?
According to Fashion United, one in five adults have launched their own enterprise since the start of March and one in two people say they are going to support small businesses more. There has never been as much support for small businesses than now. Before it was hard to be heard amongst all the big players, but now people are choosing to notice smaller brands more and more.
Just think about it… people can’t go out to the shops so where do they turn to? Online! There’s so much potential with an online clothing business, you’ve just got to know how to utilise the resources.
Social media also really comes to play here and can make a big impact on your business engagement and reach. Not only is it a great platform to stay connected with friends and relatives, but brands can stay connected with their customers. According to Magzter, “there has been a 70 percent increase in internet time and 60 percent spike in engagement across various social media platforms”. Your digital presence is more important than ever.
What should you make?
It comes to no surprise that comfort and casual wear is at an all time high right now. But the question is how do you make yourself unique? Medium says that “70% of all sleep apparel retails on the mass market, but only 5% in the luxury section”. So, it seems there is a gap in the market for luxury loungewear.
Activewear is also a rising star in the fashion industry as consumers prioritise being comfortable and prefer to wear more practical clothing. Working from home and home workouts all have a part to play in this increase as well. It's always important to take into account the current lifestyle of your consumers; there's no point trying to sell occasion wear when there are no occasions to attend.
Plus, January is fast approaching and everyone knows that health and fitness is a hot topic at the beginning of every year. We are hopeful that lockdown restrictions will have eased by then and gyms will be able to reopen. But even if this is not the case, activewear will still be in high demand to battle the post-christmas lull and get back on the health wagon.
Sustainability rules the roost
COVID-19 has taught us a lot of things and one of those is to reflect; reflect on your life, your own habits and behaviours. This has caused a shift in consumer’s mindsets as Business Insider states “a good product is no longer enough to win a consumer’s favour. Shoppers want more than just quality, often looking for brands that align with their personal values.” The fashion industry doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to being sustainable and with the increase of people taking an interest into the way brands operate, sustainability has become a must and no longer an option. So, when creating your clothing collection it's important to consider the chain of sustainability, including how, where and who will be making your clothes, what fabrics are used and how will they be packaged and delivered.
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