After a tough year where consumers seem to want nothing but sweatpants and sneakers, cocktail dresses and heels are suddenly back in the game. Evening clutches, bodycon dresses and jewelry are already selling at a faster rate than last year, according to Edited, a retail analytic firm. This is obviously because millions of people on the planet have already received their vaccine against Covid-19 (or soon will) and are preparing their return to their pre-pandemic life. Many designers have seen their numbers increased in the past few months, like Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Bottega Veneta.
Many designers have shifted towards a new way of doing business too, like recycling their previous collection fabrics to create new designs. For example Loewe the world renown Spanish House and its designer JW Anderson, started using their colored leather from previous years to create amazing crafty handbags. Erdem, the British designer used previous collection fabrics to create a totally new collection and face masks for his clientele. French fashion Maison Hermès, also created, in collaboration with MycoWorks, a vegan leather made with mushroom to imitate the properties of leather. The mycelium is grown in labs then treated and shaped by Hermès craftspeople. There is definitely a shift in the luxury market as most consumers are changing their spending habits and these fashion giants want their piece of the cake.
I also predict a raise in the kind of service that I offer (personal shopping) and many large brick and mortar luxury retailers think that as well. I had a chat with the VP of Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, a Canadian luxury chain last week, and they are converting their top floors into shopping suites for a private shopping experience. You'll be able to make a selection on their website and the concierge or a stylist will bring the goods to one of these suites for you to try. Montreal based online retailer SSENSE, already does that in their one-and-only store. An appointment is required to purchase anything. I'm pretty sure many other retailers around the globe will do that as well. I feel like people won't want to be in big crowds to shop, especially for luxury. They'll want items pre-selected for them, in their size, and show up at a specific date and time to try and purchase their favorite brands.
I've been offering this service (and more) for many years already. My mission is to help my clients just as an assistant would help them at work, but for everything related to their image and how they dress. In my opinion, it would make sense that everybody would have a stylist to make sure that their wardrobe aligns with their style and lifestyle wether it is for trips, dinners, events, or even zoom calls. Your image should not be an afterthought, and a stylist always make sure that even though you may not want to focus on it, you are always on the top of your game.
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