Summary
Indian women's wear industry is a lucrative one to explore. In terms of value, this industry has been estimated to be of size around $4bn with an annual growth rate of around 9%. Earlier, the market was almost completely in the hands of the unorganized sector. In the organized sector, it had very few branded players like Allen Solly, Raymond and Indus League. To fill up this sizeable vacuum and avail the growth opportunity, marketers need to know the emerging dynamics of Indian women's mindset. Keeping this requirement in mind, the present study has been so organized as to know from a survey work how the dress preferences are associated with the lifestyle and age and whether there is any change in the style and culture of Indian women. The analysis has revealed that dress preference is, in fact, positively associated with lifestyle and age. Further, it has been noticed that there is some degree of democratization in dress preference. It has also been observed that preference for casual dress is having significant locational effect. These findings have led us to suggest some changes in the current strategy of the existing players of women's wear industry. These changes may benefit the existing players of this industry for their future corporate planning. It may also help the new entrants in knowing the consumers better and for enjoying the competitive advantage.
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Extract
Changes in Women's Dress Preference: An in-Depth Study Based On Lifestyle and Age
INVITATION TO WOMEN'S WEAR
INDIAN WOMEN'S WEAR INDUSTRYEven in the western countries, during 1950s fashion had been the prerogative of the rich. For rich women, it was both a pointer of financial strength and social rank, and a face of femininity. Only the wealthy women could afford to frequently change their dress style. But during 1970s American women and their European counterparts started participating in fashion race irrespective of their financial conditions (Walsh, 1979). That fashion race led to democratization of dress style for women. In India, there is always a lag response. But in the near future the level of democratization in women's dress and style may attain the same height as in the west. Thus, Indian women's wear industry is an interesting area to be studied. Especially, it is still in the evolving stage and can be shaped strategically. Also, it deserves a close attention from industrialists and researchers because of limited information available on players operating in the unorganized sector of this industry.In fact, world over, the readymade garment industry is characterized by fragmentation and the scene is not at all different in India too. The fragmented Indian apparel sector has an estimated 27,000 domestic manufacturers, 48,000 fabricators (job contractors) and around 1000 manufacturer-exporters. Figures quoted are more of the industry estimates rather than of any organized research. (Narang, 2006). So there is a need for conducting organized research...See the full content of this document
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