Pyjamas off, power suits in: Clothing and cosmetics sellers win as Indians go back to the office

• India’s top cosmetics, clothing and jewelry brands have witnessed a surge in sales as office work increases.
  
• Online store brand Myntra said that the most popular work clothes for Indians are kurtas and formal shirts.
  
• There was an increase in blings and cosmetics after the pandemic, leading retail brands revealed.

Crisp white shirts, blazers and even kurtas are selling like hot cakes now that Indians are back to work and have no intention of recycling their last season formal wardrobe.

Aditya Birla Mode according to a report by Motilal Oswal, benefited from the trend as formal workwear accounted for more than 45% of total sales in the first quarter of this year.

Even if the festive theme takes over most purchases in the coming months, the company expects growth in formal wear to continue, the report said.

Clothing retailer Myntra also told https://londonbusinessblog.com/ India that it has seen an increase in formal shirts and trousers, dresses, ties, blazers and even shoes in recent months. In the first half of the year, the segment has grown tenfold since the first half of 2018.

“Some of the popular brands on the workwear platform include Allen Solly, Mango, Louis Phillipe, H&M, Dressberry, Arrow and Van Heusensaid Sharon Pais, chief business officer at Myntra.

Lipstick with my kurta

To match these clothes, office visitors buy more makeup. The government’s relaxation of standards requiring people to wear masks everywhere has helped the trend.

Good Glamm group‘s online cosmetics retail brand MyGlamm has seen its sales in various segments rise seven times this year. The product that is among the fastest-selling products is the long-lasting LIT Liquid Matte Lipstick, perfect for office visitors.

“Customers are looking for multifunctional, high efficiency, budget-friendly and sustainable products. Our luxury range, Manish Malhotra Beauty by MyGlamm, has also seen sales increase 4x,” said Sukhleen Aneja, CEO, Good Brands Co, The Good Glamm group.

Luxury & bling

Myntra also said that her customers now spend on luxury beauty products because they like to look their best when they leave their home.

“The luxury beauty segment has been popular among beauty buyers with brands such as MAC, DysonArmani Beauty, GK Hair, Benefit Cosmetics, CK and Laneige are leading the way with a staggering fivefold growth in segment demand,” said Myntra’s Pais.

Good Glamm Group’s Aneja said buying trends during the pandemic were erratic, but lipstick sales were high, even when people were religiously hiding.

“While we expected lipstick sales to decline during the pandemic, they were unaffected. We saw an increase in eye makeup products. While there is a lot of demand for cosmetics and skin care after the pandemic,” says Aneja.

The need to shine when they step out is also helping the growth of jewelry sales.

“Wristwear has gained prominence and there is traction in higher-priced rings and bracelets. Earrings have also emerged as a viable option, aside from studs, which are especially preferred by the younger generation,” said Avnish Anand, co-author founder and COO of CaratLane, an online and offline jeweler.

SEE ALSO: Sequoia Capital sells 2% of its stake in Zomato

IBC cases still below FY20 levels – India Inc ‘comfortably placed’ according to report