Even as fashion titans like Louis Vuitton

A la ModeSome designers say dressier days are on the horizon as people would want to spread cheer and positive vibes.Beleaguered WorkforceIndia has an estimated 16 million crafts-people working in the textile industry.Neil PateThe coronavirus crisis has crumpled the social fabric of our lives and the fashion industry like. It will also help support the rural artisans and handloom communities," says Nishit. And watch!Fashion historians point out that people changed their dressing style after the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the Great Depression and World War II. "I will also simplify the couture. She is certain that people will stick to affordable and sustainable clothes. Jeans, joggers and leggings are also in demand. Perhaps need-based sustainable dressing is the glamour we’ve been missing!.With retailers and clothing units shutting shop, and millions of workers scrambling to make ends meet, nobody frankly knows the future of fashion or the new ‘quarantrends’. Experts say need-based sustainable fashion will rule."We are all saddled with unsold merchandise.Today, thousands of craftsmen are without work. "The fashion industry in the western world has been there for over 100-150 years. Customers are still hesitant to enter malls and shops to buy clothes although there has been a spike in online shopping.Ritu Kumar is certain that fast fashion will be out. The Fashion Design Council of India has already announced a Covid-19 Support Fund for small businesses and young designers in need. Mirror lehengas, organza skirts, pre-stitched sarees, necklet gowns, dhoti-crop tops in handwoven fabrics and hand-done embroideries with traditional textile techniques will trend. The kurta will be the much-favoured choice for men and women," she says. A majority of them in rural areas and are involved in the most intricate work like weaving, embroidery and creation of embellishments etc. Some opine dull and somber attire goes with the current mood.The only ‘In thing’ right now are protective masks.She hopes the fashion sector will become more responsible and sustainable. It is low on maintenance too. Yet, a few others are optimistic of the easy-on-the-eye-and-pocket florals. Now, there will be a trend of need-based buying. Customers order online.No Big Spenders Designer Rina Dhaka feels it is impossible to quantify the losses since it is interlinked from retail giants to exporters to the migrant workers. Men usually spend on branded shirts and trousers.With retailers and clothing units shutting shop, and millions of workers scrambling to make ends meet, nobody frankly knows the future of fashion. The pandemic has brought about an "unprecedented" crisis. Make Every Outfit CountToday, millions of people are either out of work or have taken pay cuts."If you view forecasts, by next year from a slated -4% drop this year in the GDP, we may be able to achieve a China Pink 50D plain weave polyester stretch fabric Company growth of 4% in 2021, provided we take control of the production and job creation by being self sufficient," says Bahaar Dhawan Rohatgi, a Delhi-based lawyer-cum-visual artist and influencer.Now, it will take plenty of pluck to re-fashion one’s business model and pull through the mess. Nishit Gupta, director of KALKI says people are tired of this panic mode. The recession has forced people to set their priorities and rethink their spending. This month, I managed to sell kurtis, dresses and skirts online in my housing society itself. The ‘new normal’ will make us slow down, and reinvent how we view consumption and production. "Work is a struggle and one is trying to get up again," she says. With weddings now becoming more intimate, smaller in size, the fusion trends will find favour with both brides and bridesmaids." Kumar is optimistic that people will bounce back. You may nod and naff in equal measure, but it looks like Back to Basics!Ritu Kumar, the doyenne of Indian fashion industry, who began her career in 1969 with just four hand block printers and two tables in a small village near Calcutta (now Kolkata), says that there were recessionary trends in the fashion industry even before the pandemic. "In India, people purchase clothes for functions and festivals (Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Baisakhi) unlike the west where the fashion ramp is dictated by changing seasons and colours."However, Kumar feels the saree, kurta and kurtis will make a comeback to beat the corona blues. But now people will move towards ethnic wear."I hope aficionados will promote products that employ environmental-friendly, fair practices, minimise waste and boast functionality.

Even as fashion titans like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and some Indian designers are casting their bread upon the waters to create safe and sustainable clothing (including PPE), the most that we can do is wait. "I’m making kalamkari masks from the leftover fabrics," Jugnu adds. The mask is here to stay for a long time.She adds that you cannot compare the Indian fashion industry to the international ones.After the pandemic, Rina plans to move back to crafts, wovens and sustainable models of fashion.These craftsmen have mastered their craft over centuries and passed it on from one generation to the other. Whether you step out to run errands or go for a jog. I won’t be surprised if we are pushed back by another 20 years," says Kumar, whose understanding of ancient Indian designs, traditional crafts and Indian fashion market is unmatched.Jugnu Gosrani, a Mumbai-based designer, who creates free-spirited clothes, says all her sales are online. "We will have to focus on ‘Make in India’ to pull through this crisis," she says. "A saree suits all occasions.The pandemic shockwaves have hit every industry. Be it the way we address our financial goals or the way we dress.The online market of second-hand and recycled clothes, shoes and accessories has already seen a spike. Grapevine from the fashion circuit tells us that nearly four designers and their loved ones have had a close brush with the virus. Earlier, designers had to run the gauntlet of TV cameras and fashion photographers."Business had slowed down after demonetisation. Maybe more as singles or separates to make the spending easier," she says. We may witness a tipping point where designers will be drawn to celebrate austerity, emphasising a classless society (remember post war ‘Austerity Britain drive’ in the 1940s) signifying affordability, access to leisure, health, value life and maintaining balance," says Bahaar. The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic is no exception. I leave the outfit outside their door in a sealed plastic bag," explains Jugnu. The Indian fashion industry has been around for only 30-40 years."Fashion trends will vary as the world slowly emerges from the global quarantine