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Leaders of the luxury fashion industry are turning to digital e-commerce and virtual shows to sell designer wear in ways that have never been attempted before

- NAANDIKA TRIPATHI & NAINI THAKER

Just like the radiant brides from our favourite rom-com movies, Natasha Gaur wanted all eyes to be on her during her wedding in Mumbai. Preparations started four months in advance, and finding the right trousseau was a crucial part of the plan. The Covid-19 outbreak, however, put the brakes on the London resident’s intentions of combing through boutiques in India on an elaborate wedding shopping spree. Instead, Gaur (name changed) found herself having four-hour-long Zoom video calls with Rahul Mishra, the couturier she had chosen to design her outfit for the big day, tentatively scheduled in early December.

While she missed trying out outfits at the boutique, the 30-year-old was excited about taking the process online, which she found to be unique. Mishra had an idea about what exactly Gaur wanted, so the online appointments were focussed, productive and well-coordinated. “Rahul and his team made me feel so comfortable over the Zoom call. It was interesting, because we weren’t relying on anything visually in front of us in the store, and had to use our creativity and dive into the archives to make something special,” she recalls.

The leaders of India’s high-powered luxury fashion world, like many entrepreneurs across industries, have also turned to the digital ecosystem for a revenue-generation plan that would help them adapt to the changing realities of doing business during a pandemic. Covid-19 has been a leveller in the sense that it has also resulted in shows—the exclusive, by-invite, high-profile events of the fashion calendar—going completely online. Labels of some of the country’s most-admired designers are now sporting an e-store avatar, even as boutiques re-open.