Overview of Women Indian Ethnic Wear Market

The current market share of sarees and ethnic wear stands at Rs. 31,000 crore and is projected to grow at 10 per cent to reach Rs.45,000 crore in 2014.

Growth Drivers

Traditional ethnic wear in India comprises primarily of sarees and salwar kameez and dupatta (SKD) and other regional attire. There are a number of factors that act as a catalyst for the growth of ethnic wear:

Increasing female workforce

In the era of 21st century, education has spread throughout the world and so in India. This has resulted in an increase in the number of educated women which in turn has increased the female workforce. The majority 

of India’s female workforce still prefers to wear the traditional Indian SKD to work. This boom in the service industry has resulted in an increase in the size of the female workforce from 5 million in 2001 to 7–10 million 

in 2010. Therefore, the size of the market for women’s Indian wear has increased and is likely to do so in the future as well.

Personalised designs and styles

In comparison to the western wear, the Indian wear still gives a lot of flexibility in terms of getting personalized designs, cuts and styles made. Majorly the western wear falls in the ready to wear category and the designs and styles are restricted to the available stock with the shopkeepers whereas the Indian ethnic wear is generally tuned to one’s preference specifically design sensibility and fitting.

Traditional occasions and festivals

Traditional occasions like marriages, family functions and festivals are the part of life of an Indian family. On such occasions, Indian wear is still the most preferred choice for most of the women. Majority of women still 

has a large collection of ethnic wear in their wardrobe for various occasions. The purchasing power and the willingness to spend have played a big role in increasing the varied collection in the wardrobe of Indian 

women giving her a flavour of different traditional and contemporary designs.

Current Market Scenario

The current Indian ethnic wear market is highly unorganized with a few branded players operating primarily in metropolitan cities. The organised sector has players like W, Biba, Fabindia, Tacfab, Hakoba, Prafful, Vipul, etc. catering to the low to mid segment. Satya Paul, Anokhi, Meena Bazaar, CTC cater to the premium and super The Indian sarees have never lost its grace, beauty and elegance. This beautiful fashion attire has spanned ages in India, and still exists as the quintessential element in every Indian woman’s wardrobe. The saree in India has constantly changed in looks, designs, styles and fabrics from generation to generation. These sarees are adorned with various embellishments like mirror work, zari, embroidery, zardosi, kundan, pearl work, etc. Inspite of the above modern works, the traditional regional sarees like bandhej, banarasi, patola, kanjeevaram, kantha, phulkari, chikan, etc. are still popular. 

Very popular and widespread Indian attire is the salwar kameez. The changing face of SKD is perhaps the biggest success of this category through the fusion of fabrics, prints, styling and fits. More and more women prefer to wear the Salwar kameez because it is more convenient. This has given boost to the Indian salwar kameez industry too.

Challenges for Ethnic Wear

In spite of the growth factors in the sector, there are a few challenges that market players need to be aware of before entering the market.

A good fit is essential

The good fit is one of the major characteristics for any dress. Indian women body sizes vary a lot across different age groups and regions. For example, North-eastern women are comparatively slimmer than women in north Indian states like Punjab or Haryana. A proper fit of ethnic wear is very important to suit customer requirements across segments. Feasible research on the target segment, well-trained designers and other local 

requirements need to be addressed. Across diverse regions no unified fashion India has rich and varied textile heritage. Each region of India has its own unique native costume and traditional attire and accessories. One 

has to be very careful of the trends prevalent in different regions. A country of India’s size and diversity poses a challenge. Designers and market players must understand all these varied trends and come out with a line of desired products.

Given its flexibility, comfort and traditional appeal, Indian ethnic attire is very much in demand and the market for it poised to grow. Organised players and designers can tap into a lot of opportunities by coming out with a fusion of basic, traditional yet modern styles. Brands can revive age-old prints and traditional/regional apparel further to meet the growing demand from both national and international clients.

Understand the market

The global scene across India shows that the fashion adaption is as diverse as the culture across the country. Indians like to experiment and fuse western wear with Indian designer clothing, adapt western wear with Indian designer clothing, adapt western trends and indianize them as per local trends, they look at film celebrities and designers for inspiration. This factor makes the Indian market all the more complex to understand and dwell in.

Competition from unorganised market

Since the organised market for Indian ethnic wear is still not very big, there is direct competition from the large unorganised sector. Most offerings come from regional stores in different localities, as they are better able to sell products to meet customers’ requirements. 

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