Why are designers shutting shop in malls?
Competition from high-street brands and ready-to-wear collections are throwing designer stores off gear
Setting shop in high-end malls have more often than not helped fashion designers gain brand visibility. However, it now seems that the dream run for designer stores located inside plush malls is on a downhill, as several designers are shutting such stores.
Designer Shantanu Mehra is one of the many, who had to shut his store at a city mall. When asked why high-end designer wear stores are unable to survive in malls, he explains, "We shut the store due to fallout with the franchise owner. But yes, the sales also aren't as good in malls where there are plenty of ready-wear and high-street brands available. The customers who come to shop for ready-to-wear have different preferences than that of those who walk in to designer wear exclusive stores. Besides, the concept of luxury mall has really not picked up in India. Therefore, stand-alone stores are the best bet as they cater to the niche audience looking for designer wear."
Fashion experts too echo the same. "One opens an outlet in a mall in order to enlarge their customer base. But the quality of clients makes all the difference to survive in a mall culture. It's only during festivals that one may register some sales, but they are still negligible because of the high rentals one pays for the space. So in the long run it amounts to losses leading to designers shutting shop. Many designers like JJ Valaya, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Shantanu and Nikhil, Ranna Gill among others have already moved out of malls," reveals a designer.
Veteran designer James Ferreira adds that the shortsighted business sense of the designers led to this situation. "In a mall, especially in India, people hang out and shop for daily wear fashion, which is basically more prêt. If a designer wants to cater to the masses, then the designer should have prêt lines to sell. For instance, a Ritu Kumar prêt line will do better in a mall than her couture lines."
However, designer Vikram Phadnis feels that mall or no mall, good designs can survive anywhere. "I have a stand alone store in Mumbai and a store in a mall in Delhi. So I don't think that designer wear can't retail from malls. It's just that good designs at a good price point will always sell no matter what," he says.
Competition from high-street brands and ready-to-wear collections are throwing designer stores off gear
Setting shop in high-end malls have more often than not helped fashion designers gain brand visibility. However, it now seems that the dream run for designer stores located inside plush malls is on a downhill, as several designers are shutting such stores.
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Designer Shantanu Mehra is one of the many, who had to shut his store at a city mall. When asked why high-end designer wear stores are unable to survive in malls, he explains, "We shut the store due to fallout with the franchise owner. But yes, the sales also aren't as good in malls where there are plenty of ready-wear and high-street brands available. The customers who come to shop for ready-to-wear have different preferences than that of those who walk in to designer wear exclusive stores. Besides, the concept of luxury mall has really not picked up in India. Therefore, stand-alone stores are the best bet as they cater to the niche audience looking for designer wear."
Fashion experts too echo the same. "One opens an outlet in a mall in order to enlarge their customer base. But the quality of clients makes all the difference to survive in a mall culture. It's only during festivals that one may register some sales, but they are still negligible because of the high rentals one pays for the space. So in the long run it amounts to losses leading to designers shutting shop. Many designers like JJ Valaya, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Shantanu and Nikhil, Ranna Gill among others have already moved out of malls," reveals a designer.
Veteran designer James Ferreira adds that the shortsighted business sense of the designers led to this situation. "In a mall, especially in India, people hang out and shop for daily wear fashion, which is basically more prêt. If a designer wants to cater to the masses, then the designer should have prêt lines to sell. For instance, a Ritu Kumar prêt line will do better in a mall than her couture lines."
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However, designer Vikram Phadnis feels that mall or no mall, good designs can survive anywhere. "I have a stand alone store in Mumbai and a store in a mall in Delhi. So I don't think that designer wear can't retail from malls. It's just that good designs at a good price point will always sell no matter what," he says.
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