Fibre2Fashion Magazine June 2018 June 2018

due to the sheer multi-functionality of products. This in turn provides an opportunity to manufacturers to experiment with fabrics, prints and designs. Growth in man-made fibres such as modal is also a contributing factor to the growth of loungewear. Global brands such as GAP, Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein have already made headway into this category. Thermals: Another booming category is that of thermals, with many domestic and international brands already diversifying into this hitherto-ignored bracket. Some of the key players in thermals are Monte Carlo, Jockey, Rupa, Hanes and Dixcy. Van Heusen and other premium brands have also launched thermals and men’s innerwear, and are actively promoting it on digital and in print media. Small players too exist, but only cater to local area requirements. Sleepwear could well turn out to be the jack in the box. That’s certainly what the founder of PrettySecrets indicates, “We are currently experiencing enormous growth in the sleepwear segment. Our sleepwear collection is unique compared to any other product in the market. Our collection consists of distinctive prints that are fun and quirky. These are developed in-house by a highly experienced design team. We offer the widest catalogue of sleepwear in the market; our products are available at affordable price points and are value for money. We also offer products for all sizes, XS to XXL.” Retailing is one of the most important sectors of the economy, contributing 20 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country. The Indian retail market is among the top five in the world and is expected to touch $2 trillion by 2025. The Union government’s decision to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail has been a much- needed boost for the sector with several international players rushing headlong into the beguiling Indian market. Apart from the conventional brick- and-mortar retail, the click-and-mortar retail more commonly known as online retail, or e-tail, is also on a high-growth trajectory courtesy the ongoing digital revolution in the country. 56 | FIBRE 2 FASHION JUNE 2018 Next to Skin The very essence of intimatewear has been changing, particularly over the last two decades. Even in the late 1990s, an overwhelming 90 per cent of innerwear would be made from 100 per cent cotton-woven non-stretch fabrics. The market was highly fragmented and dominated by relatively- inconsequential brands from the unorganised sector. Countless multibrand outlets dotted the rugged innerwear terrain till even the late 1990s. And then came the influx of premium international brands, and growth of their indigenous cousins. The inevitable shift in fabrics too started early this century, and in the first f

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