The shift to digital helps local fashion brands survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic

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The shift to digital helps local fashion brands survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Local fashion brands have a unique chance to grow their business during the COVID-19 recovery, according to RMIT experts.

Two RMIT University academics recently spoke at a panel discussion about developing a genuine local brand in a post COVID-19 world.

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Two RMIT University academics (from left and second from right) spoke at a recent panel discussion about developing a genuine local brand in a post COVID-19 world.

RMIT University Fashion Program Manager Dr Nina Yiu showed that the COVID-19 pandemic challenged many businesses, especially those that had become comfortable running their operations same way they had always done in the past. She argued that the future of shopping is online, and business must adapt.

“The COVID-19 pandemic forced a number of physical locations to remain closed and shift their focus to online operations," Dr Yiu said.

“J.P.Morgan has predicted that the number of social network users in Vietnam is set to rise to 50.9 million throughout 2021, compared to 43.8 million in 2017, and mobile commerce is set to rise in Vietnam to $10.2 billion by 2023, at an annual growth rate of 18.6%.”

In a recent survey among urban Vietnamese citizens, over 87 % of respondents stated that they have made transactions using e-payment methods and identified clothing as one of the most popular e-commerce items.

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RMIT University Fashion Program Manager Dr Nina Yiu said that local fashion brands can take advantage of the advent of new technology in digital prototyping, image generation, and other related digital forms of output.

Many companies have recognised that more people are comfortable using online platforms to purchase clothes and keep up to date with fashion trends. To stay relevant and increase sales, companies must adapt their operations to meet these new digital demands.

“Fashion start-ups can reach potential customers online without the need for a large investment, and Vietnam is already accustomed to ordering almost anything online and having it delivered to the customers’ door,” Dr Yiu said.

“They can also take advantage of the advent of new technology in digital prototyping, image generation, and other related digital forms of output.”

While the pandemic is deeply worrying for people and disruptive for most organisations, experts say there has been an opportunity for the young industry to review their business models and identify approaches to reach more customers.

“Local brands also need to diversify their products and markets and not rely on one line (product category) to carry their business,” Dr Yiu said.

“Local brands in Vietnam should understand their targeted customers, their niche markets and implement strategies to keep loyal customers as well as understand what the profit margin is before setting the retail price or applying any discount promotion," Dr Yiu emphasised.

A shift in mindset is required for any businesses, especially in the fashion industry.

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RMIT Design Studies Associate Lecturer Patrick Ford (middle) suggested digital direct-to-garment (DTG) printing for producing small quantities.

RMIT Design Studies Associate Lecturer Patrick Ford suggested an innovative process through direct-to-garment (DTG) printing.

“DTG is not only economically attractive but also represents a move towards a more sustainable approach to production in small quantities,” Mr Ford said.

“Local fashion start-ups can now produce in-house and in small quantities with digital DTG printing in the development of their products without outsourcing the fabric printing to another company,” he said.

“It is not simply a machine for outputting finished products but can also be used as a component of the overall product design development, thus allowing different iterations of the design to be seen and evaluated almost instantly."

Both experts highlighted important recommendations for young entrepreneurs in the fashion industry to consider during the COVID-19 recovery period.

Have a clear strategy and work within your means,
Define and focus on your own unique identity such as embedding your own story and personality into your products,
Believe in yourself and develop your own concepts that arise from topics and areas that are meaningful for you,
Do not rely on a fixed set of items and forget to maintain your product development. Always be thinking about what comes next,
Move away from limited life-span products,
Consider fabrication techniques and issues like fabric waste management,
Do not be afraid to fail because you can learn from mistakes.

As part of the event titled “Growing Your Apparel Business with DTG 2021”, the roundtable included experts in fashion, apparel and technology solutions.

Story: Thuy Le

Communication and design

17 May 2021

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