Designer Apparel and Footwear (Ready-To-Wear) in the United Arab Emirates

2020 IMPACT

COVID-19 lockdown hits sales hard in designer apparel and footwear (ready-to-wear)

Designer apparel and footwear (ready-to-wear) suffered severe losses in 2020 due to the national lockdown in the UAE and the widespread closure of stores around the country. Designer apparel and footwear (ready-to-wear) stores reopened in June in the UAE but continued to suffer lower sales than the pre-COVID-19 period.

E-commerce steps up to mitigate losses from store closures

Companies in designer apparel and footwear (ready-to-wear) turned overwhelmingly towards digitalisation and e-commerce channels during the national lockdown. The presence of e-commerce in the category increased considerably in 2020 as consumers were unable to visit shops in person as a result of national lockdown measures and were also more inclined towards contact-free shopping experiences such as online shopping.

COVID-19 fashion hits the streets as luxury fashion houses launch branded face masks

Luxury fashion houses adapted to the COVID-19 outbreak in the UAE in 2020 by launching designer face masks. Burberry was the first to launch its own branded face mask which retailed for USD120 globally and AED470 and was widely available online via the brand’s website as an online exclusive.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Face mask trend to gain further traction in the coming years

More brands are expected launch designer face masks in the coming years, building on the success of the earlier examples that emerged in 2020. Despite the fact that vaccines are now on the horizon, face masks are expected to remain prevalent in the UAE and around the world in 2021, and so designer face masks are expected to become more common in the coming years.

Brands turn to sustainable designer apparel and footwear (ready-to-wear)

In the coming years, sustainability is expected to become more important to both companies and consumers in designer apparel and footwear (ready-to-wear). This includes the emerging trend of ‘shopping for a cause’ which sees consumers seeking for more sustainable or socially responsible products or brands.

Companies look forward to the light at the end of the tunnel where COVID-19 is concerned

The end of the pandemic and the prospect of vaccines on the horizon will be the main driver of the category’s recovery in the forecast period. As consumers are able to move around more freely, not only will tourists return to the UAE, boosting sales from international consumers, but an end of social distancing will also see the return of social gatherings and events.