With the upcoming festival and wedding season as events have gradually turned low key due to the ongoing pandemic, fashion boutiques too have witnessed a trickle down in the number of walk- in customers. In Ranchi, while some fashion designers have switched to the digital world to showcase their creativity, there are others who have had to shut down their business.

Unlike every year, when people would generally opt for heavy clothes, this year City based designers are catering to the customer’s demands of light or Indo- western clothes for festivities and functions,

“In the post lockdown scenario, customers are very reluctant to visit a boutique for shopping. Presently, clients are opting more for online shopping which is mostly being done through Whatsapp. Online shopping is going to be the new trend and keeping the present circumstances in mind I too have launched by website last month. For orders received from customers based in Ranchi, we are providing them with home delivery services while for those based in other cities, courier service is being done. For the upcoming wedding season too when people would generally opt for heavy clothes, this time the demand is for light or

Indo- western wear,” said Khyati Munjal owner of Khyati, The Boutique at Firayalal.

“I have a lot of clients who visit my boutique only with prior appointments and the pandemic has not affected much in this regard. A downfall has being witnessed in the regular footfall of customers who would just walk in to do some shopping. Another problem which I am facing is that a lot of workers

including embroiderers have gone back to their village. Since everyone is scared to step out, the

market for online shopping has increased and I too have started taking orders through Whatsapp and Facebook,” said Rashmi Jaiswal, owner of Pankh at Kanke Road.

Honey Midha who used to run a boutique by the name of Fashionika- the fashion feast has had to wind up her business in March due to the coronavirus outbreak. “My baby is just a year old and I am not too comfortable to step out in the present situation. However, once this pandemic is over, I plan to launch my own brand and I am utilising this time to work on my designs. I am looking forward to opening my new

boutique next year with ethnic, Indo western and fusion wear,” said Midha.