The traces of the pandemic: what garments are the best selling and why there is a strong change in the way of dressing in the country

“Durante el último año y medio compré ropa de deporte o para estar en casa. Al no tener que ir a la oficina, las prendas más formales fueron desplazadas por otras más cómodas”, cuenta María Fernanda Augusto, de 45 años. Valeria García Moral, de 46, coincide: “En mi caso, al estar teletrabajando no compré mucha ropa porque no la necesité. Tal vez, algún buzo o una remera. Además, al no ir a la oficina y al no haber festejos de cumpleaños uno se arregla con lo que tiene. Tampoco compré mucho para mis hijos pequeños, solo ropa interior, medias y alguna que otra prenda cómoda como joggings o calzas”.

“I work in social events and being suspended since March last year, with more time at home, I had no need to buy formal clothes that I use for work, such as costumes, shirts, shoes.As I run, I did buy some training garments, but not much more, ”explains Pablo Guzmán, 45 years old.

The three testimonies show a great change in the style of clothing of the Argentines, which accelerated the restrictions imposed by the Pandemia of the New Coronavirus last year.Now, jogging pants, kangaroo divers and sweaters are among the most chosen when renewing the wardrobe.In fact, Claudio Drescher, president of the Argentine Indumentary Chamber (CIAI).He explains that, in the last 18 months, the Stay Home (staying at home) was the protagonist.The garments to be at home occupied two thirds of the collections of the brands both in the world and in the country.“The collections turned to solve what people needed.It was a global phenomenon that most brands adopted, ”he says.And complete: “With lower occasions to wear dress clothes, there are no dinners in restaurants, marriage or birthdays of 15, the occasions of use were substantially modified and this led to an inclination towards more comfortable clothes.Cotton garments were developed, less taken to the body, since most of the activities were concentrated inside the house ”.

However, restrictions not only changed the type of garment used, but also caused a strong drop in sales of the sector.The general economic crisis, the limitations to circulation and decline in consumption were determining factors that hit the industry."The market was not yet recovered.It sold much less, because people were at home and if they bought something, it was a simpler garment.The industry suffered an onslaught that brought hundreds of thousands of calls.The sector was very beaten global and is beginning to recover to the extent that people leave the quarantines.I calculate that it will be a very slow recovery.Today the industry in Argentina is selling 30% less compared to 2019, which was not a good year, ”says Drescher.

Versatility

The brands responded with different proposals to this strong demand for this type of comfortable clothes to be at home, but with which you can also leave.For María Marta Finelli, Mazalosa Product Manager, owner of the Portsaid, Desiderata and System Basic brands, was very clear where the consumer was from the arrival of the coronavirus.“The pandemic accelerated what was giving, the sports lines increased and clearly the consumer turned towards that situation of use.The shirts and tops and everything that is used at night was not sold, the sales of these garments fell 30% compared to 2019.The comfortable line is the one that came most to search and, in this case sales grew between 20% and 30%.The ones that take the most are the joggers, comfortable jeans, comfortable sweaters, kangaroo divers, shirts, shoes and clothing to train, ”he explains.

"Pandemia accelerated processes that already came from before," says Pedro Wolfsohn, CEO of the male clothing brand Equus."In our campaigns there was always a focus on more formal proposals, but in the last.“I imagine that the fact that there are no events impacted the demand for those items.Anyway, this does not mean that people do not come out;leave, but choose to dress in another way, ”he concludes.

Javier Arroyuelo, author and columnist specialized in fashion, agrees with the businessmen in which the health crisis did not produce a deep change, but exposed a situation that already existed."For many years, the silhouette is a loose silhouette, the pandemic served as a alibi to bleach this matter and end the chest clothing joke is second order".And complete: “I believe that the imprint of the sports, of the decontracted, of the broad or of the tight as comfortable, that facilitates the movement;Subjects such as Spandex, Stretch, and which helps the garment and body go in harmony, are something that already dates from forty years ago ”.

Adequacy

For Magdalena Dowling, creator and owner of the Prier women's clothing brand, despite the preference for comfortable clothes, video calls and work meetings by Zoom led to the chose to dress more formally at the waist up."You don't necessarily have to be with a blazer, but with a blouse that is seen in a video call and somewhat more relaxed below is perfect," he explains and adds that the most traditional clothes such as blazers, bags and costumes stopped using and todayThe sweaters, shirts and wide pants gain space.

Rocío Pérez de Muro, Chief of Product of Portsaid, indicates that the brand had to adapt to the new reality and make a more flexible proposal."We made many comfortable pants and many divers.For those women who had to go to work and put a dress pants we also thought of those of tailoring, but of knitted, super comfortable fabrics.We also decided to add pajamas, because we saw a need, ”he clarifies.

In the case of Wanama and John L.Cook, the strategy, from the new context, was to enhance its comfortable line, which already marketed.“The client opted for this type of garments unlike the category of clothing to leave as covered and sacks.He leaned for more versatile and comfortable clothes with knitted fabrics, elastic at the waist and light textures, ”says Daniel Lago, commercial manager of both firms.Also for the Delucca brand, the best -selling garments are the divers, the pants and diver sets and the slugs, which reflects a transition to hybrid garments that can be used at different times and that are integrated into everyday life.