There’s a new craze in fashion retail. Will it work?

You visit Dolmen mall in Clifton with your mom for the usual trouser dupatta matching, but as soon as you step inside a retail shop you run into a scene which seems like something out of a music video. There are lights, music and a bunch of famous people having fun. Buying clothes is no more a chore, but an immersive experience. 

That’s exactly what the new age fashion retail stores are headed towards. First Khaadi, and now Ethnic has welcomed its first experiential store, turning around the whole idea of shopping into a larger than life experience.  

Ethnic’s new Creative Studio opening at the Clifton Dolmen mall was the talk of the fashion industry last month. Celebrities and influencers alike, were all seen admiring the enormous new store. 

The event did not only open doors to a consciously designed store for Ethnic’s customers to relish in a novel shopping experience, but also opened room for some important questions. What is the potential of retail stores becoming more than just a point of conversion? Apparel retailers, like Ethnic and Khaadi, now have outlets that are more than just a shop - they are a point of entertainment. One cannot help but wonder why and how these brands are expanding their footprint by acquiring bigger shops. Do bigger stores mean bigger revenues?