What are the key factors that will shape Indian Fashion retail industry??

According to me, the most important factor that will shape Indian fashion retail industry is the Massive spread of mall culture that is seen in the country, Malls are coming up like anything, before there were only complexes where you got all the local but good brands, but with the malls all the international brands are coming to the country and people also are preferring global brands than local brands. So to me, this is the high point in the fashion retail in India.

As more and more young people are exposed to global fashion trends through International magazines, television and celebrity watching, the lag between a trend being born in the US/Europe and it reaching India in the same season will get shorter.

Also as awareness and demand grows, the lag between a trend appearing on the runway and appearing in a mid-level retail store is getting shorter. This makes trends more relevant  and accessible to the young crowd.

As people start incorporating trends into their wardrobes, they would want to add a few key pieces  to their wardrobe every season leading to a retail explosion that is not dependent on festivals and/or sales, this is already happening and will continue to grow, at least at the mid-price level (H&M, Zara etc at mid price segments are doing pretty well in today's economy)

The luxury retail markets follow a different pattern of ebb and flow, and India is only just begining to see the rise of the luxury sector, there will be no 'explosion/boom' just yet; but we will see a slow and steady increase in sales of luxury brands as the disposable incomes and lifestyle quotient of the 30+ set goes up and people start investing in quality lifestyle brands.

The fashion trend is usually set by the celebrities all over the world. Celebrities should be intelligently used by these fashion companies to shape the Indian Fashion Retailing. We don' see that happening, but for a few posters on the walls.

Also these famous weddings should be used to promote the fashion wear. Finally, a bit of localization to Indian culture will always help catch up faster

Women for centuries & civilizations have been the creators, carriers & flaunters of fashion & sadly in organized fashion brand & retail industry of India it is the women's section which is in the saddest state. The brands rarely make money in women's fashion. They have not been able to penetrate the large prospective customer base complaining about price consciousness, regional & cultural factors. The national brands some what concentrating on women’s wear have been unable to make & sustain sound holistic progress. This proves the lack of wholehearted effort in the development & promotion of women’s wear fashion.  

I feel if we are able to break into this almost 50% of our clientele (who sport more fashion than men & who have more items in their wardrobe than men) & understand & fulfill their needs then we will be able to witness greater progress in Apparel fashion industry of India. We need to offer more in the women’s section in various price categories & here in contrast to men’s apparel the Problem of Plenty (more brands) will attract more customers to ready to wear fashion (as an upcoming concept & way of life) rather than confuse them.

This is a very fertile topic of discussion & can be (in fact needs to be) ideated endlessly.