Let’s take this offline: why indie fashion boutiques are back in fashion

Jul 17 , 2024

Online stores have suffered post-pandemic allowing traditional stores to regain their place say experts, citing examples like Oakland’s McMullen (shown here), Shanghai’s Labelhood and Andreas Murkudis’ stores in Berlin

Move over, Net-a-Porter – independent IRL shops are bouncing back, say experts, citing Shanghai’s Labelhood, Oakland’s McMullen and Andreas Murkudis’ stores in Berlin

A’maree’s in Newport Beach, The Broken Arm in Paris, Machine-A in London, Le Mill in Mumbai and Essx in New York are all further proof that traditional bricks-and-mortar still works

There was a time when independent, multi-brand retailers were the go-to place for shoppers looking for the next big designer or trend. That all changed during the pandemic, when online giants such as Matches, Net-a-Porter and Farfetch grew exponentially to become global players with robust sales and impressive valuations to match. In the case of Farfetch, that market value reached a staggering US$24 billion in 2021.

Many industry insiders were lamenting the death of bricks-and-mortar fashion boutiques until the e-commerce bubble burst. In just the past few months we’ve seen pandemic-successful e-tailers struggle, with many in liquidation or on the brink of closing, creating a new opportunity for independent retailers to reclaim their lost territory.

“I do believe there’s an important place for independent boutiques in the shifting luxury landscape, particularly among young consumers,” says Doug Stephens, founder of consumer behaviour consultancy Retail Prophet and author of Resurrecting Retail: The Future of Business in a Post-Pandemic World.

Tasha Liu, founder of Shanghai-based boutique Labelhood

“In the West, luxury for young consumers is about the lifestyle, experience and community. In China [they are] looking for brands that are emerging, more exclusive, and perhaps much harder to find. Independent boutiques can really shine in all these cases.”

Many of the world’s most successful independent fashion boutiques predate the e-commerce game and have a strong presence in major capitals around the world, especially in the US and Europe. While Southeast Asia has been a challenging market, China has seen a different growth story, especially during the pandemic, when multi-brand boutiques flourished thanks to their popularity with the Gen Z consumer.

“In the past five years we’ve seen a boom in physical, independent multi-brand shops, especially in lower-tier cities. Many continue to be successful because they’ve also built their own community both online and offline,” says Tasha Liu, founder of Shanghai-based boutique Labelhood, considered a pioneer when it opened in 2009 under the name Dong Liang.

Liu was able to carve out a niche by becoming the go-to destination for up-and-coming Chinese talents. Since then, she has managed to expand her offering to include another boutique, A Surname by Labelhood, which carries international names – although customers are still drawn to Labelhood for its unique positioning.

“We are always top of mind for shoppers looking for Chinese designer brands because we have become an incubator for talent. In the past 10 years we’ve only promoted Chinese designers and even partnered with the likes of Shanghai Fashion Week. I’d say around 95 per cent of Chinese independent designers started with us,” says Liu, who has worked with names including Shushu/Tong and Xander Zhou.