Fashion shopping goes online thriftily

By Erisha Sharma,Kathmandu, July 12: Female fashion in Nepal has changed tremendously in recent years as women's choices have become versatile. With the growing number of designers and influencers, varieties have been visible in female fashion.

“In today’s market, females mostly prefer comfortable designer t-shirts, tops, and pants, and the market is very competitive as many shop designs are being introduced. So, with our 20 years of experience, we work to give our best to our customers,” said Aaryan Rauniyar, owner of Star Fashion.

As social media has connected the world, fashion around the world has been elevated. Women across the nations, especially teenagers, are found having different styles. Some like to style as tomboys, pairing oversized clothes, whereas some like a classy look, and others prefer dressing cutely and simply. Many of the teenagers have the trend of online shopping through apps like Instagram, TikTok and Daraz.

“I like wearing light and comfortable clothes. To shop for them, I prefer online shopping as it cuts the travel time to the market and I can view products easily. This also makes my shopping experience comfortable and easier,” said Anisha Adhikari, a customer.

Among the shopping apps, Daraz has gained maximum popularity. However, the number of fraud and scams is also increasing in apps like TikTok and Instagram.

“I ordered clothes from a high-followed account on Instagram. When they asked for prepayment, I didn’t give it much thought and sent them the payment. After a week, I realised I had been scammed. I didn’t know what to do, so at the end, I didn’t take any action,” said Smriti Subedi. Like Smriti, many have fallen victims to these types of scams.

On the other hand, many still prefer physical shops. “I like wearing crop tops and fashionable clothes. I find bargaining as the best part of shopping, and it's almost impossible to bargain with online vendors. So, I prefer physical shops for shopping,” said Rukmmani Shah.

Unlike teenagers, older girls prefer comfortable clothes and like casually dressing in t-shirts and pants for day-to-day life and even for work. “A owner of a clothing store mentioned, "We are currently focusing on fashion for slightly older women and also on selling clothes for plus-size women." 

According to statistics from the Department of Customs, 86 per cent of women’s fashion and daily wear are imported from China and India. In the first 11 months of this fiscal year 2024/25, around 648,254 pieces of different female wear were imported. Among them, 41 per cent of the clothes were imported from China, whereas around 45 per cent were imported from India, generating around Rs. 140,000 in revenue.

In recent days, a new concept of thrifting has been introduced. Thrifting is buying second-hand clothes which were either donated or bought second-hand.

“I think buying expensive, branded clothes just to wear them a few times is a waste of money. So, I prefer thrifting to get branded and expensive clothes at cheaper prices. It becomes like a steal deal for me,” said Saya K.C. There are many online and physical thrift stores in the Kathmandu Valley; however, this concept is yet to be popular outside the valley.

(Sharma is an intern at TRN)