How one fashion entrepreneur is getting through COVID. 

COVID 19 has uprooted the life of normality we all used to live in, in unimaginable ways. Every single person has had to learn how to navigate a “new normal” of life from working at home to having to wear masks to the grocery store. Each individual has had to make changes to their everyday lifestyle, but how is COVID affecting our local mobile fashion boutiques? 

In terms of business in general, COVID has switched many supply and demand chains, making some irrelevant and others prominent, usually the opposite of the business models that kept small business alive before the pandemic. Suddenly jobs are lost and the consumer economy moved from purchasing items for enjoyment, such as clothes, to boxes of masks to protect families. Boutiques are one of the most affected business models in terms of the switch in supply and demand. 

Boutiques sell goods that can be classified as “luxuries” over “necessities”. When there is a major loss in jobs, luxury business suffers the most. We spoke to Electric Dream Boutique owner Adrienne Scott-Trask,  a Denver based boutique that runs out of their fashion truck, on the issues they have faced regarding COVID.

Adrienne states that one of the main challenges was, “being forced to close our doors for two months, which our truck is our main means of sales for our business.” As a result of this challenge Electric Dream Boutique had to, “figure out what people are buying right now since most people are working from home…they don’t have as many reasons to get dressed up anymore, so it’s been hard to navigate what to buy for our boutique.”

This is a perfect example of the challenges resulting from the switch in the supply and demand chain as a result of COVID. This boutique now has to think from the perspective of what the consumers are looking for, comfortable clothes to stay at home in, as opposed to the previous business model of a variety of clothing options, in order to increase their sales. 

Not only has the supply and demand chain changed drastically, but the means of receiving goods have also changed as well. Prior to COVID consumers went out and shopped in person, and suddenly it is unsafe to leave your home to buy a new dress. Lately, there has been a spike in online shopping as the time spent at home has increased. This change in modes of shopping has forced boutiques to change their business model from selling to people in person to learning how to navigate online resources to up their sales.

Adrienne states, “During the quarantine time when we were completely shut down was where we struggled the most. We tried to pivot and sell through Instagram and online with our website, but sales weren’t anywhere near the same!” That quote is a universal truth for most businesses that primarily sold in person. Many boutiques have had to learn how to reach consumers from home, but other factors have still led to a decrease in sales. 

Although these are rough times for everyone, never forget the effort going in behind the scenes and support your local businesses!