1. Dr. Pachanga pivoted from high-fashion to face masks
The founders of Dr. Pachanga, a high-fashion and handbag retailer, had before the lockdown invested in two more stores. They couldn’t afford to sit back and wait for the lockdown to end, while still having to pay staff.
“We have seen people wear a lot of masks in Asia, we looked at the research, and how Asia tried to minimise the impact, and everyone wears masks, even still now,” explains co-owner Jean Rene Onyangunga.
Although the handbags that the small business designed were limited editions, Jean Rene had saved a lot of material left-over fabrics. They worked with a team of sewing ladies that would have been working on their Spring line.
“It is an interesting experience where you have to shift, you have to make the best of the situation,” says Jean Rene. “I didn’t study fashion to make masks of course.”
The business idea insight:
Look to what is happening in international markets to understand where the demand lies, then adapt and apply these insights to your own unique local market. A cookie-cutter approach might not work, remember to customise your business idea to your specific market and customer.