What drives Malay and Chinese customers to shop BIBA for work wear?

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Malay and Chinese customers shop BIBA for work wear because they are looking for colourful everyday pieces with contemporary silhouettes that they can wear to the office and on weekends.
In Malaysia, BIBA has attracted Malay and Chinese shoppers who buy for office outfits or weekend outings rather than only for Indian weddings or Deepavali open houses. Franchise owners Krishsubashini Govindasamy and Buelah Subramaniam said these customers are drawn to how the garments look and feel, including colours and silhouettes that were once mainly linked with festive wardrobes. They also noted that many shoppers still associate Indian fashion with weddings or festivals, and BIBA is seeing demand from non-Indian customers specifically for workwear.
Shopping is driven by office-and-weekend use, not only festive occasions
The brand’s first year in Malaysia has seen Malay and Chinese customers coming in for pieces to wear to the office or on weekend outings. This is a shift away from buying only for Indian weddings or Deepavali open houses, which have traditionally been the main occasions for ethnic wear.
Customers focus on colours and silhouettes that fit everyday rotation
Krishsubashini and Buelah said colours and silhouettes that were once largely associated with festive wardrobes are being worn more routinely. Shoppers are choosing garments based on preference for the look and feel, rather than on whether the style is tied to a specific cultural origin.
Franchise owners link the demand to perceptions of Indian fashion
The franchise owners said many people still think Indian fashion is only for weddings or festivals, and that this perception is something they want to change. Within that context, they described Malay and Chinese customers entering stores specifically to find pieces they can wear to work.
BIBA’s easy, contemporary cuts are positioned as suitable beyond occasion wear
Krishsubashini said her view formed after a decade of shopping at BIBA in India, where she felt the label’s easy, contemporary cuts deserved a wider audience beyond occasion wear. In Malaysia, BIBA offers contemporary Indian wear ranging from colourful everyday pieces to traditional and occasion styles, aligning with what office and weekend shoppers are looking for.

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What drives Malay and Chinese customers to shop BIBA for work wear?

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