Taste of luxury keeps the market hopeful

At this time of the year, Fazal, a luxury boutique in Nairobi owned by Aziz Fazal would usually be teeming with activities. Well-to-do Kenyans would be meeting in luxurious lounges, choosing fabrics, collars, and buttons. Then master tailors would take their measurements, fly back to Italy, and send back the suits after weeks of stitching them to perfection.

In those times, luxury goods shopping has been about the experience, not just a retail sale. Most posh purveyors have been keen to maintain the in-person relationship between fashion adviser and a client, which is key to luxury shopping. But in 2020, it is hard to do so.