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Anita Balchandani

Senior PartnerLondres

Anita Balchandani

Senior PartnerLondres

Leads our apparel, fashion, and luxury work in EMEA, with deep expertise in multichannel and digital transformation

Anita leads our Consumer practice in the UK and our Apparel, Fashion and Luxury practice in EMEA. Her expertise extends across fashion, health and beauty, department stores, and specialty retail in Europe and North America. She brings to clients not only her specialist knowledge of these sectors, but also skills to drive multichannel and digital transformations. Anita has rich experience serving both retail and consumer businesses and is renowned for her understanding of the disruptions shaping the retail industry today. She is sought out regularly to speak on this topic at conferences and industry events.

Examples of Anita’s recent client experience include the following:

  • leading an ambitious transformation programme for an international specialty retailer
  • developing a growth strategy and business plan for an international beauty retailer
  • supporting a European provider of services to the apparel and fashion sector in identifying key trends and strategic opportunities
  • leading the due diligence of assets for private equity clients in the apparel and fashion sector

Anita also colead the 2019 annual State of Fashion report, which McKinsey published jointly with the Business of Fashion (BoF).

Published work

Luxury retail is about ‘emotions, not transactions’,” McKinsey & Company, February 2024

The State of Fashion 2024: Finding pockets of growth as uncertainty reigns,” McKinsey & Company, November 2023

“‘Let’s not just rely on data’: Holt Renfrew’s Anne Pitcher on the future of retail,” McKinsey & Company, March 2023

The State of Fashion 2023: Holding onto growth as global clouds gather,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

In search of fashion’s sustainability seekers,” McKinsey & Company, June 2022

State of Fashion Technology Report 2022,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022

How the fashion industry can get into a metaverse mindset,” McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Mastering off-price fashion in an omnichannel world,” McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Six vectors of success in online fashion,” McKinsey & Company, May 2021

The postpandemic state of fashion,” McKinsey & Company, March 2021

The State of Fashion 2021: In search of promise in perilous times,” McKinsey & Company, December 2020

Rebooting retail: How technology will shape the future of retail,” McKinsey & Company, June 2020

It’s time to rewire the fashion system: State of Fashion coronavirus update,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020

The fashion industry in 2020: Ten top themes from The State of Fashion,” McKinsey & Company, February 2020

The State of Fashion 2020: Navigating uncertainty,” McKinsey & Company, November 2019

Fashion on demand,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

The ‘digital land grab’ in fashion,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

Self-disruption in the fashion industry,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

What radical transparency could mean for the fashion industry,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

Now or never: Immediacy and customer experience in fashion retail,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

The influence of ‘woke’ consumers on fashion,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

The end of ownership for fashion products?,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

The fashion market and ‘Trade 2.0’,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

How India’s ascent could change the fashion industry,” McKinsey & Company, February 2019

Ten trends for the fashion industry to watch in 2019,” McKinsey & Company, January 2019

Caution ahead: Global growth and the fashion industry,” McKinsey & Company, January 2019

The State of Fashion 2019: A year of awakening,” McKinsey & Company, November 2018

Past experience

OC&C Strategy Consultants
Partner, global head of retail

Majestic Wine Group
Nonexecutive board member

Space NK Apothecary
Nonexecutive board member

Education

London School of Economics
MSc, management

Indian Institute of Management
MBA