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Menswear ‘boom’ driven by high street experience

By Danielle Wightman-Stone

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Retail

Men are spending more on the high street, as more than a third (34.6 percent) of men believe that the male shopping experience has improved over the last decade, according to new research from the Fashion Retail Academy.

Better clothing designs for men, more styling options and an improved shopping experience are all helping to drive men’s fashion sales, with 20 percent of men saying that shops are making more of a concerted effort to appeal to them than five years ago, while a further quarter (24.6 percent) believe that menswear is now better designed, and 29.1 percent stated that there are simply more options for men now.

“For a number of years, the male customer has been ignored by a large number of retailers, choosing to concentrate on the very visible female demographic, believing that males were simply not interested in either ‘shopping’ or an enhanced in-store experience,” said Anthony McGrath, H.E. Fashion Lecturer at the Fashion Retail Academy in a statement. “However, this notion has well and truly been cast aside as the male consumer's buying habits and demands have evolved - which is playing out in the massive growth in menswear sales, particularly in the last year."

This research coincides with figures that show the menswear sector grew by 22 percent last year, while its female counterpart only saw sales rise by 8 percent, according to IMRG and Capgemini, and the Fashion Retail Academy adds that the number of men spending up to 50 pounds a month has grown in the last five years too.

Men are spending more on the high street due to improved shopping experience

While the frequency with which men buy clothes both online and in-store has stayed relatively flat over the past five years, an increasing number of men say they enjoy the experience of shopping much more in that time and are therefore likely to spend more. This has been helped by men stating that they now feel more comfortable in high street stores, with 17.1 percent saying they are now much happier to shop alone and an additional 10.2 percent saying they now buy their own clothes whereas five years ago, their partner or friend would do it for them.

McGrath added: “There are a number of contributing factors to the success of this segment - men are increasingly willing to ‘push the envelope’ in their clothing choices, stepping out of what once was considered their comfort zones. This is being driven by retailers who are making a concerted effort to get under the skin and truly understand what their male customers want, while at the same time ensuring that the shopping experience is less intimidating.

“As a result, male customers will no longer just put up with being the poor relative of their female counterparts. Men are after their own retail emporiums which cater more directly to their needs and wants. Plus, the ideal of a significant female purchasing clothing for a man is definitely an antiquated concept and has rightfully been banished to the realms of gender stereotypes.”

The Fashion Retail Academy is an employer-led college supported by and working closely with over 140 fashion brands. It was founded in 2005 with investment from the retail industry that was matched by the government and offers fashion Diploma, Degree and Short courses to students of all ages, timeframes, budgets and levels. It specialises in buying, visual merchandising, marketing, design, digital, merchandising and retail management.

Images: courtesy of River Island

FASHION RETAIL ACADEMY
Menswear