Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on menswear
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- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on menswear, 10 March 2021
- The market
- Menswear declines by 29% in 2020
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- Figure 2: Best and worst-case forecast for consumer spending on menswear, 2015-25 (prepared on 5 March 2021)
- Brexit leads to red tape and higher costs for menswear brands
- Men are more positive than women about their future finances
- Companies and brands
- Pandemic forces brands to rethink product launches
- Adspend on menswear declines sharply
- The consumer
- Surge in purchasing of sportswear and casual items
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- Figure 3: What fashion items men have bought in the last 3 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Almost 80% purchased online
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- Figure 4: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Online-only retailers grow in popularity
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- Figure 5: Where men bought clothing for themselves in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Casualisation of workwear to continue
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- Figure 6: Clothes shopping behaviour in the last 12 months and future interest, January 2021
- Fashion trends become less important
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- Figure 7: Changes in men’s priorities when buying clothes for themselves, January 2021
- Wide range of sizes key for inclusive brands
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- Figure 8: What makes a fashion brand/retailer inclusive, by generations, January 2021
- Young change behaviour to support diversity
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- Figure 9: Behaviours towards fashion brands in the last 12 months, January 2021
Issues and Insights
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- Impact of COVID-19 on the menswear market
- How menswear retailers can capitalise on online growth
- How can menswear embrace inclusivity and diversity more?
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Menswear declines by 29% in 2020
- Brexit leads to red tape and higher costs for menswear brands
- Men more likely than women to describe current finances as healthy
Market Size and Forecast
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- COVID-19 hits menswear sales
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- Figure 10: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on menswear, 10 March 2021
- Menswear declines by 29% in 2020
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- Figure 11: Best and worst-case forecast for consumer spending on menswear, 2015-25 (prepared on 5 March 2021)
- Figure 12: Consumer spending on menswear, 2015-25
- Menswear specialists hard hit by changes in lifestyles
- Recovery will take time
- Brexit leads to red tape and higher costs for menswear brands
- Market drivers and assumptions
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- Figure 13: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-25 (prepared on 5 March 2021)
- Learnings from the last recession
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- Figure 14: Consumer spending on menswear, 2008-12
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- A growing population of males
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- Figure 15: Trends in the age structure of the UK male population, 2015-25
- Rising levels of male obesity
- Men more likely to describe their current financial situation as healthy…
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- Figure 16: “How would you generally describe your financial situation at the moment?”, by gender and age, February 2021
- …as well as for their future finances
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- Figure 17: “And how do you feel about your financial situation over the next year or so?", by gender and age, February 2021
- Despite now having a Brexit deal in place, men worry about the cost of living
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- Figure 18: Men’s economic outlook towards Brexit, February 2021
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Pandemic forces brands to rethink product launches
- Menswear brands launch new online services
- Adspend on menswear declines sharply
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Pandemic forces brands to rethink product launches
- Dior unveils men's collection online
- Balenciaga reveals new collection in video game
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- Figure 19: Avatar from Balenciaga’s video game Afterworld, 2021
- Menswear brands launch new online tools and services
- adidas expands streetwear app Confirmed to UK
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- Figure 20: adidas Confirmed app
- John Lewis launches virtual styling for men
- UK: H&M launches dedicated menswear styling app
- Amazon expands personal shopping service to include menswear
- Aristocracy London launches 'digital tailor' app
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- Figure 21: Aristocracy’s digital tailor app, 2020
- Rental services grow in popularity
- Scotch & Soda adds womenswear to Scotch Select rental platform
- My Wardrobe HQ launches menswear rental service
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- Figure 22: My Wardrobe HQ rental service with Belstaff, 2021
- Gant launches rental service as part of its sustainability agenda
- Brands expand menswear offering
- John Lewis adds 30 new brands to its A/W range in a bid to ‘modernise’ offer
- Menswear brand Hawes & Curtis moves into loungewear
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- Figure 23: Hawes & Curtis’ new loungewear, 2020
- Paco Rabanne has launched its first men’s line
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- Figure 24: Paco Rabanne’s menswear line, 2021
- Mytheresa launches menswear ecommerce
- Rihanna launches Savage X Fenty Menswear collection
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- Figure 25: Savage X Fenty’s menswear line, 2021
- H&M launches menswear range using intelligent fabric
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- Figure 26: H&M’s intelligent fabric collection, 2020
- Burberry presents menswear-focused collection during LFW
- JD Sports acquires menswear retailer Wellgosh
- Marks & Spencer expands activewear range to menswear and kidswear
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- Figure 27: Menswear Goodmove collection, 2021
- I Saw It First adds menswear and extends Love Island partnership
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Total sector advertising spend plunges 44% year-on-year in 2020
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- Figure 28: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on men’s fashion, 2016-20
- Digital accounts for the biggest share of sector advertising spend
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- Figure 29: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on men’s fashion, by media type, 2020
- Most menswear retailers cut adspend
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- Figure 30: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on men’s fashion, by top companies, 2016-20
- Key campaigns
- Barbour promotes new, premium menswear brand
- Mainline Menswear COVID-19 pandemic can’t stop fashion campaign
- Gieves & Hawkes’ AW20 campaign pays homage to The Beatles’ last ever gig
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- While online purchasing jumps, no big rise in smartphone usage
- Casualisation of workwear to continue
- Fashion trends fall in importance, while sustainability rises
- Wide range of sizes key for inclusive brands
Impact of COVID-19 on Menswear
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- Close to two fifths of males are spending less on fashion since COVID
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- Figure 31: Changes to spending on clothing and accessories as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, by age and gender, 19 February-1 March 2021
- Men cut back on non-essential spend and move to shopping online
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- Figure 32: Changes in shopping habits since the start of the COVID-19/coronavirus outbreak, 19 February-1 March
- Consumers look forward to social activities once restrictions are eased
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- Figure 33: Activities people are most looking forward to doing when lockdown ends, 19 February-1 March 2021
- Appearance becomes less of a priority for men of all age groups
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- Figure 34: Changes to priorities as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, by gender and age, 19 February-1 March 2021
- Financial concerns lead men to cut down their outgoings
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- Figure 35: Financial/employment changes as a result of COVID-19, 19 February-1 March 2021
What They Buy
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- Big declines in purchasing of clothes and footwear
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- Figure 36: What fashion items men have bought in the last 3 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Surge in purchasing of sportswear and casual items
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- Figure 37: What clothing items have been bought in the last 3 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Figure 38: Purchasing of sportswear and suits in the last 3 months, December 2019-December 2020
- Men buy more items
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- Figure 39: Number of clothing items bought on last shopping trip, by gender, December 2020
- Men spent more than women per shopping trip
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- Figure 40: Amount spent on clothing items on last shopping trip, by gender, December 2020
How They Shop
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- Almost 80% purchased online
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- Figure 41: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Only slight rise in purchasing via a smartphone
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- Figure 42: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Under-35s use smartphones
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- Figure 43: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, by age, January 2021
Where They Shop
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- Online-only retailers grow in popularity
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- Figure 44: Where men bought clothing for themselves in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Increased purchasing from pureplays and mid-market fashion stores
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- Figure 45: Where men bought clothing for themselves in the last 12 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Young buy clothes from sports stores
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- Figure 46: Men who bought clothing in the last 12 months from online-only retailers, supermarkets, department stores and/or sports stores, by age, January 2021
- Decline in purchasing from higher-priced and luxury retailers
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- Figure 47: Men who bought clothing in the last 12 months from value retailers, mid-market high street fashion stores, higher-priced high street fashion stores, independents and/or luxury retailers, by age, January 2021
- Young and high earners shop around
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- Figure 48: Repertoire of types of retailers where men have bought clothing in the last 12 months, January 2021
Changes in Shopping Behaviour
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- Casualisation of workwear to continue
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- Figure 49: Clothes shopping behaviour in the last 12 months and future interest, January 2021
- Major interest in using visual search to find clothes
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- Figure 50: Agreement with statement “I have used a visual search function to find clothing”, by generations, January 2021
- Targeting men aged 35-44 with collaborations
- Men twice as likely as women to use subscription service
Changes in Priorities when Buying Clothes
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- Fashion trends become less important
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- Figure 51: Changes in men’s priorities when buying clothes for themselves, January 2021
- Buying from sustainable brands grows in importance
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- Figure 52: Agreement with statement “Environmentally friendly/sustainable brands have become more important when buying clothes for themselves”, by generations, January 2021
- Growing focus on price
Men’s Views on Inclusivity and Diversity in Fashion
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- Wide range of sizes key for inclusive brands
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- Figure 53: What makes a fashion brand/retailer inclusive, January 2021
- Growing demand for fashion brands to use diverse models
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- Figure 54: What makes a fashion brand/retailer inclusive, by generations, January 2021
- Young change behaviour to support diversity
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- Figure 55: Behaviours towards fashion brands in the last 12 months, January 2021
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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- Figure 57: Best- and worst-case forecast of consumer spending on menswear, 2020-25
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