The men’s clothing market has grown by 4.5% in 2014 to reach £13.5 billion, growing at a faster rate than womenswear, helped by a growing interest in men’s fashion. While young men stand out as the most fashion conscious and preoccupied by what they wear, an interest in the latest trends is not reserved for this age group and Mintel’s research shows that men aged 25-44 also show above-average interest in buying clothes that reflect the latest fashion.

The majority of men are spending the same amount on clothes in the last 12 months compared with the previous year. This is in sharp contrast to women, with a third having decreased their spend on clothing.

Among the main opportunities for future growth in the menswear market are an ageing male population, particularly divorced seniors who are experiencing a renewed interest in their appearance. Rising male obesity also presents scope for more mainstream retailers to offer larger size men’s clothing ranges.

This report looks at what clothes sizes men wear, where men buy clothing, changes in their purchasing behaviour when buying clothes, their online and in-store shopping behaviour and their attitudes towards innovations.

The market size for menswear includes men’s outerwear, but excludes underwear, nightwear, footwear and fashion accessories.

Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) unless otherwise stated. Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen’s Printer for Scotland.