We
know there are naysayers still out there that insist men don’t buy clothes, so
allow me to offer you some proof to once again try and dispel this myth. A
study conducted by American Express released earlier this year showed that men
in the United Kingdom spent an average of 43% more per month on clothing than
women. That’s an astounding difference, right? If you think this is an anomaly
relegated to the United Kingdom think again! There has been evidence that
stateside guys monthly dollar spend on clothing surpassed their female
counterparts as early as 2016! While the total dollar spends remains virtually
neck and neck, guy vs. gals in the USA, it is clear that guys are spending a
lot more than ever on clothes. What is also clear is that the guys don’t object
to spending a bit extra for those high-quality designer fashions. So what are
the driving forces behind today’s men’s designer fashion? And what does every
reseller need to know to keep their guys happy, looking cool and also spending?
Let dive into a few need to know trends.
Crossover
trends with men’s and women’s designer- men’s and women’s fashion are rarely on
the same page, but this is not the case in 2018. As we saw in our recent look
at women’s designer leading high-end brands have gotten very bold with
their colors in 2018 and have also reinvented some vintage looks from the 70’s,
80’s and 90’s. The same can be said of leading men’s apparel lines this year;
we seeing again the same bold colors with a lot of vintage flair and with a
particularly big nod to the urban culture of the mid-80’s.
Casual
is the name of the game- no doubt about this one, casual is now dominating the
high fashion industry. This can be seen across the board as high-end designers
are embracing a multitude of influences such as hip-hop and skater cultures for
fresh ideas to invigorate their labels. Additions to their lines include
t-shirts, hoodies, track suits, sweatshirts, sneakers, and shorts. Not exactly
what you would expect from high-end designer fashion and that’s the point.
The
outdoors look- wearing a bulky puffer jacket and hiking boots would not be seen
as out of place on fashion runways these days, yes the rugged outdoorsy look is
not just for weekend hiking trips anymore these garments are now high-fashion
mainstays. Look for brand names like Canada Goose and North Face to fit this
bill also be on the lookout for vintage or heritage-inspired looks in this
category remember everything old is new again.
Denim
and the end of the skinny jean?- No man’s wardrobe is complete without an ample
selection of denim jeans but one surprise this year is that the skinny jean may
have finally had its day. Skinny jeans are losing ground this year as a more
relaxed fit and flared jeans have taken their place in men’s wardrobes as their
go-to pair of jeans.
Men
and their man bags- Guys love stuff; they love carrying their stuff around,
enter the man bag. The man bag is now an essential accessory, and it’s coming
in a lot of various forms these days from backpacks to crossbody bags and
satchels. These bags are a practical solution to the modern-day problem of
having to carry too many essentials like your oversized phone, chargers, keys,
headphones and other essentials.
It’s
a good time for any retailer in men’s
designer fashion. These days, guys are very conscious about always looking
sharp and are not afraid to spend a few extra bucks to stay that way.