A look at the rise of womenswear brands launching men's lines. Whistles' move into menswear: what does it mean for men's fashion? The news that Whistles is moving into menswear is enough to put spring in one's step – whatever your gender.
The high-street brand has come to be treasured by women who love smart, useful (but never boring) clothes that appeal to minimalist sensibilities while keeping fun on the agenda . That's a brand DNA that hits the ground running in menswear. While no images have been released as yet, you imagine these pieces will sit next to those inclined to Cos and – when they're feeling flush – Lanvin, Raf Simons or a printed sweatshirt from Givenchy. Menswear sales catching up with womenswear, research shows. It has long been considered the poor relation of the fashion industry, but menswear sales are rapidly catching up with womenswear, according to research published today.
On the eve of the menswear London catwalk shows, market research firm Mintel suggests the UK market for men's fashion has grown by 18% in the past five years and is now worth £12.9bn. That figure to reach £16.4bn by 2018. Whistles menswear could be your new favourite brand. The range is described by Whistles design director Nick Passmore as a “capsule wardrobe for the modern man” - and I couldn’t agree more.
What's surprising is that it has taken this high-street stalwart so long to branch into men's fashion. This British brand, which has been going for over 30 years, was pulled kicking and screaming out of its frumpy funk by high-street guru and ex-Topshop brand director Jane Sheperdson, when she took the helm in 2009. Beloved by the fashion industry, it has now become somewhat of a pit-stop for sophisticated woman looking for stylish pieces that nod to the trends in their cuts and colours, without shouting about which season they belong to. Attitudes-shift-mens-jewellery-grows.
LONDON, United Kingdom — In the 12 months ending May 2014, sales of men’s accessories grew 9 percent, reaching $13.6 billion and capping a two-year period that saw the category grow 13 percent, according to market research company NPD Group.
Ecce Homo! Canadian designer Christopher Bates moves to Milan. The 35-year-old Canadian menswear designer Christopher Bates, who creates both custom made suits, tuxedos, coats and dress shirts for men and seasonal ready-to-wear collections, is going to move to Milan.
Eight years since Bates, who was recently announced as a nominee for menswear designer of the year for the upcoming Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards, first moved to Milan to study fashion, now he is returning to the fashion capital hoping to expand his label. 'In my opinion, Canada has been the perfect incubator for my brand to grow and to figure out what works and what doesn't, and to get to a point where it's strong and then: 'What next? ' I think for me, it's Europe for many reasons. I think that's a natural evolution for a Canadian designer to take', said Christopher Bates to CTV News Canada.
Bates plans to produce all his garments in Italy and to work closely with manufacturers. London Collections: Men Adds Fourth Day. AW15 Menswear Event Expands Following Success London Collections: Men will increase to a four day schedule as of January, the British Fashion Council has announced.
The AW15 round of shows, presentations and events will kick off a day earlier than in previous seasons on 9th January. It has already been confirmed that menswear chain Topman will open the menswear showcase with its AW15 Design show as well as a brunch hosted at the Designer Showrooms at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden, London. Topman creative director Gordon Richardson pointed out that the move coincides with the ten year anniversary of its Man initiative with Fashion East, which supports emerging menswear designers.
Dylan Jones OBE, editor of British GQ and Chair of LC:M, said: “Now in its sixth season, LC:M has continued to grow year on year, this expansion reflecting its success.” A number or brands joined the existing line-up in June of this year including Turnbull & Asser, Maharishi and DKNY Men. The Capitalist Touch: Modern Vision In Luxury French Menswear Secures Sense Of Change. Menswear a Sleeping Giant at New York Fashion Week - The Business of Fashion. NEW YORK, United Kingdom — Menswear plays a poor relation to women’s styles at New York Fashion Week, but it is enjoying faster-growing sales and consumer tastes that are becoming more daring, experts say.
Just a fraction of the hundreds of shows at New York Fashion Week are devoted to men’s lines, and they attract far smaller crowds and less coverage, yet the menswear scene is flourishing. Driving sales are younger men shedding traditional looks in favor of color, casual styles and quirky twists on classics. “The men’s market is steadily growing and for many retailers it has outsold their womenswear,” said Matt Feniger, associate editor for menswear at WGSN, which predicts trends and style for the fashion and retail industries. “Men are much more willing to experiment with fashion and try new things and this is reflected in sales,” he said. In the United States, men’s apparel sales outperformed womenswear last year, market research shows. “It’s a really, really great moment right now. Boom or hype? The truth about menswear. The fashion industry loves to talk about a menswear boom but how much do the big brands actually sell?
©Getty. Men become dedicated followers of fashion, finally. FASHION156 - The London Collections Men SS13 Review Issue / Features / The Rise Of Menswear In London. FASHION156 - The London Collections Men SS13 Review Issue / Features / Theory Of Evolution. Men’s fashion is a funny game.
Although seemingly limited by choice (chinos or skinny jeans? V-neck jumper or shawl-collar cardigan?) , men have become increasingly adept at embracing sartorial detailing. A certain breed of man is happy to stand out from the crowd in tropical floral print trousers or a paisley blazer, but others are content to shop around for niche basics and invest in emerging designers, buying and wearing what they like with aplomb and intelligence. The Anti-Circus of Menswear. There is a great divide between menswear and womenswear, and it’s one that hasn’t got to do with gender or clothes.
Comparing the fashion weeks of the two, menswear always strikes me as the calm before the womenswear storm. It’s not that the menswear shows are lacking in excitement, ideas or well-deserved hype – on the contrary, menswear is steadily gaining major momentum and producing some truly spectacular clothes. It’s just that so far, they thankfully haven’t reached the levels of hysteria and maddening spectacle we have come to associate with the womenswear schedule. London Fashion Week: The Future of Menswear Is Feminine. Vanguards Gallery… The Future of Men’s Fashion @ MRketLV — MRket Show. The Rise of The Hybrid Men’s Retail Space — The New Luxury Movement. Basically, guys haven’t liked shopping because the retail experience overwhelmingly caters to women.
Pretty straightforward. Even contemporary clothing brands with men’s collections—like J. Crew, Club Monaco, Banana Republic, etc. —tend to position them in the back of the store or in a smaller section (if not both), while the women’s items are placed up front, occupy the largest square footage, and take up the largest portion of the marketing budget. Truth be told, the fashion industry has thrived on female purchasing power for decades now, so from a purely business standpoint you really can’t blame these companies.
But things are changing. Fortunately for us fellas, a new set of men’s stores is evolving the men’s retail experience by considering the most obvious (but clearly neglected) basic question: how do we, as guys, like to shop? Well, they’ve come up with a pretty cool idea. Sounds brilliant, doesn’t it fellas? Lets take a look at few real life examples of these concepts in action. IMPOSSIBLE CONFIDENCE. The Rise of Fashion E-Commerce and Man’s Escape from the Mall Hey everyone. This blog is a collection of thoughts and research compiled during some of our earliest exploration into the Dash Hudson business model. It is a collection of stats, themes and thoughts from various sources so credit mostly goes to others.
We had some great contributors, so a special shoutout to you guys (especially you, K*). Please leave your thoughts and feedback in the comment section. Signals from the Edge: Barton Strawn on the Future of Fashion Retail. Innovation: Menswear brand uses crowdfunding to create ultimate tech-enabled store. 30 September, 2014 | By Matthew Chapman. Men's Fashion: 3 key issues retailers need to know about the menswear market in the UK. As London Collections: Men comes to a close, Mintel’s senior fashion analyst Tamara Sender identifies the top three business issues and opportunities for growth in the menswear market.