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Report
en_GB
Britain's fashion landscape is undergoing a demographic sea change: a rapidly ageing population and unprecedented ethnic diversity now define demand. By 2030, 35% of women will be 55+ while 23%…
UK
Clothing and Fashion
simple
UK Fashion: Diversity and Inclusivity Report 2026
"An ageing and more multi-ethnic Britain are reshaping fashion demand, but the rise of prescription weight-loss drugs threatens progress in size inclusivity."
UK Fashion Industry – Diversity and Inclusivity Insights
Britain’s fashion landscape is undergoing a demographic sea change: a rapidly ageing population and unprecedented ethnic diversity now define demand. By 2030, 35% of women will be 55+ while 23% of today’s 16-24s already identify as non-white.
A surprising 10% of UK 18-34s have already used prescription weight-loss drugs, signalling how fast social trends can redraw category boundaries.
Industry momentum is therefore split. On the one hand, brands such as Primark are doubling down on extended sizes and adaptive clothing, illustrating the positive commercial impact of inclusive strategies. On the other, US cutbacks to formal DE&I programmes risk creating a talent, innovation and trust deficit that could stall progress. The most immediate industry impact is a visible regression in body-image narratives – fuelled by ‘SkinnyTok’ and celebrity thinness – which threatens to undo years of inclusivity gains.
The biggest opportunity lies in building multi-faceted propositions for underserved groups – notably older women and more diverse younger consumers – by marrying adaptive design with identity-based personalisation tools.
The biggest threat is that the rise of weight-loss drugs will normalise extreme thinness, prompting retailers to shrink size ranges and alienate loyal plus-size shoppers.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
Impact of demographic shifts on fashion demand – ageing and multi-ethnic Britain.
Rise of prescription weight-loss drugs and the threat to size inclusivity.
Economic outlook and its influence on spending by older versus younger shoppers.
Consumer scepticism over authenticity of brand DEI efforts.
Technology’s role in inclusivity: AI sizing tools and adaptive design innovations.
Marketing best practice for challenging regressive beauty standards.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
Outlook for diversity and inclusivity in fashion
Opportunities
Silver style renaissance
Reframing body ideals
Using AI and 3D technology to help with sizing and returns
THE MARKET
The economic environment continues to throw up challenges
Brits are getting older
British society is increasingly diverse
Young people are more open about sexual orientation
Responding to the jump in obesity among young women
Graph 1: prevalence of overweight and obesity, by gender, by age group, 2022
The rise of weight loss drugs will have wide-reaching implications
Graph 2: interest in weight loss medication, 2023-25
Consider the global implications of the US’s DEI setbacks
THE CONSUMER
Filling growing gap in market for silver fashionistas
Older people feel ignored by fashion brands
Supermarkets and department stores can benefit from focusing on older women
Graph 3: types of retailers typically shopped at for fashion, 2025
Designing menopause-friendly fashion
Older people do not feel represented in fashion ads
Demand for more older real women in ads
Sizing solutions that work
Women struggle to find items to fit their size and shape
Women want wider range of sizes and fits
Snag is a size inclusive disruptor brand
AI is being used to solve sizing issues that lead to high returns
Weight loss drugs disrupt the fashion landscape
Rising use of weight loss drugs impact size inclusivity
Rising use of weight loss drugs could hit plus-size specialists
Impact of new beauty standards on marketing
Opportunities for combined styling and beauty services
Championing diversity in advertising
Young fashion brands need to cater for different ethnicities
Graph 4: frequency of shopping for fashion items for yourself, by generation, 2025
Gen Zs want fashion brands to use diverse models
Using models/influencers that promote diversity
Collaborations with underrepresented groups can drive interest
Ensuring diversity and inclusivity efforts are authentic
Backing up words with action in an era of green hushing
Countering biases amid use of AI models
Personalised recommendations based on your identity
INNOVATION AND MARKETING
More adaptive clothing ranges
Adding new inclusive fashion products
Collaborating to promote inclusivity in sports
Creating more neurodiverse-friendly stores and products
Inclusive marketing campaigns
Sainsbury’s launches immersive campaign
APPENDIX
Report scope
The market
Census 2021: ethnic group population data
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology – EMEA
Infegy Starscape coverage
Abbreviations and terms
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