Description
Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Menswear market, including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
With the shutting of all non-essential businesses throughout 2020, many retail markets saw a huge drop in in-person sales and menswear was no exception. There was a 29% decline in consumer spending on men’s clothing, with the continued lockdowns throughout January 2021 slowing down the recovery of the market.
However, with the shift to online spending, online sales of men’s clothing has seen a significant uptick, with 78% of men purchasing clothes online in the last 12 months. Despite this, there has only been a 2% rise in buying from smartphones, 28% of men compared to 35% of women. This indicates a potential area of innovation, encouraging men to purchase clothes through their smartphone.
The move towards working in casual clothes is a potential threat to specialist formalwear and suiting retailers. 66% of men have bought to plan to buy casual clothes for work, meaning the major suiting retailers are having to evolve their ranges to include easy to wear yet smart clothing.
Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Clothing and Footwear market research.
Alternatively, discover who has climbed and fallen across the retail industry this year in our UK Retail Rankings market report.
Quickly understand
- The impact of COVID-19 and the third national lockdown on the menswear market.
- What channels men use to shop for clothes for themselves and what types of retailers they buy from.
- How men’s shopping behaviour has changed since COVID-19.
- Changes in men’s priorities when buying clothes compared with 12 months ago.
- Men’s views on inclusivity and diversity in fashion.
Covered in this report
Clothing Types: Jeans, trousers, shorts, tops, t-shirts, sweatshirts, jumpers, cardigans, shirts, blouses, suits, jackets, coasts, sportswear.
Brands: Balenciaga, Dior, Adidas, H&M, John Lewis, Amazon, Aristocracy London, MyWardrobe, Gant, Scotch & Soda, Hawes& Curtis, Paco Rabanne, Mytheresa, SavageXFenty, Burberry, JD Sports, I Saw It First, M&S, Newchic, Banggood, Brook Taverner & Co, DressLily.com, Giorgio, Ermenegildo Zegna, Wheeler Higgins, Spoke, Hugo Boss, Prada, Canali Fashions, Rosegal.com, Samuel Windsor, Mainline Menswear, Shein.com, Lower East, Jolliman, Debenhams.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Tamara Sender, a leading analyst in the Clothing and Footwear sector, her extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
The menswear market has been hard hit by the COVID-19 outbreak as it has removed the main drivers for purchasing new clothes. Menswear specialists, in particular those specialising in formalwear, have suffered the most as men embrace more casual outfits. The long-term prospects are that the menswear market will return to growth by the second half of 2021, with new purchases driven by pent-up demand as people begin to socialise again and go on holiday. Given that men are significantly more upbeat about their future finances than women, there is scope for fashion retailers to tap into the higher spending power of more affluent men by encouraging them to trade up to higher-priced sub-brands or more premium brands.
Tamara Sender
Senior Fashion Analyst
Table of Contents
-
Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- COVID-19: market context
- Economic and other assumptions
- Products covered in this Report
-
Executive Summary
- Impact of COVID-19 on menswear
- Figure 1: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on menswear, 10 March 2021
- The market
- Menswear declines by 29% in 2020
- 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
- Figure 3: What fashion items men have bought in the last 3 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Almost 80% purchased online
- Figure 4: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Online-only retailers grow in popularity
- Figure 5: Where men bought clothing for themselves in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Casualisation of workwear to continue
- Figure 6: Clothes shopping behaviour in the last 12 months and future interest, January 2021
- Fashion trends become less important
- Figure 7: Changes in men’s priorities when buying clothes for themselves, January 2021
- Wide range of sizes key for inclusive brands
- Figure 8: What makes a fashion brand/retailer inclusive, by generations, January 2021
- Young change behaviour to support diversity
- Figure 9: Behaviours towards fashion brands in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Impact of COVID-19 on menswear
-
Issues and Insights
- 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
- 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
- COVID-19 hits menswear sales
- Figure 10: Short, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on menswear, 10 March 2021
- Menswear declines by 29% in 2020
- 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
- Figure 13: Key drivers affecting Mintel’s market forecast, 2015-25 (prepared on 5 March 2021)
- Learnings from the last recession
- Figure 14: Consumer spending on menswear, 2008-12
- Forecast methodology
- COVID-19 hits menswear sales
-
Market Drivers
- A growing population of males
- 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…
- 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
- 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
- Figure 18: Men’s economic outlook towards Brexit, February 2021
- A growing population of males
-
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
- Pandemic forces brands to rethink product launches
- Menswear brands launch new online services
- Adspend on menswear declines sharply
-
Launch Activity and Innovation
- Pandemic forces brands to rethink product launches
- Dior unveils men’s collection online
- Balenciaga reveals new collection in video game
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Figure 23: Hawes & Curtis’ new loungewear, 2020
- Paco Rabanne has launched its first men’s line
- Figure 24: Paco Rabanne’s menswear line, 2021
- Mytheresa launches menswear ecommerce
- Rihanna launches Savage X Fenty Menswear collection
- Figure 25: Savage X Fenty’s menswear line, 2021
- H&M launches menswear range using intelligent fabric
- 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
- Figure 27: Menswear Goodmove collection, 2021
- I Saw It First adds menswear and extends Love Island partnership
-
Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Total sector advertising spend plunges 44% year-on-year in 2020
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Total sector advertising spend plunges 44% year-on-year in 2020
-
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- 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
- Close to two fifths of males are spending less on fashion since COVID
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Figure 35: Financial/employment changes as a result of COVID-19, 19 February-1 March 2021
- Close to two fifths of males are spending less on fashion since COVID
-
What They Buy
- Big declines in purchasing of clothes and footwear
- 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
- 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
- Figure 39: Number of clothing items bought on last shopping trip, by gender, December 2020
- Men spent more than women per shopping trip
- Figure 40: Amount spent on clothing items on last shopping trip, by gender, December 2020
- Big declines in purchasing of clothes and footwear
-
How They Shop
- Almost 80% purchased online
- Figure 41: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Only slight rise in purchasing via a smartphone
- Figure 42: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Under-35s use smartphones
- Figure 43: How men bought clothing in the last 12 months, by age, January 2021
- Almost 80% purchased online
-
Where They Shop
- Online-only retailers grow in popularity
- Figure 44: Where men bought clothing for themselves in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Increased purchasing from pureplays and mid-market fashion stores
- Figure 45: Where men bought clothing for themselves in the last 12 months, December 2019 and December 2020
- Young buy clothes from sports stores
- 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
- 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
- Figure 48: Repertoire of types of retailers where men have bought clothing in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Online-only retailers grow in popularity
-
Changes in Shopping Behaviour
- Casualisation of workwear to continue
- Figure 49: Clothes shopping behaviour in the last 12 months and future interest, January 2021
- Major interest in using visual search to find clothes
- 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
- Casualisation of workwear to continue
-
Changes in Priorities when Buying Clothes
- Fashion trends become less important
- Figure 51: Changes in men’s priorities when buying clothes for themselves, January 2021
- Buying from sustainable brands grows in importance
- 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
- Fashion trends become less important
-
Men’s Views on Inclusivity and Diversity in Fashion
- Wide range of sizes key for inclusive brands
- Figure 53: What makes a fashion brand/retailer inclusive, January 2021
- Growing demand for fashion brands to use diverse models
-
- Figure 54: What makes a fashion brand/retailer inclusive, by generations, January 2021
- Young change behaviour to support diversity
- Figure 55: Behaviours towards fashion brands in the last 12 months, January 2021
- Wide range of sizes key for inclusive brands
-
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
-
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Figure 57: Best- and worst-case forecast of consumer spending on menswear, 2020-25
- Forecast methodology
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