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Women's Plus-Size Fashion Market Assessment 2011
Key Note Publications Ltd, Oct 2011, Pages: 135
This Key Note Market Assessment examines the plus-size fashion market for women, defined by Key Note for the purpose of this report as clothing sized 16 and over. Between 2006 and 2010, the industry observed year-on-year growth in terms of value, rising by 19.6% overall.
Despite this growth, factors such as the economic downturn have still had a significant impact on the industry over the past few years. A lack of consumer spending, particularly on luxury items, such as clothing, have reduced the market’s potential value; while high levels of unemployment and the weak Pound have left consumers overly cautious. Nevertheless, growth has been maintained, and is believed to have been driven by the growing levels of overweight and obese women in the UK. The increasing rate of larger-sized women has and will continue to have the most significant impact on the market. The ageing demographic in the UK is further believed to have helped the market, as older women are generally more likely to be overweight.
Other factors, such as the media’s perception of plus-size women, are also believed to have impacted market, as the acceptance of the fuller figured woman has become more popularised. For example, a number of larger-sized celebrities are now considered fashion icons, while retailers and designers have begun to incorporate fuller-figured women in their advertising campaigns and on the catwalk. This change in perception has thus encouraged women to make the most of their body shapes, regardless of their size.
In recent years, the marketplace has become increasingly competitive, with more mainstream outlets widening their range of sizes and clothing lines in order to appeal to plus-size women, thus taking potential sales away from specialist clothing retailers. Notably, supermarkets have become competitive within the fashion market, often due to the lower prices on offer, as well as the convenience that such outlets provide for consumers. Despite this, specialist shops are still favourable, many of which provide home shopping solutions, online and/or via mail order. Indeed, home shopping in the current economy has remained a popular solution, as it allows customers to compare prices easily, while also providing a quick and convenient method of shopping for clothes. Online and mail-order retailers often provide clothing collections in a range of sizes, with many specifically targeting plus-size women.
Key Note has forecast that the market for plus-size fashion will increase by 15.4% between 2011 and 2015, reaching £6.22bn in the latter year. This growth is likely to be achieved if the economy continues to recover and consumers spending habits return. Furthermore, the rising rate of overweight and obese women will drive growth, although this may only be in the short term as Government initiatives are being put into place to help reduce obesity levels in the UK.
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