The demand for loungewear and casual wear has skyrocketed during the lockdown and many brands who have highlighted work from home and lockdown friendly products are reaping the rewards, according to new data.
The research, from Epsilon-Conversant, reveals that homeware has also seen a 41% rise in demand whereas formalwear drops by 25%.
“Many retailers have pivoted their online operations to promote their lockdown-appropriate goods,” commented Elliott Clayton, SVP Epsilon-Conversant. “We’ve seen brands like Boohoo.com and Marks and Spencer showcase their more comfortable or interior-focused ranges, and this data highlights just how much more demand there is for stay-at-home products.”
The study used data from eleven retailers across the UK, all with a variety of categories for sale. Tops and t-shirts saw an increase in demand of 13%, with demand for kidswear rising by 11% year on year. However, despite many ‘keep fit’ initiatives driven by personalities such as Joe Wicks, demand for sports/swimwear and accessories has dropped by 2%, with footwear seeing a similar (3%) drop.
“It’s understandable that our shopping patterns have changed during lockdown,” concluded Clayton. “Although some areas have seen a significant drop – for example, formalwear sales have plummeted 25%, some consumers are clearly still purchasing across all categories. With videoconferencing commonplace, there is certainly still a need to look and feel smart – but I’d predict that retailers which have pivoted to promote their loungewear and casualwear will be the clear winners for some time.”
