Apparel Online India Magazine July 2nd Issue 2018 | Page 35

DIRECTIONS BY
Athleisure
A
nother power player affecting the
fashion and retail scenario is the
wellness market.
Brands such as Lululemom, Nike, Urban
Outfitters and Target are bridging the
gap between consumer’s demand for
health and fitness products and the
looming novelty of it.
According to a statement released by
Jane Hali & Associates LLC, ‘Brands and
retailers are jumping on the athleisure
category in any way they can. Many
companies have reported activewear
and sneakers (athletic footwear)
to be two of their top performing
classifications’.
Puma has refocused its business on
offering sports products, an effort
which involves scaling back on its
fashion-focused offerings. Furthermore,
brands with an athletic focus have
been concentrating on growing their
womenswear segment as more and
more women opt for athleisure pieces.
Denim Daze
C
ontrary to the rise in loungewear and
comfort dressing, Spring/Summer
2018 saw an upward spike in denim
products where denim jackets and shirts
took over the market share from jeans.
Gap, American Eagle Outfitters and
Abercrombie & Fitch, etc. have all
recorded success in their denim sales
and are experimenting with new product
offerings within their collections. After
recording a 24 per cent increase in net
revenue in the first half of 2018, Levi’s has
upped its full year guidance to 8 per cent.
This progression is driven by strong brand
growth across all its regions and channels.
According to the data revealed via
Google Trends, denim is continuing to
climb upwards which signals a strong and
sustained growth in sales over the next
few seasons.
Major in-store sell-outs state that
consumers are now tilting toward lighter
washes, frayed hemlines, and flared
silhouettes – like the bell bottoms,
bootleg and slim fit styles.
www.apparelresources.com | JULY 16-31, 2018 | Apparel Online India
35