What sold, and what’s old: Retail bestsellers in 2018’s first six
The results are in – Apparel Resources has released its biannual report, charting and analysing the best performing trends, items and brands for the first six months of 2018.
There has been an ongoing debate in the industry coined ‘Retail Apocalypse’, owing to an increasing number of brands shifting their strategy to online e-commerce and digital marketing. These shifts have and will continue to have, a lasting impact on the future of retail and the way consumer psyche works. But contrary to such arguments, a massive chunk of consumers are still purchasing in-store, striking a head-on collision with online sales.
For the first time in many years, the definition of luxury has started to change to include more casual offerings – a move which clearly mimics the changing outlook of the times.
Balenciaga has secured its place as the most popular and successful brand in fashion for the third consecutive quarter in a row, with Gucci following at close second. Even luxury fashion house Prada ranks at No. 11 by returning to its strength in nylon goods… All these statistics signal the imminent reach and the subsequent success of the streetwear aesthetic.
In addition to the above, fashion labels riding high on the street fashion wave include Vetements, Stone Island, Moncler and Raf Simons, all of which show growing popularity with the younger consumers, namely the millennials and Gen-Z purchasers.
Furthermore, consumers are openly embracing pre-owned products as luxury resale sees a marked rise. There have been considerable entries into this retail format as consumers discard the notions surrounding pre-loved goods.
Nike recently revealed its fourth quarter revenues of 13 per cent globally. The athleticwear and sportswear giant cited appreciable 3 per cent growth in North America, following four straight quarters without. Its direct-to-consumer philosophy within its home territory is resulting in a noticeable impact on its overall performance.
Target is riding high on the recent shifts it has incorporated within its structure. The retailer has made big changes within its cross-merchandising departments and has a new-found vision towards its beauty category.
One sure-shot way to attract and retain shoppers is by timing trends in an orderly manner and Target has hit gold by tapping into the rising demand for beauty products from its price-sensitive customers.
Retaining customers essentially comes down to providing a product mix that is specific and relatable to one’s loyal customers – which isn’t as easy as it sounds. Challenges come in the form of competitive products and pricing, too-good-to-be-true discounting schemes, marketing promotions and product launches, as everyone scrambles to get a piece of the pie.
Mango has been quite a head-turner in this regard. The Spanish fashion brand’s foray into stylish maternity, plus size fashion and ethical ranges shows that the retailer is mindful and sensitive towards its shoppers’ varied demands and ethical roots.
Most notable accessories in 2018’s first six months, have been nylon belt bags and fanny packs, bucket and basket bags, bucket hats, as well as streetwear aesthetic-infused chunky sole sneakers. According to Edited, fanny packs and bum bags saw a 120 per cent upsurge in new arrivals and sell-outs grew 359 per cent compared to Q2 2017.
In the apparel segment, shapewear, track pants crafted out of the same material used for raincoats, stripes, retro polkas, tie front tops, and slogan tees, have been the most surprising sell-outs. The wrap-around style has been a major sell-out in the womenswear category with Forever 21 and ASOS emerging as the retailers with the largest assortments.
Under the men’s section, side striped pants or pants with contrast piping saw a growth of 448 per cent in Q2 from last year with sell-outs touching 408 per cent – statistics that indicate the male consumer is faster than ever on the trend-uptake. What an exciting time for menswear!
Here at Apparel Resources, we’ve amalgameted the thousands of data points from insights gathered from sale statistics shared by Lyst and data from industry insiders, to give you the ultimate round-up of 2018’s most popular trends with consumers so far…
Blazer Bash
Blazers and power suits are performing well across the board, with the former serving as a transitional day to night piece.
Keeping up with its sustained growth since Q2 last year, the structured silhouette is expected to stick around into Fall 2018. After striking it as a bestseller in Q1, the trend continued onto Q2 with a 33 per cent lift in luxury new arrivals, accompanied by an incredible 76 per cent increase in bestsellers.
There has been a noticeable tilt towards a very specific muted pink across luxury and mass market categories, though check and plaid versions in black and white are performing well, too.
Detail-wise, double breasted styles for both men and women, with a nod towards golden hardware have proved to be a mover. For those catering to the workwear segment, inclusion of a longer-line double breasted style in the product mix would prove to be expedient.
Streetwear Conquest
Demna Gvasalia-helmed Balenciaga overtaking Gucci for a third consecutive quarter and Virgil Abloh’s appointment at Louis Vuitton, are enough proof that the industry-wide impact of streetwear is only poised for growth in the future.
The success enjoyed by Balenciaga, Vetements, Off-White, Supreme and even Prada, has inspired a host of brands to pay heed to the oversized puffer jacket, ugly shoes trend and sock boot styles.
Prada’s mash-up aesthetic of covetable belt bags, raincoat inspired track pants, bucket hats, and Tech-fly trainers have paved a new way for streetwear infused with feminine notes, citing streetwear items as now becoming a statement piece.
Shapewear
The category of shapewear has seen a marked growth since a few years steering it clear from the fad domain.
A booming market for new moms and women dealing with unwanted flab or obesity, shapewear products have received thousands of orders on AliExpress beginning Q1. Because of its slimming properties, it is highly lucrative for brands to come up with a good variety of styles to cater to different needs of the consumers.
For example, certain consumers would look at targeting the stomach area with a high waisted tummy tucker whereas some would be interested in purchasing a piece that accentuates the bust region with built-in padding in the bra.
Knotted Everything
A micro-trend which gained momentum at the end of Q1 and beginning of Q2, the knot detail has been a big hit this summer – leaders being the front-knot top/blouse and wrap-around skirts knotted on the side.
Available in cropped as well as full shirted styles (in tops) and also on one-piece jumpsuits as a design element, the retro-isque front-knot tops saw a growth of 162 per cent in new arrivals and 198 per cent in case of sell-outs.
Wrap-around knotted skirts saw a 274 per cent increase in new arrivals resulting in a 272 per cent increase in top sellers. The style is well split across segments, with 48 per cent of total products retailing on the mass market, and 21 per cent in the luxury domain.
Pro tip: If you haven’t backed tie front tops yet, steer away from them for the Fall season, as it was observed by Edited that 72 per cent of new arrivals are in value and mass.
Paperbag Waists
Cinched waistlines and robe-like silhouettes have been doing the rounds since the past few seasons. After enjoying a calculated growth of 344 per cent in Q1 last year, paper bag waistlines have surprisingly maintained their momentum in 2018 as well.
The paperbag assortment comprises of pants and trousers, shorts and skirts – out of this, trousers account for 51 per cent of the mix. Though trousers are the fastest sellers, fast-fashion giants such as Zara and Bershka have seen swift sell-outs in paperbag skirts and shorts styles, too.
Polka Party
Polka dots have been a dominant design element since the 1940s and have come a long way hence, evolving through the ages. The sartorial specks are changing their monochrome aesthetic referencing a retro mood towards olive green and candy cane pallets to reveal a new design dimension.
More focused on the womenswear segment, the growth in this area has been exceptional with new arrivals lifting 72 per cent and sell-outs up by 76 per cent in both mass market and luxury.
We expect this to be a performer through Fall 2018 as well.
Mellow Yellow
Yellow is to 2018 what millennial pink has been throughout 2016-17. Even though Pantone declared ‘Ultra Violet’ as the Colour Of The Year for 2018, data suggests yellow coloured pieces sold more than purple tones in the first six months of the year.
Yellow has been recorded as a recurring shade in the bi-annual bestsellers list for women’s clothing, spanning across the entire market – right from luxury to mass, in apparel, accessories and footwear.
After a positive response in Q1, retailers underestimated the trend for Q2.
According to Edited, a 26.5 per cent increase in new arrivals but 33 per cent increase in sell-outs demonstrates consumer demand outdid the supply.
Yellow dresses, in particular saw a huge spike, across both high street and high-end brands. Ranging from lighter sorbet tones, to egg yolk and mustard shades, consumers are open to experimenting with this sun-kissed palette and including it in their wardrobes one way or another.
Culottes County
Crop and flare silhouettes have gained momentum this year. The new arrival of culottes, at the onset of Q1 was up by 56 per cent as on Q1 2017, with an avid interest reflected on the mass market.
Various styles in a plethora of materials such as denim, cotton, and polyester reign supreme. The fastest sell-outs have been in plisse/pleated detailing, culottes with knotted waists, and denim versions with contrast stripes running through the sides.
Metallics and bold colours are performing well – bold colours are translating well into the workwear category, as invested in by ASOS, Everlane and Frank & Oak.
Athleisure
Another 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
Contrary 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.
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