Countries covered: Global
Following on from our popular first edition of this report, we have completely rewritten it for this latest 2009 edition and provided brand-new data - including just-style's market forecasts to 2014. All data has taken into account the recent economic downturn, and we have estimated the short- to medium-term outlook for the sector.
Outsize apparel is defined as products that are specially manufactured and/or marketed as petite, plus and tall sized. This is the most dynamic segment of the apparel market, both in the changes that occur in it daily as well as the profit potential to be found in satisfying the right niches in the right way. From less than 5% total market share in 1980, the proportion of outsize apparel in the world approached 20% in 2008 - and will approach 40% in 2014 in certain countries such as the United States.
The three main markets for outsize apparel are quite diverse, and all demand closer scrutiny for their profit potential as well as the insight they offer as early indicators of market changes. This report analyses each of these key sectors in detail.
Chapter 1 Petite size
In this chapter the report reviews this sector by looking at the social and technical aspects, design and trends influencing petite. Extracts from exclusive interviews are provided together with the historic and forecast % share of sales of petite in the overall US apparel market. The chapter also reviews the main players by region.
Extract: Teresa Le, founder and chief designer for TLE Designs, a designer specialising in petite apparel, stated in an exclusive September 2008 interview to just-style that the revival of petite in the US “is happening in a large part because of immigration. Foreign women tend to be less tall than the average American woman, so the demand for clothing that looks good and fits them well goes up. And big stores like Macy’s are reacting to that going forward”. Following this trend, large stores such as Macy's, JC Penney and Nordstrom all have petite departments, with a growing amount of specialty petite stores - such as the Talbot chain - with both retail and online locations. Even with expressive growth, this market is less than saturated. Saks, for example, tried to eliminate its line of petite clothing in 2006, only to revive it less than a year later after strong protest from their client base.
Chapter 2 Plus size
Covering the plus size sector, this chapter follows the same form as chapter 1, including forecast % share data of plus size apparel within the overall US apparel market.
Extract: Contemporary societies around the world seem polarised in their consideration of obesity. On one hand, accommodations for the plus sized now abound in developed countries. Physical and social compensatory mechanisms are commonplace, such as the availability of “queen chairs” in the former case and a variety of antidiscrimination groups in the latter. On the other hand, the “2007 outcry over anorexic fashion models promoting unhealthy eating habits point to significant confusion over ‘healthy’ vs. ‘overweight’ and ‘underweight’”, explains Dr. Julie Garcia of the University of Michigan during a September 2008 interview to just-style.
Chapter 3 Tall size
Covering the tall-size sector, again, this chapter follows the same form as chapters 1 and 2, including forecast % share data of tall apparel within the overall US apparel market.
Extract: Wal-Mart, the leviathan of retailers also has a significant stake in the tall market, especially for men. The largest company in the world, with 2007 revenues of US$378.8bn and over 2m employees around the world has noticed the marketing potential of this segment. It has significantly expanded its “tall” product lines for 2008-2009, especially for men. Noted fashion and beauty consultant Lana Rafael was a consultant for Wal-Mart and was involved in global procurement from 2005 to 2007. She explained during an October 2008 interview to just-style that “its CRM systems detected a trend towards more cluster purchases from this product subtype since 2006. There’s lots of contribution [higher gross margins per ticket sale] there, but there’s also strong customer loyalty in that cluster”.
Rafael adds that Wal-Mart initially offered work clothes in “tall”, and found that customers were extremely loyal - and bought a significant amount of collateral products. “The ticket value was almost three times the average - what’s not to like?” she asks rather rhetorically. Indeed, Wal-Mart expanded its lines to a full set of clothing, from catering to work and casual lines. Its continued success in the men’s line suggests that a women’s line is not far behind, thinks Rafael.
Chapter 4 Measurements and marketing
Here the report reviews how trends in outsize clothing are affecting the ‘few sizes fit all’ philosophy and the chapter reviews key marketing channels for outsize.
Chapter 5 Market projections and trends, 2005-2014
This chapter concludes the report with commentary and data. Tables include historic and forecast coverage of the US market values for plus-, petite- and tall-size sectors and West European female overweight and plus-size markets.
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