Abstract
While the market for apparel as a whole is growing slowly, there are other segments that are either growing rapidly or are ripe for growth, if only the industry would serve them. Here is where the outsize market comes into play. The one overriding theme within the outsize market is: opportunity awaits.
Despite the fact that the US plus-size market alone has grown from US$17.1bn in 2000 to US$30bn in 2005, this market has long been neglected at every channel in terms of number of offerings, number of styles within offerings, trendiness, fit, line extensions and more. Savvy brands, designers and retailers that take the time to truly understand this market can do very, very well.
The potential of the outsize sectors is reflected in the recent prediction that the plus size market in the US is expected to reach US$62.4bn, and will represent 26% of all apparel sales, by 2012. Not only is the number of consumers in this audience growing, but the lack of supply remains steady. Many top designers don' t want to target this market as they prefer to see their clothes on thinner frames, despite the public demand for larger sizes. This supports the fact that this market demands product, leaving the market wide open for opportunity for those designers willing to create for this market.
This comprehensive study by just-style defines the global market for outsize to include plus sizes, talls and petites. These sectors represent a large population of consumers who are ready and willing to spend, and therefore a huge opportunity for generating sales in a growing industry that would benefit from innovation.
The report considers all aspects of the specialty size market, including:
- the market and what it consists of;
- the size and value of the market;
- brands and retailers;
- social attitudes;
- technical constraints;
- potential of the market
- market insight and forecasts
Table of Contents
Executive summary
- The market
- Buying behaviour
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The market
- Petite, tall, plus size: Who are they?
- Size examples and measurements
- Sizing outside the US
- Demographics
- Ethnic differences
- Expert interviews
Chapter 3 Market estimates
- United States
- Western Europe
- Other regions
Chapter 4 Brand and retailer attitudes
- US shops
- Western European shops
- Mail order and the internet
- Made-to-measure (specials)
- Expert interviews
Chapter 5 Social attitudes
- Overweight and obese
- Anorexia and bulimia
- Vanity sizing
- Expert interviews
Chapter 6 Outsize: the past and the future
- The market
- Opportunities
List of figures
- Figure 1: US sizing guides for women' s standard-, junior-, plus-, petite-sizes and men' s wear
List of tables
- Table 1: International women’s clothing size comparison chart
- Table 2: UK bust, chest and hip measurements for UK sizes 18-32 (inches and cm)
- Table 3: UK women’s size chart (inches)
- Table 4: US market for total apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 5: US market for women’s apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 6: US market for men’s apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 7: US market for children’s apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 8: US market for plus-size apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 9: Plus-size market within US total market for apparel, 2003-2012 (%)
- Table 10: US market for petite apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 11: US market for tall apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table12: US market for specialty size apparel, 2003-2012 (US$bn)
- Table 13: Proposed revised chart based on contemporary measurements (US and UK clothing sizes and %)
- Table 14: Western European female overweight market for apparel, 2006-2012 (unit population and EURbn)
- Table 15: Western European female plus-size market for apparel, 2006-2012 (unit population and EURbn)
