Loungewear and casualwear are key lockdown buys says Epsilon-Conversant data

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 14, 2020

As if you didn’t know already, loungewear has turned out to be the standout fashion category during the lockdown, both in the UK and abroad.

And on Thursday, new UK data confirmed this. Global marketing and digital media company Epsilon-Conversant said “demand for loungewear and casualwear has surged during lockdown, as consumers look for the perfect ‘work-from-home’ outfits”.
 
Purchases for these items have risen 49% year-on-year “and those brands that pivot their offerings to jump on this trend could reap the rewards – the likes of Boohoo, which has done just that, has reported a 44% rise in revenue,” the company said.

And homewares made up the second big purchase category winner, seeing a 41% rise in March and April. But formalwear has been off the agenda for many, falling 25%.

The study used data from 11 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%. 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 slightly larger (3%) drop.

“Many retailers have pivoted their online operations to promote their lockdown-appropriate goods,” said Elliott Clayton, SVP Epsilon-Conversant. “We’ve seen brands like Boohoo.com and Marks &Spencer showcase their more comfortable or interior-focused ranges, and they’ve reaped the rewards. This data highlights just how much more demand there is for stay-at-home products.”

But despite the formalwear plunge, the category is still being bought. Clayton added: “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.”