Mintel Menswear Report 2017 - Older Men and Clothes Shopping

The Mintel Menswear Report 2017 was published recently and it covered some of the issues I write about here and elsewhere. The fashion industry tends to ignore the older man as a market, despite the size and affluence of the demographic. The report contains some interesting insights.

The report suggests that some older men aren't interested in buying clothes and I wonder if this is why brands don't think of them as a possible market. Why try to sell to a disinterested demographic? I think the situation is more complex. It's chicken and egg: I'm convinced that many older men show no interest in clothes shopping because the industry ignores them. If all a man sees is menswear adverts showing models in their twenties, they're going to assume that there's nothing there for them. The report shows that many older men say that advertising should reflect the age of the consumer.

Robert DeNiro in Zegna advertising

I know of no other market in which sales people don't attempt to sell to a fully accessible group simply because they think it won't buy from them. Some simple sales techniques could change all that. Businesses should show an interest in the older man; using older models would be a start. They don't need to worry that they'll have to start selling elastic-waisted trousers and Velcro-closure shoes to older men. If my postbag is anything to go by, there are many older men out there keen to show that style is not the preserve of the young. A little encouragement will go a long way.

There were a couple of surprises for me in the report. The high incidence of obesity (see below) among older men surprises me, but sadly it's a trend in all ages. The fact that 18% of men 55+ haven't bought clothes for themselves in the last 12 months is perhaps unsurprising given the point I've just made. I've little doubt that ageism lies behind the menswear industry's myopia, let's hope that changes soon.

I was pleased to see some mention of brands who've used older models (below).

Mark Hammill Rag & Bone Fall '17

Mintel have kindly sent me some relevant excerpts from their report and I quote what they sent me here in full:

"How can the sector encourage purchasing among older males?

The facts:

Older men aged 65+ stand out as being in the best financial situation, with 60% describing their finances as healthy.

The ONS [Office for National Statistics] predicts a 10.6% growth in the number of men aged 55 and above between 2016 and 2021.

Older men are more likely to need plus-sized clothing, with 79% of males aged 45-54 classified as overweight or obese.

The implications:

Older men aged 55+ remain the least keen clothes shoppers, with 18% not having bought clothes for themselves in the last 12 months. As the male population ages, retailers need to focus on encouraging older men to take a greater interest in their appearance and what they wear.

Men aged 55+ are most likely to shop at M&S, Primark and Asda. Older men shop around a lot less than younger men do and tend to be more brand loyal, shopping at one or two retailers in-store and one retailer online.

Older men see consistent sizes as the area they would most like improved at the retailers they shop at, with 39% of over-55s agreeing with this. Men who shop for clothes at M&S or Sainsbury’s are most interested in these retailers selling more consistent sizes across different brands and better fitting garments. 

Over three fifths (63%) of male shoppers agree that models in retailers’ ad campaigns should reflect the age of their customers, rising to almost seven in ten (68%) of Baby Boomers aged 52-70.

As Mintel’s Serving the Underserved identifies, consumers who have been underrepresented in the past are getting a greater voice. Several brands and retailers have been responding to this trend by using a more diverse range of models of different ages, sizes and ethnicities. Among those using older models in their menswear campaigns are Rag & Bone’s Fall 2017 imagery which starred 65-year-old Mark Hamill who is known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films. Actor Robert De Niro is the face of designer menswear brand, Ermenegildo Zegna’s spring 2017 campaign, and Calvin Klein’s new underwear campaign which launched in March 2017 features the 43-year-old star of the Oscar-winning Moonlight film.

Further statistics:

27% of men aged 45+ said they would like to see higher quality clothes (stitching, fabric quality) in stores 

24% of men aged 45+ said they would like to see seasonal clothing that can be worn whatever the weather in stores 

17% of 45+ said they would like to see better fitting clothes in stores (eg that flatter your shape) 

15% of men aged 45-54 agree that social media sites are a good way of getting inspiration on which clothes to buy, as do 10% of those aged 55+ 

63% of male clothes-shoppers say that models in retailers’ advertising campaigns should reflect the age of their customers, rising to 72% of those aged 65+".

With many thanks to Mintel for these data.