Most of the fashion world may be focused on the current round of women’s runway shows with Milan Fashion Week beginning tomorrow, but the New York Times has also been casting its eye over the growth in men’s wear sales.
The most striking point in this story is the choice of language used by retailers. According to NPD Group , the market research firm cited in the article, the growth in men’s wear, at least in the US, is being driven by spending on accessories: “sales grew 14 percent in the last half of 2011, to about $6 billion” and in order to make those accessories even more attractive to the consumer, names regarded as “feminine” are being adapted for the male market. Retailers are inventing new language to cater for their male clientele.
Here’s the suggested lexicon:
Bracelets = Wrist wear
Hand bag/Man Bag/Murse = Holdall
Can’t you just imagine Rick Perry, whose bracelets could often be seen peeking out from his suit cuffs, thanking a member of his Texas constituency for the compliment on his “wrist wear”? I can’t really, but apparently, this sort of verbal sleight-of-hand does sell stuff. Now the question is: will it sell to the gurus at the OED?
Anyway, I’m off to Milan today, which is apparently a hot spot for the male bracelet craze (sic such titans of luxury as Diego Della Valle, the head of Tod’s, who is fond of his own wrist wear), so I’ll investigate further.
Vanessa has been the FT’s fashion editor since 2003, and is based in New York, though she lived in London for 12 years.