Garment manufacturers are constantly looking for market opportunities that are not being met in the fashion industry, particularly for high value items.
A series of interviews conducted among young, educated consumers in Seattle Washington in late November has identified a product need in North America that could be met by finished garment manufacturers in Pakistan.
The product category is jeans, which generally have a retail price range of $50 to $250, with the more expensive jeans being sought after because they provide a tighter, more flattering fit. Properly fitting jeans represent status symbols that attract premium prices.
Female respondents age 21-30 reported that conventional clothing sizes used for jean pants are often inadequate for specifying a close fit.
This is because many women do not conform to conventional sizing patterns. For example, a woman may have a size 6 (32 inch) waist, but requires a size of 7 for their thighs. Conversely, some women may have size 6 thighs but a size 7 waist.
US retailers have not been found to be offering a line of jeans where each pair has a mélange or combination of more than one size. Research conducted online indicates a similar gap in other Western markets.
THIS FINDING SUGGESTS TWO OPPORTUNITIES THAT GARMENT MANUFACTURERS IN PAKISTAN COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF:
1. Offer to provide jeans in combination sizes to distributors and retailers.
2. Launch customisation services where small boutiques and individual consumers could order combination jeans in small lots, delivered by air express.
Findings regarding trends in men's casual clothing indicate that it is likely that North American casual menswear fashions will trend towards tighter fits and a resurgence of black and other dark colours.
Additional research planned by my colleague Lexie Law will explore how clothing choices are made, both in regard to retail purchases and then in regard to how individuals select clothing to be worn on a daily basis.
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