With more employees working remotely, comfortable clothes have become as acceptable as professional attire, and businesses that have invested in loungewear are reaping the benefits.
Key Details
- Comfort is increasingly important to shoppers when selecting their clothes. The fashion industry has begun to shift to match this desire.
- Brands that have shifted to match the changing demand have seen increased sales and boosted revenue, The Hustle reports.
- The athleisure market continues to grow and is expected to reach $662.5 billion by 2030.
Why it’s news
Comfort now takes precedence over style or even cost as more consumers choose to wear comfy clothes rather than business professionals. This desire for comfort extends from more comfortable pants to more supportive shoes.
Brands emphasizing comfortable clothes have started to see rewards for their changing inventory.
- Shoemaker Hoka’s third-quarter sales reached $1.3 billion.
- Lululemon, known for its line of leggings, saw its revenue increase by 28% to $1.9 billion in the third quarter of 2022.
- L.L. Bean had its second-highest earning year last year with $1.8 billion in revenue.
- Crocs had record revenue of $3.6 billion last year.
- Wrangler and Lee had a revenue increase of 9%.
More casual and relaxed brands continue to grow in popularity. Even beyond the work-from-home market, the high-fashion industry is slightly shifting to more comfortable shoes. Athleisure is making appearances on the runway, from sweatpants to sneakers, according to Vogue.
The comfortable fashion trend is likely to stick around for a while. A recent survey found that 81% of customers prioritize comfort over anything else when selecting their clothes, Forbes reports.