The multibillion-dollar industry of kidswear fashion is booming, thanks to the increasing fashion consciousness of parents for their children. With celebrity child influencers on social media platforms like Instagram, parents are more careful in their kids’ clothing choices, making the kidswear market a huge opportunity. This article explores the dominant trends in kidswear, how these choices differ based on demographics, and why the market remains fragmented despite presenting a massive opportunity.
The Driving Factors for Parental Purchases of Kidswear Fashion
The same revolutionary ideas and preferences that brought about a new wave of retail are being brought to parenthood by millennials. Additionally, as people are choosing to have fewer kids or kids later in life, parents have better purchasing power and greater disposable income to spend on their children. This has led to a growing trend of buying into the latest fashion trends, from superhero movies to Asian fashion.
The Rise of Online Shopping
Retailers who understand the importance of providing accurate information on their websites are finding that parents are not averse to online shopping. Brands like Calvin Klein and Superdry, which have traditionally catered to adults, have launched kidswear capsules to tap into this growing market. With the growing trend of online shopping, it is essential that any brand looking to sell kidswear online provides accurate information about every detail of each product, while advertising the brand in a way that stands out for parameters important to parents- safety, comfort, and style.
It’s a Mini-Me Thing
Parental preferences for kidswear are shifting towards styles that are replicas of what adults wear. The mini-me and twinning trends with their children are popular on social media, and they look cute, which drives many parents to buy clothing that may not always be practical but is always on-point in style. Luxury fashion is no exception to this rule, as Burberry has encouraged the mini-me trend with trench coats for children that closely mirror their parents’ choices, both in styling and in prints. Brands like Marc Jacobs, Lanvin, and Gucci have also broken out of the traditional mold of high fashion to cater to children of wealthy parents.
As kids grow older, their preferences also shift towards the trends worn by the adults in their lives. Athleisure as a trend provides comfort and flexibility for the active individual, but several tweens and teens who may not be that physically active on an everyday basis prefer to dress in these styles when going out with their peers.
Experiences Matter!
For parents today, buying for their kids is no different from buying for themselves. They expect the same kind of experience when buying kidswear as well. For brands catering to particularly young kids, workshops for moms and toddlers, a clean designated play area, and adequate access to feeding and changing rooms can amp up the retail experience. Time is a valuable commodity, and no one knows it better than the parents of today.
Despite presenting a massive opportunity, the kidswear market remains fragmented. There are several reasons for this fragmentation. One is that the market is relatively new and there is no dominant player in the industry. Second, there are significant differences in the preferences and requirements of parents based on demographics such as geography, age, and culture. Finally, it can be challenging for retailers to keep up with the rapid changes in fashion trends, particularly in the fast-paced world of kidswear.
The dominant trends in kidswear are replica styles of what adults wear, online shopping, and providing an exceptional retail experience. However, despite presenting a massive opportunity, the kidswear market remains fragmented due to differences in preferences and requirements of parents based on demographics and the rapid changes in fashion trends.
