A large part of the global economic recovery may depend on a small group of dedicated shoppers according to the latest Acxiom Retail Consumer Dynamics survey.
These fashion-savvy clothes-buyers are called fashion-forward shoppers in the retail clothing world and they tend to be top spenders on clothes and fashion. Understanding what drives them to buy might help the garment trade which is digesting the fact that retail clothing sales in the USA dropped in May for the first time in eight months.
Fashion forwards are people who say they focus on fashion and style, rather than comfort or cost, and over two-thirds of them have indicated that they plan to spend the same, or more than usual, on summer clothing in the next three months. This is a contrast to the value-driven clothing buyer, who spends only around a third as much as the fashion forward, and who intends to try and spend less than usual on clothing between now and the autumn.
To be a fashion forward, you need to have a good eye for fashion, even in casual clothing – this winter’s top tip, for example is shades of cream and ivory, and savvy fashion forwards will already be overhauling their autumn wardrobes to include white or cream winter jackets and light coloured trousers and boots.
