Who are they kidding? According to Chris Sanderson, strategy and insight director of Future Laboratory,’This is not the case. In their minds they are still 25′. This was the quote in the  May 16th edition of the fashion bible Drapers. The cover showed 8 famous women, all beautiful, well dressed and glamorous and all over 50 years old. Editor, Lauretta Roberts, comments that ‘the market has been hopelessly neglected by large swathes of the fashion industry in recent years’. Hallelujah, someone is on our case after all.  She goes on to say ’42.5& of women are 45 plus and yet only 33% of sales from the high street chains come from that age group’. Wonder why?

It’s quite obvious – too much is too young or too old for us.  Apparently, we are ‘stylish seniors’ – not sure I like that term but if it helps get us some great clothing choices I can live with it.

Independent retailers are the places to visit, easier said than done in the age of cloning i.e. every city offers the same choice in shopping. They have switched their focus to an older clientele so that 55% of their sales are going to the over 45′s. They have realised we are the group with money and are worthy of attention. Let’s hope the rest catch on before too long.

My feeling is that the cloning era will soon be over. Everything runs in cycles so here’s to some independence – soon. I certainly do not want to look like everyone else, and I’m sure you don’t either.  Drop me a line and let me have your thoughts.

http://www.drapersonline.com/ for further information