What Sells Best Now?

72 SURVEY BOUTIQUES THE BEST OF INTIMA’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ANNUAL SURVEY HAS ONCE AGAIN SOUGHT THE OPINIONS OF MORE THAN 500 RETAIL WHAT SELLS OUTLETS WITHIN 10 COUNTRIES. THE PANEL CONSISTS OF THE BEST STORES TAKEN FROM THE DIFFERENT NATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND IS SELECTED BY THE JURY MEMBERS. ALL IN BEST NOW? ALL THE RESULTS REVEAL AN IMPROVEMENT FOR LINGERIE SALES IN CONTINENTAL EUROPE – PRIMARILY IN GERMANY AS WELL AS IN FRANCE, ITALY AND SPAIN. THE UK MAINTAINS THE SAME POSITIVE RESULTS AS NORTH AMERICA. THE ONLY NON-MOVER AGAIN THIS YEAR IS RUSSIA AND THE UKRAINE, WHO STILL SEEM TO BE STRAINING UNDER THE PRESSURE OF AUSTERITY WITH MORE THAN HALF OF THE STORES SUFFERING A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN SALES. IN REGARDS TO THE PERFORMANCE OF EACH CATEGORY; CORSETRY REMAINS AT THE TOP WITH AN INCREASE IN SALES OF PLUS SIZE AND GROWING POTENTIAL FOR SPECIALTY BRAS SUCH AS MATERNITY AND POST-SURGICAL. SPORTSWEAR, IN PARTICULAR, HAS NOT MADE AS MUCH OF AN IMPACT ON THE CONTINENT, BUT IS ALREADY DOING WELL IN THE UK AND NORTH AMERICA. AS YOU READ THE FOLLOWING PAGES YOU WILL DISCOVER THE SPECIFICS FOR EACH MARKET AS WELL AS THE BESTSELLING BRANDS FOR 2015. 74 SURVEY HOW HAVE THE MAIN CATEGORIES FAIRED? -10% or more between -5% +5% between more than -5 and +5% and 10% USA & CANADA -10% + 10% 3% 44% 18% 12% 21% 3% 64% 18% 6% 3% THE BEST OF INTIMA SPOKE TO A SELECTION OF 65 INDEPENDENT RETAILERS ACROSS THE USA & CANADA. THOSE POLLED WERE BOTH PAST AND PRESENT BEST SHOP AWARDS 4% 7% 46% 21% 4% 11% NOMINEES WHO HAVE UNRIVALLED EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE LINGERIE SECTOR. 4% 18% 43% 11% 14% 7% 7% 10% 24% 17% 24% 17% HOW HAVE SALES FOR 2015 PERFORMED IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR? 6% 29% 18% 18% 18% 3% 5% 7% 40% 27% 13% 13% very poor 23% poor 10% not very well very well HOW HAVE THESE SPECIALTY ITEMS PERFORMED? 13% stable 18% well 28% better 31% 69% 50% 50% 3% 46% 51% 50% 50% within the 72% of stores sold and 46% of re - 13% 57% 30% THIS YEAR’S RESULTS spondents have reported stable sales, with Our annual survey reveals that in 2015 69% of 36% enjoying an increase. The scores are even 7% 67% 27% stores have seen a growth in their sales rev - better for swimwear, recording an increase in enue, with only 7% reporting a decline of more sales for 57% of our panel. Men’s underwear 7% 25% 68% than 5%. However, the growing number of continues to be offered by just under half of the mono-brand store openings offering competi - boutiques surveyed with only 7% reporting a 40% 20% 40% tive pricing along with the vigorous marketing decline in sales, while 36% have seen an in - 71% 29% campaigns by e-tailers remains a threat to crease. Ready-to-wear is only offered in 38% smaller businesses. Unsurprisingly perhaps of the stores polled, and erotic lingerie, by an corsetry maintains its position as the leading even lower figure of 29%, fewer still (22%) place (up from third in 2014), and Marie Jo in third. LOUNGEWEAR again has very similar product sold in lingerie stores and is reported stock sex toys. and Anita who have come in joint third. The results to Nightwear with Eberjey coming in to be performing at the same rate as, or better leading brand by far in the PLUS SIZE cate - first. The European brand Wolford maintains than 2014 in over 82% of the stores ques - gory is Elomi , which maintains its position at its position as the incontestable bestseller tioned. While corsetry remains the most popu - THE BESTSELLING BRANDS the top, Goddess also performs well within this within the LEGWEAR category, with Spanx at a lar offering, it isn’t alone when it comes to This year was almost too close to call when it range and takes second place, while Panache comfortable distance coming in second and promising results as it is closely followed by comes to the preferred brand for CORSETRY shares third place with PrimaDonna . Eberjey Commando increasing in popularity taking nightwear, for which 77% of stores asked say in North America. However last year’s num - is still the favorite when it comes to NIGHT - home third place. The Canadian brand Saxx they are enjoying stable or improved sales. For ber one Wacoal and the number two top sell - WEAR as its competitors struggle to knock it retains the top spot as a firm favorite for those stocking legwear 46% have reported that ers Chantelle share the coveted position of off the top spot, it comes in first yet again. Not MEN’S UNDERWEAR with other well-known sales are stable with 32% claiming they have first place in 2015. They are followed very too far behind are PJ Salvage in the position brands such as Bia Bora and Calvin Klein risen. home/loungewear is also performing well closely by PrimaDonna who steals into second number two and Samantha Chang with Fleur’T starting to show their mettle within this cate - 76 SURVEY USA & CANADA BEST SELLERS Corsetry Chantelle/Wacoal plus size Elomi NiGHtWeAr/louNGeWeAr Eberjey leGWeAr Wolford MeN's uNDerWeAr Saxx sHApeWeAr Spanx MAterNity Anita sportsWeAr Anita gory. There are no surprises in SHAPEWEAR as the dominant brand Spanx surpasses all THE OUTLOOK FOR 2016 others in terms of sales within this category. Only 26% of the American and Canadian However, Yummie Tummie comes in a re - stores we spoke to appear to be fully happy spectable second – up one from last year – with their current offer, whilst 32% are willing and knocks PrimaDonna out of the top three to renew their portfolio and 24% will consider into fourth, with Janira coming in third. In first bringing in a few more brands. Bras continue place is Anita – the main player when it to play a key role in many stores, making up comes to MATERNITYWEAR . Other notable the majority of their sales revenue. A growing brands within this range are Cake , moving up number of retailers want to invest in this seg - in the ratings to take second and Freya in ment, with the aim of introducing more match - third. For our last category, SPORTS BRAS , ing sets and fuller bra cups, due to the growing Anita beats out any competition by a long demand from customers. Many want to expand stretch to take pole position with double the their plus size and post-surgical offerings, too. sales of its competitors. Panache comes into Full coverage panties and the introduction of second place while Chantelle takes home the swimwear and shapewear also rank high on the third place although Shock Absorber , Wacoal list of items that stores would like to add to their and Freya are not too far behind. ranges for 2016. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2016? 24% 26% 18% 32% 78 SURVEY HOW HAVE THE MAIN CATEGORIES FAIRED? -10% or more between -5% +5% between more than -5 and +5% and 10% UK & IRELAND -10% + 10% 20% 50% 20% 10% 11% 89% OUR PARTNER MAGAZINE UNDERLINES INTERVIEWED 100 BOUTIQUES IN THE UK AND IRELAND, THIS FIGURE INCLUDES MULTIBRAND 29% 71% AND DEPARTMENT STORES, PLUS INDEPENDENT STORES THAT PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE WITHIN THE LINGERIE MARKET. 22% 56% 11% 11% 50% 50% HOW HAVE SALES FOR 2015 PERFORMED IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR? 30% 30% 20% 20% 50% 50% 5% 5% well not very well 20% stable HOW HAVE THESE SPECIALTY ITEMS PERFORMED? 70% better 100% 100% 100% 10% 20% 70% 13% 37% 50% who tend to stock these categories and de - THIS YEAR’S RESULTS partment stores tend not to offer much 7% 21% 72% We are once again receiving very positive mastectomy wear. The omnipresent sports 10% 65% 25% feedback from UK and Irish stores com - bras did well, but only 20% offer soft sports - pared to other countries within Europe with wear. Nightwear is unanimously stable in 50% 50% 75% of those polled reporting that they stores, less so than loungewear, which bou - 50% 50% have enjoyed an even better year, and only tiques have found difficulty in classifying so 5% saying that their sales have reduced in it is often mixed in with nightwear. With 2015. For corsetry, bras and specifically, sales very much dependent on the weather the SPORTS BRAS category. Anita Active, Royce, larger sizes outperform virtually all other for legwear, fine hosiery is the major casu - THE BESTSELLING BRANDS Freya Active, Trumph’s Traction and Shock Ab - categories and is the ‘bedrock’ of the inde - alty, although there were pleasing results For the CORSETRY category, Fantasie maintains sorber also sold well within this segment. On the pendent stores’ business. It is corsetry that noted in socks for both men and women. its position as the most popular brand among other hand EROTIC LINGERIE and SEX TOYS are is bringing people in store for fittings and a Just about a quarter of stores offer daywear those interviewed, followed by Wacoal and then hardly sold at all by our panel and there was no big variety is offered in a country where one or small items of knitwear and dessus- PrimaDonna and Chantelle in joint third. indication of a bestselling range as such – the out of four adults are obese and 67% are dessous, because of the lack of space in Panache, Freya, Empreinte and Triumph were only brand mentioned was L’Agent by Agent overweight*. On the contrary to southern which to present the offering.

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