ImagesMagUK_October_2020

www.images-magazine.com OCTOBER 2020 images 49 PRODUCT FOCUS The SF Men’s Slim Fit Cuffed Joggers in heather grey are a topseller The Men’s Cool Jog Short from Just Cool is an especially popular choice at present Traditional relaxed-fit styles such as the Just Hoods Cuffed Jogpants have performed better than tapered styles, reports Kirsten Ferrol of AWDis Brands from Just Hoods) have performed better than our more fashion-forward tapered styles, which also suggests a wider audience are seeking this style. “The increase of people getting out and going for walks with the family and home workouts while the gyms were closed is another reason why demand has increased for relaxed jogger styles.” Kirsten also reveals that AWDis brands have seen strong sales of jog shorts, including the Campus Shorts (JH080) from Just Hoods and Men’s Cool Jog Short (JC072) from Just Cool, which she says also reflects the demand for more relaxed, comfortable styles. Selfie photoshoots It’s a similar picture over at Henbury Brands, where Elaine Fyfe, brand manager for SF and Front Row & Co, reports: “There has been an increase in many loungewear styles, and in the instance of grey joggers we’ve seen between 30-50% growth on previous years’ sales.” According to Elaine, SF and Front Row garments appeal to many online retail businesses; this year, however, these retailers were unable to go ahead with their normal photoshoots due to the restrictions in place. Because of this, she says there was a widespread trend of brands turning to at-home ‘selfie’ style shoots to promote their products. “This was particularly prevalent on Instagram where you’d see team members taking photos of themselves in the mirror, or using a self-timer to Heather grey allows for a brighter image, showing more detail of the garment capture themselves wearing the latest samples,” says Elaine. “This low-budget approach meant that high-spec lighting was out of the question and from a practical viewpoint, darker colours like black and navy may not have photographed so well in smaller and poorly lit spaces. Heather grey would allow for a brighter image, showing more detail of the garment, and also works well over spring/summer.” Popular styles during lockdown include the Front Row Striped Cuffed Joggers (FR640), which launched in January 2020 and saw “an evident peak” in June in the heather grey/navy colourway, and the SF Men’s Slim Fit Cuffed Joggers (SF425) in heather grey, which has seen a greater sales increase than the women’s companion style, the Women’s Slim Fit Cuffed Joggers (SK425). “It could be that people are buying it as a unisex garment and favouring a baggier fit for women – for the ultimate comfort and cosiness at home,” suggests Elaine. With the latest government advice that people should work from home where possible, homeworking along with flexi- working, where employees split their working time between the office and their house, could be set to become the norm for many. As such, you can expect these comfortable tracksuit styles to remain popular for many months to come. For garment decorators, branded and personalised joggers represent a growing sales opportunity that could extend into 2021 and beyond.