La Fédération Française du Prêt à Porter Féminin has interviewed Selvane Mohandas du Ménil, Director General of IADS.

Interview (French)

Interview (English transcript)

Fashion Network has written an article based on IADS' press release reporting the results of its Men's Fashion meeting. The article titled "In department stores, sustainability and gender fluidity are redefining the men's offering" reveals key findings and trends that are highlighted following a meeting gathering the buyers of the member stores.

Read the article below:

Fashion Network Article (French)

IADS press release - Men's Fashion is blurring the codes

The IADS and NellyRodi regularly take stock of the new trends induced by the Covid-19 pandemic through a series of monthly product category workshops. Their last one, which also hosted IMG members, was dedicated to Men's Fashion and highlighted the structural shifts the category is going through.

Between 2019 and 2020, the menswear category revenue globally decreased by 19%. While an estimated 17% rebound is expected this year and a return to its 2019 turnover levels by 2022, the pre-Covid estimates for 2023 and beyond should not be reached.

Menswear fashion represents on average 13% of the business for IADS members and 42% for IMG members, a share that remained stable from 2019 to 2020. However, this apparent stability hides the fact that internal dynamics of the category are different when the focus is placed on pricing or lifestyle.

When it comes to e-commerce, which represented, at the global level, 13.6% of sales in 2017 and is expected to reach 24.4% in 2023, both IADS and IMG members' performances are well above these averages, with noticeable performances in the Premium segment (41% of sales) and Mid-range (37%).

Growth will be fuelled by luxury in speciality stores & mid-range prices in department stores

On average, the Luxury segment accounts for 68% of IMG members' turnover and 9% for IADS members. Despite uncertainties regarding international tourism, IMG members expect the segment to grow in the future, thanks to e-commerce, new brands or new products. Department stores also expect an increase in the long range, but are more cautious due to their dependence on foreign shoppers.

Mid-range prices, the most important part of the business with 34% of IADS members' average business, are expected to significantly fuel department stores' business in the future, thanks to their own private labels or sustainable brands appealing to a new type of customer.

In between, the Premium segment (31% of the business on average for both IADS and IMG members) is expected to remain stable or grow, as this is the other core of the business for both channels, and a key element of their value proposition to customers. At the bottom of the pricing pyramid, the Entry level (25% of the business on average) is also expected to remain stable.

Will the over-dominating casual wear allow a return to office wear?

Casual wear has been more of a tidal wave than a trend in the past years, and the Covid-19 pandemic doubled down on that phenomenon. The segment respectively represents 79% and 65% of IADS and IMG members' Men's Fashion businesses now, and all members expect it to grow again in the future, with the support of sub-categories such as streetwear, loungewear, and a larger acceptance of relaxed outfits in the workplace.

However, in parallel, after such years of "casualisation", the market is expected to make some room again for office wear, currently representing 21% of IADS members and 26% for IMG members' business, as social life returns to normal and customers are hungry for self-expression. However, office wear will probably never return to its pre-Covid level.

The category is evolving at its core, following the societal shifts

In terms of core trends, Menswear fashion is today shaping up according to two directions: sustainability and gender fluidity.

Even though there is a considerable gap between markets in terms of customers' demand, all IADS and IMG members reckon the importance of the sustainability topic and make efforts into addressing it. It can go through arbitration in the brand assortments, or collaborations with brands to echo their own efforts in sustainability.

However, the most important shift taking place is the appearance of new perceptions of masculinity. While GenX and Millennials are still defining themselves according to a single version of masculinity, GenZ is claiming the notion of multi-masculinities. As a consequence, the notion of "gender fluidity" impacts the choices made by retailers in building up their assortments, leading to the creation of dedicated gender fluid offers in their stores. Also, this shift opens new opportunities as female customers become also potential targets for this new part of the offer.

Brand Panorama

Nelly Rodi listed 24 interesting brands to be followed according to the trends they identified:

• "Fashionable show-off": Tagliatore, Kenneth Ize, Les Hommes, Manors, Casablanca, Frescobol Carioca, Pigalle, Mastermind.
• "Honest fashion": Aimé Leon Dore, Belstaff, Assos, Rhone, Buck Mason, Holzweiler, Entireworld, Handred.
• "Fashion without complexes": Etudes, Orange Culture, Heaven by Marc Jacobs, Reception, OAMC, Wacko Maria, Daily Paper, Carne Bollente.

IADS and IMG members also reviewed the new and/or successful from their own assortments: 42 Luxury brands, 55 in the Premium segment, 42 in the Mid-range segment, and 5 in the Entry-level segment (list available upon request).

Men's Fashion is blurring the codes: towards a more diverse offer for a more complex client

Major changes are happening in the category: in addition to the development of e-commerce, casualisation has tremendously developed in the past few years, shifting the business from traditional workwear to more relaxed styles infusing all price segments. While life goes back to normal, formal wear is starting to slowly gain traction again, requesting constant adjustments in the offer. On top of such changes, the sustainability question, as well as the redefinition of masculinity towards gender fluidity, are adding up new layers of complexity to the category.

IADS - Mens Fashion Meeting - Press release

IADS - Communiqué Workshop Mode Masculine

What: International retail press asks for IADS' opinion on the current options seemingly at hand for Selfridges' purchase.

Why it is important: Although a legend in the retail panorama, and for sure a landmark in the UK, Selfridges does not boast a particular advance when it comes to omnichannel and e-commerce, and no specific synergy would stem from the acquisition of the Harrods and Printemps department stores' owner.

Rumors mention that the Qatar Investment Authority, which already owns shares in Printemps and Harrods, is currently looking at the opportunity to buy the Selfridges group (including Holt Renfrew, Brown Thomas, Arnotts and De Bijenkorf). Other reported contenders would be the Hudson Bay Company (also owner of Saks Fifth Avenue and with a real advance in terms of e-commerce strategy) or Lane Crawford.

 the sale of Selfridges

IADS' Managing Director joined LSA Live to discuss the topic of "What is the best use of data in the organization of a physical store."  IADS shared in a discussion with Salesforce, Qualtrics, Groupe Casino, and LSA.

Check out the replay below.

LSA Live: What is the best use of data in the organization of a physical store (French)

Fashion Network has written an article based on IADS' press release reporting the results of its Leather Goods and Shoes meeting. The article titled "In department stores, shoes are more resilient than bags" reveals key findings and trends that are highlighted following a meeting gathering the buyers of the member stores.

Read the article below:

Fashion Network Article (French)

IADS press release - Leather goods and shoes

The IADS and NellyRodi regularly take stock of the new trends induced by the Covid-19 pandemic through a series of monthly product category workshops. Their last one, which also hosted IMG members, was dedicated to the Leather Goods & Shoes categories, showing very different dynamics in terms of Covid-19 impact and perspectives of recuperation.

Due to the consequences of the pandemic, the Luggage and Bags category globally decreased by -29% in 2019- 2020, to a total value of EUR 102 bn, affecting all segments, including luxury which decreased by -7%. On the contrary, the Shoes category resisted relatively well, limiting the decrease to -1.5%. Such a difference is explained by a fundamentally different demand regarding shoes, which had already transitioned, pre-pandemic, towards a more casual approach (sneakers, comfort shoes, both very much in demand even during lockdowns). As a consequence, it is expected that the return to pre-pandemic levels for shoes will be extremely rapid, with steady growth perspectives in the near future. As the Leather Goods category was more affected worldwide, return to 2019 levels is expected only by 2023. In both cases, digitalisation has been and will remain a driving force: online sales, which represent 20% of both categories today, will grow to 22% in 2023.

Leather Goods: Luxury and digital investments are key, while sustainability is not yet a silver bullet

Contrasting with the global situation, department stores managed to keep the business under control and stable in 2019-20. Leather goods including bags, which represent a business share of respectively 10% and 12% for IADS and IMG members, will be driven in the future by two key forces:

• Demand for luxury goods will drive the growth in the medium term. Even though today it only represents 36% of the business (compare to 37% for the mid-range segment share), it is expected that the return of tourists will help grow this segment larger.
• In the meantime, digital is key to connect with local and younger customers, two key categories to attract and build loyalty, especially on the premium and mid-range segments. So far, e-commerce share varies from 10 to 31% of the total business. Regarding the Entry level segment (10% of the business), its growth will be fuelled by e-commerce too, but buyers are apprehensive about this segment due to an increased contradiction between customers' appetite for sustainability and ethics and how low-priced products are manufactured.

On product-related aspects, functional leather bags will continue to dominate the market (60% of sales). Demand for sustainability is growing, but not there yet: for instance, fake leather represents only 20% of the business. The importance of sustainable products the future will largely depend on the developments in responsible alternative to leather, especially in Europe (eco-friendly products are only 6% of sales right now). For practicality and casualisation reasons, textile bags will develop in the future (12% of sales in 2020), at every price points.

Shoes : customers request casual items online and statement pieces in store

On average, this category represents respectively 5% and 14% of total sales for IADS and IMG members. The midrange price segment is the strongest asset for department stores with a 44% business share. Together, the Luxury and Premium segments represent 27% of sales. In fashion stores such as IMG members, occasion and evening footwear is the biggest part of the business (55%). Here again, Luxury, Premium and Mid-range segments are expected to grow, while there is, again, less consensus regarding the Entry price point segment (22% of the business). The Shoes category is a key pillar for the future, provided there is an acceleration of digitalisation (currently representing between 8% and 19% of the business).

The "browse online try in store" is an important shopping pattern 2 to be taken into consideration, as there is a significant difference between online and in store purchases: casual footwear and sneakers are easily bought online, while occasion wear performs better in store.

On the product aspect, comfort categories including sneakers (the hero category: 45% to 50% of the business) drive sales, at the expense of work and formal footwear (18% of sales today). On the fashion aspect, buyers forecast the increase of ceremony items (including a refreshed demand for statement pieces) thanks to social events returning. As a consequence, the shoe business will stretch from ultra-casual to highly sophisticated products.

Brand Panorama

During the workshop, Nelly Rodi identified 40 brands to watch, corresponding to 3 key trends.

• Sustainable, ethical and eco-friendly propositions: Polene, Gia Studios, Aranaz and A. Amery, Qwestion, Alexandra K, Denise Roobol, Malibu Sandals, Arizona Love, Lemon Jelly, Matt & Nat, Been London, Human Nation, Kahmune, Vitaly (jewellery), Good American.
• Efficiency and functionality-oriented brands: Building Block, Lastframe, Paradise Row, Anya Hindmarch, Jenny Kayne, Eliou (glasses accessories), Sandqvist, Tkees, Numero 00, Hulken Bag, OAMC, Zhjiun Wang (face masks), Coperni, Xouxou, Cat Footwear, Nolii.
• Self-expression and emphasis on identity: Stand Studio, Room, Kara, Kassl Editions, Blackcurrant Pop (jewellery), Cahu, Smiley, La Manso. From their own assortment, IADS and IMG members identified 53 new and/or successful Leather Goods brands and 61 new and/or successful Shoes brands (list available upon request).

Multiple adaptations required

While Leather Goods has been a challenged category, department stores resisted better than the market on average. Shoes have proven to be resilient to Covid and are seen as a safe bet for the future. At the macrolevel, the casualisation of both categories is strong and here to stay, impacting buyers' selections of brands. On top of that, to remain relevant to younger generations, Leather Goods & Shoes offer will have to wholly embrace sustainability and personalisation, to be conveyed through efficient online/offline bridges.

IADS - Leather Goods and Shoes Release

IADS - Communiqué Workshop Maroquinerie et Chaussures

The IADS and NellyRodi regularly take stock of the new trends induced by the Covid-19 pandemic through a series of monthly product category workshops. Their last one was dedicated to Home & Decor. It appeared that the category, in addition to being naturally well-equipped to be resilient in Covid-19 times, has a solid basis to keep on contributing to department stores' growth in the near future.

The department stores' Home & Decor business fared well during the pandemic, as, instead of spending on fashion during lockdowns, consumers bought care, leisure and home-related products. As a result, furniture, homeware and household appliances' global market share increased by +20% between 2019 and 2020, mainly online.

On average, IADS members' Home & Decor businesses grew from 15% of their total sales in 2019 to 17% in 2020, with more room for growth. The most important category is, and will remain, Home Accessories (62% of the business), followed by Household Appliances, Furniture and Electronics.

A digital-friendly category by nature

The pandemic-induced forced digitalisation contributed to the acceleration of the category, with the online sales share of the business expected to globally grow from 14% in 2019 to 18% in 2023.

It is notable that, when compared to other product categories, Home & Decor has already reached maturity in terms of e-commerce share: members' e-commerce share is currently 39% for Household Appliances (a segment that was historically already distributed by distance) and 24% for Furniture and Home Accessories.

E-commerce will fuel its expansion thanks to new products and innovations from suppliers fully embracing the capabilities developed by department stores: marketplaces, new selling methods bridging digital and physical retail (live streams, drop shipping, click & collect, in-store ordering…).

However, the high level of digitalisation of the category involves the presence of pure players who might trigger a price war, putting in particular Household appliances and Electronics segments at risk.

New trends: handle with care

Taking into consideration economic, environmental and identity issues, consumers want their home to be unique, agile, virtuous and protective. Consequently, sustainability is now a basic expectation.

Beyond that, new and successful product trends were identified during the Covid-19 pandemic, with questions on their durability in time:

• For instance, products such as cookware, kitchen and lifestyle appliances should continue trending but for a limited time, some members are already witnessing a slight decrease because of restaurants reopening,
• Home office related products should continue growing due to renewed Covid-19-related rules,
• Bedding, now considered as a health-related product segment, is growing. In a similar manner, health appliances (air purifiers…) are developing in parallel with wellness products,
• Gaming products and decoration DIY products are rising.

For retailers, making the most of these new trends implies in-store additional footage, inspirational set-up and an effort on the brand assortment (a mix of lifestyle and trendy brands, smaller niche brands and DNVBs), to enhance customer experience and differentiate from competition.

Brand Panorama

Nelly Rodi introduced 40 brands and/or solutions to be followed and 4 designers to watch:

• Illustrating the agile house: Samsung's Family Hub, Casper, Yano Design's Patchwork solution, Ikea's Rognan, Form Life's connected mirror, Made.com's Sofasizer, Yourse rental platform, Montana, Primary Goods, Tiptoe, Matali Crasset.
• Illustrating the virtuous house: Woodoo, L'Increvable, Ekobo, Bien Fait, Q de Bouteilles, Granby Workshop, Les Résilientes, Aarke, Ames, Bialetti, Alexis Tricoire.
• Illustrating the haven house: Corridor Society, Parnasse, Ikea ThisAbles, Artemide, Glimarka, Terraliving, Emma Smart Mattress, Gabrielle Paris, Partylite, Vanity Boum, Cecilie Manz.
• Illustrating the inspiring house: WebPrinting, The French Vikings, Dulux Valentine, Sessun Alma, Bitossi Home, Create, Artefacto Madrid, Bethan Laura Wood.

IADS members listed 52 successful Furniture brands, 78 in the Decoration & Home Accessories segment, 8 in the Electronics segment and 40 in the Household Appliances segment (list available upon request).

A solid category for the coming years

While the Home & Decor business is expected to continue growing in the future, retailers will be cautious with the type of products being pushed, as it requires significant footage and investment.

Trend durability in time is therefore key: given that some at-home activities such as cooking could slow down with restaurants reopening and life going back to normal, it is less profitable for retailers to capitalize on this segment.

On the contrary, as partial home office appears to be here to stay, the Furniture, Home improvement and Decor segments are areas of investment for retailers. Customers health concerns should also support the business, generating additional cross selling opportunities with the Wellness category, another successful area of business for the IADS members.

download PDF (English) - Home & Decor: a resilient category during the pandemic

Download PDF (French) - Communiqué Workshop Maison et Décoration

On the occasion of the start of the school year, Made in France Première Vision, in partnership with the Institut Français de la Mode and R3iLab, is examining the new collaborative approaches implemented by French players in the textile, leather and clothing sectors.

On 9 September from 1pm to 2:30 pm, IADS' Christine Montard will join a panel on the topic, "Competitiveness, Made in France productions and markets."

Read more about the event from Fashion Network's article (in French) and register to the event below.

Fashion Network's article on the event:

 Learn more about the event:

Register here:

IADS' managing director was interviewed by BSPK on the subject "Talking to Customers: What Regional Department Stores Can Teach Flagships."

Find a summerized transcript of the interview below.

Talking to Customers: What Regional Department Stores Can Teach Flagships

The IADS and NellyRodi regularly take stock on the new trends induced by the Covid-19 pandemic through a series of monthly product category workshops. Their last one, which also hosted IMG members, was dedicated to Women's Fashion and highlighted the difficulties experienced by this category.

Fashion sales decreased by -20% in Europe and -23% in the US from 2019 to 2020, and the recovery is not yet in sight in 2021: McKinsey expects European sales to be somewhere between -12% to -24% this year compared with 2020, and between -6% and -16% in the US, with China being the only market to fully recover. Everywhere, the pandemic accelerated trends that pre-existed on the fashion market:

• The increasing digitalisation of the shopping experience, favouring e-commerce,
• Customers massively turning towards responsible, fair and socially committed brands and retailers.

Coupled with the 2020 tourism slump and lack of visibility on the recovery of this retail-essential industry, the situation forced retailers to contain the losses in the fashion category, which represents 21% of the total turnover for IADS members, and 48% for IMG members, by addressing local customers through digitalisation, refreshed instore experiences, and a new product offer.

In 2021-22, Women's Fashion will need to overcome three unprecedented challenges

• The pandemic led to a generalized casualisation of fashion: Whatever the price positioning (Luxury, Premium, Mid-range and Entry level), casual wear is now the most significant part of the business: 63% of IADS members' and 45% of IMG members' businesses. Blurring boundaries between fashion and sportswear, this segment mixes style and comfort, a key factor for remote-working customers during the pandemic. Now that companies start to favour a combination of remote work and in-office days, the casualisation will also impact the office wear segment (23% of the business for both IADS and IMG members): customers from this category will actively look to combine statement pieces ('dress to impress' during the office days) and 'power casual' items for the remote-working days.
• Fashion will become more extreme on both ends. Thanks to the gradual reopening of social activities and functions (ceremonies, parties), it is expected that special occasion pieces (33% of the IMG members' business and 14% for IADS members) will rise again. This, combined with the casualisation phenomenon, leads buyers to expect that the Women's fashion market will stretch even more, both in terms of prices (lower entry level price points, higher luxury prices) and style (more low-key pieces, more extravagant ones).
• Retailers will have to deal with consumer's contradiction. NellyRodi pointed out the self-contradicting customers' behaviour, as they expect retailers to be sustainable and stand for justice, while also expecting speed and constant product renewal at the same time. As a consequence, stores will have to simultaneously cater to the needs of 2 types of radically different customers: the 'compulsive buyer', favouring entertainment and newness, and the 'thoughtful buyer', embracing new responsible trends such as rental or second-hand. Unfortunately, this contradiction is not easy to solve.

Since the e-commerce category's share is between 5% to 16% of the total business, with significant potential (Bain & Company estimates that it should reach 60% in the future), the answer to the customer contradiction has to be digital: retail technology can help create 1-to-1 relationships between retailers and customers, through livestreams, FaceTime or WhatsApp sales, free 'book online, try in store' services, or in-store curated product boxes sent to top customers & coupled with speedy deliveries.

Brand Panorama

During the workshop, NellyRodi identified 24 brands to watch:

• Illustrating the category transformation: 8 by Yoox, Tribute Brand, Misha Nonoo and Ba&sh.
• Fulfilling CSR requirements: Pangaia, Olistic, Marcia, Universal Standard.
• Focusing on digital: Boohoo, Shein, FashionNova, Sincerely Jules.
• Regional brands going global: Low Classic, N°21, Supriya Lele, Ambush.
• Illustrating pop culture: Recc, Rotate, Louis Vuitton x Riot Games collaboration, Chen Lo.
• Going big on storytelling: Gentle Monster, Kitsey Martin, Sézane, Ganni.

IADS and IMG members also reviewed together the new and/or successful brands from their own assortments: 17 in Luxury, 41 in Premium and 28 in Mid-range segments (list available upon request).

The fashion shift forces retailers to adapt

After months of new customer habits during the pandemic (most notably the work-from-home-induced new habits), growth for the Women's Fashion category will be fuelled online, forcing retailers to build relevant bridges between stores and digital. Department stores will also have to deal with customers' contradictory expectations, from 'slow life' to instant product availability. New opportunities stand in new models such as second-hand, rental and DNVBs, which could represent a way to combine customer expectations, economic necessities, and adaptation to the unprecedented fashion shift that took place during the pandemic.

download PDF (English) - Women's Fashion category shifts

Download PDF (French) - Communiqué Workshop Mode Femme

Fashion Network has written an article based on IADS' press release reporting the results of its Women's Fashion Merchandising meeting. The article titled "In department stores, women's fashion is polarized between comfort and assertive creativity" reveals key findings and trends that are highlighted following a meeting gathering the buyers of the member stores.

Read the article below:

Fashion Network Article (French)

IADS Press Release - Women's Fashion meeting

IADS was quoted by Bloomberg on its positive outlook of the reopening of La Samaritaine in Paris, despite the lack of tourism.

Read the article below.

Landmark Parisian Store Reopens in City Short of Tourists

Journal du Textile shared the Association's outlook on the return of tourism and the importance of local business for department stores.

Read the article below.

Another type of tourism is needed for businesses (French)

IADS' general manager joined Volcan Design and CA COM Groupe in a discussion about the current state of retail and department stores in Paris with La Croix.

• Check out the interview (in French) below.

Department stores see a great future (French)

Selvane Mohandas du Ménil sat down for an interview with Alan Treadgold with Candezent Advisory to talk about how IADS members are weathering the pandemic and recovery. Innovative efforts of all members were highlighted to give a global perspective on how important department stores are to their communities in times of need.

• Watch the video and read the transcription below:

Link to video

link to transcript

Fashion Network has released an article titled "How to relaunch French luxury internationally" citing IADS' Managing Director's take that department stores and brands need to create a "digital ecosystem" where everything must be integrated. He stated, "Tomorrow, we will no longer be able to be satisfied with simply selling products, but we will address a community."

Read the article below:

Fashion Network Article (French)

Fashion Network has written an article based on IADS' press release reporting the results of its Sport and Lifestyle Merchandising meeting. The article titled "In department stores, sportswear envisioned as a segment of the future" reveals key findings and trends following a meeting gathering the buyers of the member stores.

Read the article below:

Fashion Network Article (French)

IADS Press Release - Sport and Lifestyle Merchandising Meeting

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) launches the first ever global observatory dedicated to the department store format, as part of its benchmarking and analysis role.

The 2020 Covid-19 global pandemic accelerated and amplified existing fractures and challenges for the department store format. If some spectacularly failed, such as JC Penney and Lord & Taylor in the US, Onuma in Japan or Debenhams in the UK, other companies showed a surprising agility and adaptation to harsh conditions. They modified their offer, sold new products or services in a novel way, and wholly embraced e-commerce, including marketplaces (which are a digital iteration of their original activity). It is telling that, after almost 2 years of difficulties, new projects decided prior to the pandemic are maintained, be it in Europe with La Samaritaine (2021), El Corte Inglés Castellana in Madrid (2020), or in the rest of the world, with Falabella planning new stores in South America, SKP, The Mall Group or SM in Asia, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps in China.

This dynamism and resilience, coupled with a data notoriously difficult to access (due to a wide variety of formats, business models and ownership), should generate a keen interest and make department stores a privileged topic for observation. This is the reason why IADS is launching a tool to monitor progress and provide objective data as a base for discussion and comparison, for a department store market whose size is estimated at between €400 and €600 billion.

A yearly tracking which takes account of the variety of formats and regional differences

The IADS 100 is a list of 100 international and significant department stores, selected as a representative sample of the format, be it in terms of size variety, model and market position. The ambition of this list is not be exhaustive, nor a ranking of the largest or most successful companies, but a tracker, compiling and comparing data to understand the present and the future of this somewhat challenged format.

Department stores, even if they still adhere to common principles (free entry, fixed price, size, assortment width), became diverse and more complex with the years:

• In size and structure including chains, flagships, large and small,
• In ownership with many private businesses and others forming part of public holding companies,
• In models with some acting more like shopping malls (concessions) while others conduct wholesale businesses,
• In market position, ranging from high luxury to everyday family assortments,
• In adoption of e-commerce ranging from practically nothing to well over half of the total business.

Some of these characteristics are specific to locations, with Asian companies tending to favour a concession model, for example, or some of the large US companies resulting from decades of mergers and takeovers. Highest growth is taking place in Asia, while the most fragmented continent is Europe and the most consolidated is the Americas.

The 100 companies tracked by the IADS 100 (30% of worldwide players) represent half of the total market share in the world

The IADS 100 tracks 39 companies from Asia (€88 billion turnover), 34 from Europe (€55 billion), 17 from Americas (€67 billion), and 10 from MEA (€7.6 billion), for a total monitored turnover of €218 billion (between 37% and 54% of total market size).

The tracker is a work in progress and aims at collecting verified and comparable information as much as possible: due to the fact that it deals with a variety of business models, perimeters, fiscal years and even reporting standards, the value of the IADS 100 will grow with time, as the list evolves dynamically.

download PDF (English) - Launch of IADS 100

Download PDF (French) - Lancement de l'Observatoire IADS 100

The IADS and NellyRodi regularly take stock on the new trends induced by the Covid-19 pandemic through a series of monthly product category workshops with the Association stores members. Their last workshop, dedicated to the Sportswear category, underlines its resilience during the health crisis.

During the course of 2020, the Covid-19-related lockdowns deeply changed customers' behaviour and habits when buying products from the Sportswear category:

• The cancellation of sports events and closure of gyms transferred all physical activities to the home, favouring purchases of dedicated equipment,
• The stay-at-home habits (work from home, travel and social interactions limitations) encouraged a non-sport-related usage of sporting garments and footwear.

As a consequence, Sportswear category as a whole resisted better in 2020 than other categories which were more impacted: while apparel category globally decreased by 19% in 2020, the sport category limited the decrease to -7.7% according to McKinsey, reaching a global turnover of €284 billion. Return to growth is expected to take place as soon as 2021, with a planned growth of +9.8% compared to the 2019 pre-pandemic level. This growth is fuelled on the long range by new usages and behaviour, and is anticipated to take place both on mature markets and newer ones. The US market, the global leader with a third of the worldwide sales, is expected to grow by +14% over the 2019-2024 period. In the same way, it is expected that the Chinese market, where sporting activities are booming, will grow by +71% on the same period, reaching €71 billion turnover and increasing its worldwide market share to 19%, from 14% currently.

IADS members' buyers all consider the Sportswear category as one of their best product categories in terms of growth potential. On average, this category represents between 6 and 12% of their turnover, with an average of 25% online.

New consuming habits led to a clear segmentation with different dynamics

IADS members' buyers divide the Sportswear category into the 4 following segments: :

• Athleisure, used for both sport practice and daily life, is central for the category: appealing to the largest possible customer base (athletes & amateurs), this segment represents 50% of the category business and 43% of the brand offer, with a notable focus on outdoor, yoga and Pilates. The growth in this segment is expected to continue, especially online, thanks to the emergence of new brands promoting inclusivity, comfort and a reinvented femininity. In terms of notable brands, NellyRodi identified Pangaïa, Ecoalf, Organic Basics, Outdoor Voices, Mate, Girlfriend Collective, Adanola, The Upside, P.E. Nation, Live the process, Vaara, Splits 59.
• Streetwear goes mainstream, and is an image-driver for stores: this segment addresses both sport and fashion customers. Such a positioning allows a double exposure in stores, in the Fashion and Sports sections, which raises store layout questions. Representing 23% of the category business and 28% of the brand offer, Streetwear is particularly attractive in terms of image, thanks to limited editions, exclusive products (especially sneakers), and constant innovation. As a consequence, department stores, by building partnerships with music and gaming industries or athletes, become more desirable in the younger customers' eyes. Brands to watch in that segment are Kapital, Wacko Maria, Cav Empt, Facetasm, Fpar, Harajukoff, Obey, A Cold Wall, Heron Preston, Vision Naire, Avnier, Sporty and Rich.
• Technical products brands dedicated to sport practice are getting more specialised: Accounting for 20% of the category business and 22% of the brand offer, the segment includes specific equipment (running, cycling, fitness). A rebound in sales is forecasted due to the reopening of outdoor activities. In parallel, at-home equipment (treadmills, weights…) is expected to continue on the same successful trend. Several specialised brands, with a promise to improve customers' performances, allow to anticipate an enrichment of the brand portfolio in the months to come. NellyRodi identified the following: Pas Normal Studio, Satisfy Running, Goldwin Official, Ciele, Picture, So Ill.
• Luxury Sportswear is an emerging category with a strong potential: while it still only represents 5% of the category business, on that segment collaborations are key and favour emotion over function, making it a strong image-driver for stores, in addition to a significant contributor to margins. NellyRodi identified in this segment Ricky Regal x Lacoste, Fear of God, Ahluwalia.

Within IADS department stores, new brands are coming as a complement to blockbuster names

In terms of sales results, the domination of blockbuster brands is here to stay: Nike (dominating all segments), Adidas (losing ground on the technical segment), Under Armour and Garmin, the latter gaining traction in the Technical segment. In parallel, among brands already present in stores and with a notable growth, IADS members identified the following: Everlast, Theragun, Suunto, Amazfit, Acronym, Titika, Stronger, Ultracor, Deha, Juvia, Lourdes, Oceans Apart, On Running, Diemme, Tamanaco, Gymshark, Bogner.

The Sportswear category significantly contributes to sales growth within department stores

While the Hybrid product category has surged over the past years to reach half of the sales, the pandemic consequences only accelerated the trend which is here to stay and grow. Whether it's fashion or sport-oriented, the Streetwear segment will continue developing thanks to new lifestyles, helping department stores to appeal to a younger customer. Finally, the Technical segment, which grew thanks to at-home exercising equipment, will keep on growing thanks to the possibility to resume outdoor or team-sports practices.

While stores are gradually reopening after lockdowns, the organisation of new events and proposal of unprecedented services will be key to attract customers in store, once more emphasizing the critical key role of customer experience.

download PDF (English) - Merchandising Sports Release

Download PDF (French) - Communiqué Workshop Merchandising Sports 

Selvane Mohandas du Ménil was invited to give IADS' perspectives and take on the current state of the department stores market to Joor, the leading wholesale platform, partner of LVMH, Kering and others. It was the perfect occasion to show IADS members' commitments and actions during these challenging moments, as well as their upcoming projects.

Selvane Mohandas du Ménil was invited to give IADS' perspective at the FIRA 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting on 14 April 2021.

The minutes of his presentation are available below.

FIRA IADS 14 April 2021

IADS General Manager Selvane Mohandas du Ménil was interviewed by LSA Conso on how our members successfully adapt to customers' new expectations.

Read below the transcript of the article (in French and English):

Transcript interview (French)

Transcript interview (English) 

IADS General Manager Selvane Mohandas du Ménil was interviewed by Retail Detail and highlights that "digital is a tool, not a goal".

Read below the transcript of the article:

Transcript interview (English)