By Daniel Hunter
It’s that time of the year. A stampede of fashionistas are about to arrive in the UK to celebrate London Fashion Week and help kick start the fashion spending season.
According to Barclaycard, which processes nearly half of all credit and debit card transactions in the UK, spending on clothing is 25% higher during the last three months of the year compared to the rest of the year and has been for the past two years. London Fashion Week is therefore an opportunity for retailers to showcase their latest designs just as consumers look to refresh their wardrobes in the last three months of the year.
But retailers will this year need to be bolder than ever, and make sure they’re online, if they’re to encourage shoppers to part with their money.
Recent research from bespokeoffers.co.uk — a service from Barclaycard to help consumers saving money on the things they like to buy — found that when shopping online ten million Brits (31%) are bolder and more adventurous in their choice of fashions. More people are considering clothes and accessories they wouldn’t necessarily pick out in-store, with a whopping 44% of shoppers buying brighter clothes when shopping from behind a computer screen.
While the overall UK spend on clothing has seen a little belt tightening due to the recovering economy and unseasonable weather patterns — a more modest 0.7% year to date growth — it’s certainly clear that people are preferring to shop for clothes from the comfort of their own home. With online sales representing 20% of total UK spend, shoppers are actually spending 35% more when shopping online, compared to in-store purchases.
However whilst Londoners may be all about getting the latest look to stand out, the rest of the UK are busy embracing bolder and more colourful wardrobes. In fact, one in five Scots (21%) — more than anywhere else in the UK - are now particularly conscious of building their own style and individuality when it comes to fashion.
“London Fashion Week is the highlight of the fashion calendar and comes just as shoppers are looking at ushering in their autumn clothing," a spokesperson for bespokeoffers.co.uk said.
"What we’re seeing this year is shoppers are being more daring than ever with their fashion choices and the successful retailers will have spotted this and designed accordingly, but you never know what’s coming with London Fashion Week and that’s the beauty of it.
“To celebrate our customer’s individuality, we’ve partnered with some exciting brands during London Fashion Week to offer a selection of exclusive savings on the things you should be wearing.”
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