1. EUROPEAN APPAREL MARKET - SUMMARY
Importadores y Distribuidores
Lex van Boeckel – Searce
March 2013

2. THE EU APPAREL MARKET
CONTENTS
Market size
Market differences
Fast fashion
Apparel sub-sectors
Knitted and woven clothing
Price levels
Trends and Future
Opportunities

3. THE EU APPAREL MARKET SIZE
Apparel
– EU apparel market € 311 billion in
2010.
– Europe (27 countries) is the largest
apparel market in the world.
― 30% of the global market.
– Europe (EU 27) is followed by:
• North America (USA + Canada) - 29%,
• Asia Pacific (including Japan) - 27%,
• Latin America - 6%
• Other regions - 7%.

4. THE EU MARKET DIFFERENCES
Apparel
– More differences than the USA.
– EU market is hightly fragmented
and competitive.
– Diversity in outfits in the North,
West, South and in the East being
related to climate and culture.
– Germany is the largest market.
– Italy, France, UK leaders in fashion
trends.
– Consumer spending on clothing:
• German consumers spent around
4.4% of their total expenditure.
• Danish consumers spent 5.6%
• Polish consumers spent 2.2%.

5. EU APPAREL MARKET DIFFERENCES
People in the West and the North
People in the West and North are relatively more detached.
― Women are more emancipated by wearing what they want.
(mood or situation)
― People in the North are more relaxed. The climate can be
extremely cold (-15 – 25) with many wet seasons (snow & rain)
 often they wear comfortable, practical (waterproof) clothing.
Dress codes at work are more casual. Formal - classics with a twist.
– Women dress up for special occasions or when going out.
– Consumers here are well aware of sustainability issues (transparency).

6. EU APPAREL MARKET DIFFERENCES
People in the South
People in the South are more extravagant,
leading a more ‘Bourgondian life’
― There is more a ‘flirt culture’
women are dressed more feminine
men are dressed in style.
― In Italy, France and Spain designs are
very diverse.
― There is more personalisation by designs,
brands and lively colours.
― Less ‘mainstream fashion followers’.
Brands here have a long tradition and a good reputation.
― But large difference between people in cities and on countryside.

7. EU APPAREL MARKET DIFFERENCES
People in the East
People in the East are rather practical in their choice of clothing.
― Younger people are attracted to western style clothing.
― New countries increasingly exposed to western clothing
chains, hypermarkets, factory outlets and second-hand
outlets (e.g. Zara).
― Big mainstream brands are very important = high quality.
Wages are still much lower
― Formal clothing styles are quite pronounced
sometimes regarded as ‘kitsch’

8. FAST FASHION IN THE EU
Apparel
Mainly for teens, tweenies (pre-teens 8 – 12 years), young people:
 ‘Standardized outfits’
o Fashionable
o Low in price
o Heavily promoted
 Product development is vital
o up to 6 collections per year – or more
o Many teens want to look like adults and stars.
Fast fashion retailers: Inditex, Vivarte, Mango, H&M,
Bestseller, Esprit, Next, Arcadia, Benetton, C&A, etc...
 28,000 (fast) fashion chain outlets in Europe
o incl. clothing discounters e.g. Primark, Takko, Kiabi, Gémo...
 Independent fashion stores offering medium-high range,
non-mainstream fashion – many have a difficult time now.

9. EU APPAREL MARKET SUB-SECTORS
• KNITTED AND WOVEN CLOTHING
Largest sub-sector covering trousers & shorts, shirts & blouses,
T-shirts, jerseys & cardigans, dresses & skirts, suits & ensembles,
jackets, blazers & coats.
• LEATHER CLOTHING
Jackets, coats, belts, gloves, trousers, leggings, shorts, skirts,
dresses and vests.
• BODYWEAR
Underwear, intimates incl. lingerie & shapewear, bras,
night & indoor wear and hosiery.
• BABYWEAR
Baby jackets, coats, romper suits, vests, pants, napkins, gloves,
mitts and mittens.
• SPORTS CLOTHING
Anoraks, tracksuits, swimwear, beachwear, special sportswear
(fitness, racket sports, teamsports, snowsports, golf), outdoor sports.

10. EU APPAREL MARKET SUB-SECTORS
Share by value

11. EU APPAREL MARKET SUB-SECTORS
Development 2006 - 2010

12. EU APPAREL MARKET SUB-SECTORS
Knitted and woven clothing

13. SUB-SECTOR - KNITTED AND WOVEN
EU Apparel – Product and Main suppliers
PRODUCTION
• Around € 74 billion of knitted & woven clothing was made in Europe (Italy, France, Germany, Spain,
Portugal, UK, Denmark, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria).
• Most was exported to the EU countries and to the BRICS-countries.
• Due to more outsourcing (Asia), the number of medium-large sized textile
companies has decreased in the past two decades to 47,000 (2010).
• Main importing manufacturers/brands were: Adidas, Valentino Fashion
(Hugo Boss), Benetton, Triumph, PPR/Gucci (Puma, Gucci), Bestseller
Group (Vero Moda, Jack & Jones, Only), Only the Brave (Diesel),
Pentland (Speedo, Elesse), LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Fendi, DKNY)...
MAIN SUPPLIERS (2010)  EU imports € 95 billion (55% from DCs)
• China (import share was 25%), Turkey (8%), Bangladesh (6%), India (4%), Morocco (2%), Tunisia (2%), Vietnam,
Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Egypt...
• Fast growing: Albania, Moldova, Mexico, Philippines, Laos, Honduras, Colombia, Nepal, Mongolia and Armenia.
• Other EU countries, USA, Canada and Asian countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore are excluded here .

14. EU APPAREL MARKET
Price levels
There are in Western and Northern EU countries five different price-quality levels
Segment Share Description Examples of prices
High price luxury 4% High quality, designer brands, Dolce & Gabbana: Dresses €245-€1,750; Tops
segment exclusive, trend setting €135-€995; Sweaters €160-€395
Upper middle price 12% Branded, high quality, good choice Hugo Boss: Dresses €149-€599; Tops €29-€195;
segment of designs, well-made Sweaters €99-€249
Middle price 32% Good to medium quality, trend Diesel: Dresses €35-€180; Tops €16-€110;
segment following, well-known high street Sweaters €30-€85
brands
Low to middle price 41% Produced in larger quantities, more Marks & Spencer: Dresses €15-€69; Tops €5-€40;
segment basic styles and fitting, medium Sweaters €18-€185
quality, less fashionable
Low or very low 11% Produced in large quantities, low
price segment quality, unbranded
– The low-middle segments taking up high share of the EU apparel market.
– Lower segments are more represented in Eastern EU countries.

15. EU APPAREL MARKET
Main Trends
• Fast fashion is still rising - clothing retailers and hypermarkets
still expanding. Especially in the new EU member states.
• Pressurized margins for all actors in the value chain.
- Fickle consumer demand
- Growing competition retailers
- Oversupply of cheap imports
- Increased cotton prices
- Rising wages China.
• H&M and Zara are still doing well - compensation by new business
in Asia – and by diversification in e.g. home furnishings.
• However - Fast fashion is slowing down:
o Changing consumer behaviour & confidence
o Growing fatigue to keep up with trends.
• Move away from mainstream fashion.
• Boho style and Vintage still popular.
• Trading up to better quality clothing that is comfortable and lasts longer.

16. EU APPAREL MARKET
The Future
Aging population (in 2020 – 50% will be OVER 50 years)  new variations .
• Consumers are:
 more individualising
 more professionalising
 more influenced by media
 more participatory – they want to interact more
with producers, retailers and ‘tailor-made’.
 more keen on prices – value for money.
 Private label quality has improved – Germany.
 claiming more for social and ecological responsibility.
 Ethical fashion market was € 10 billion in the USA and around
€ 1 billion in the EU (UK, Germany, Scandinavia, Switzerland,
Netherlands, France and Italy).
The Eastern EU markets are still expected to show growth
due to a growing middle class and expansion of chains.

17. EU APPAREL MARKET
Opportunities
• Around 100 countries supplied the EU with clothing and textiles in 2010.
• Countries in Latin America produced less than 5% of the EU’s apparel supplies
 Big challenge!
• Smart combinations of Fashion – Comfort and Convenient/Functionality.
• Fashion accessories (shawls, hats, gloves..) that go well with your e.g. dresses
collection.
• Clothing for the plus size segment.
• Diversity in the European consumers (immigrants) and the growing tourist market (China, Russia)
• Eco and Ethical fashion e.g. by using organic cotton, sustainable principles
within the whole value chain incl. fair trade practices. More variation in styles !
• On-line sales are still increasing due to busier lifestyles, new small
entrepreneurs in on-line selling.
Internet connections are still expanding.

18. EU APPAREL MARKET
Key Succes factors
 Good comprehension of your market potential and key target
markets and assessment of your risks and weaknesses (SWOT
analysis).
 As the EU market is quite diverse focus on one country - or a
cluster of countries.
 Clever product/market combinations based on a good knowledge of the market.
We will give an example on the German market for women’s control underwear.
 Don’t just compete on price as the Asian countries do.
 Strategy: Know how to (co-) design, assess future trends within your target market (seasonal,
short terms, long term), choose the right channel, sizing, pricing and promotion.
 Supply: If you supply to fast fashion retailers try to be geared up to make short runs, do more
preplanning and use collaborative software with your customer.