¹ú²úAV

• Outerwear takes the lead in womenswear assortment for fall
• Puffer Jackets are the trendy piece everyone is betting on
• Fall tones have taken over in early fall collections

October is here, which means chillier weather, earlier sunsets and most of all, the introduction of fall collections. Retailers are gearing up for the fall and winter season with the coziest knits, the trendiest coats and the trousers that will have everyone talking. So what are the hottest trends that are on everyone’s wish list and that will make their way into fashionistas’ online shopping carts, this time of year?

With the fall season upon us and winter creeping up slowly but surely, trendy coats and jackets are in and short, flowy outfits are out. Jackets being the perfect transitional fall staple to throw over any outfit and coats being everyone’s essential throughout the colder days,  means that releasing a large outerwear collection throughout the entire fall season is key. From leather and trench coats to puffer jackets, outerwear is a must this season.

Outerwear proves to be the category standing above the rest in leading mass market brands’ fall collections, within the womenswear sector. The category holds 25% more pieces in fall assortments than the second most popular category, knitwear. So what is the driving force in the rise of outerwear in fall fashion this year?

To further dive into the popularity of outerwear; looking into fall trends during the same period in 2020, it is evident that outerwear was not the strongest category, as it has shown to be this season. While dresses and knitwear took the lead in 2020, outerwear is showcasing impressive levels of growth within early fall collections in 2021. This phenomenon thus further emphasizes the popularity of outerwear this season.

, and all displayed their rendition of what proved to be one of the hottest season trends during fashion week in February, ski fashion. Bundling up in a ski suit, heavy knits and ski boots, the trend of course also includes the iconic puffer jacket in all its colors and forms. The perfect piece to stay warm and stylish on chilly days or to put on top of the hottest ski slope outfit has emerged rather quickly this season.

Within leading mass market brands’ early fall collections, the puffer jacket proves to be the most prominent piece in outerwear assortments by a significant margin, representing nearly 40% of the outerwear assortment. Assortment data insights on mass market brands such as Zara, Mango and Uniqlo identify puffer jackets as the hot trend of the season, making it the outerwear item to promote in fall collections this year.

Sustainable fashion is the topic on everyone’s mind when it comes to developing and releasing new collections. Not only that, but it is also a key point that drives consumer decisions today. So how does the early fall puffer jacket trend fare in terms of sustainability?

Retviews data indicates that within the total womenswear puffer jacket assortment of leading mass market brands such as ZARA, Mango and Uniqlo, over 25% is made of sustainable materials. Considering the prominence of sustainability in the fashion industry today, retailers should take on the question of sustainability when tackling the trendy puffer jacket market this season and consider investing in recycled materials in order to optimize their assortment and lead the trend. 

The early fall season also means a major shift in the colors present in retailers’ collections. When looking at the number of pieces in a collection and their corresponding colors, the most prominent colors are the usual players, black, blue and grey. However, a more interesting point to look at is which colors are growing in popularity, by looking at how much their share within the assortment increases throughout the period in question. 

When analyzing the increase in share of assortment throughout the early fall collections, classic fall tones are taking the lead in popular mass market brands within womenswear. Green was the color of the summer, but it has been taken over by khaki green and by warm tones of brown, burgundy and grey in the first fall collections of the season. What will the hottest colors of the coming weeks and months be? Will fall tones maintain their standing or will vibrant colors take over?

What trends lie ahead in the fall and winter months? Pinpoint the hottest trends, optimize your own fall collection and make better decisions with Retviews data.