Skinny Jeans Are Growing in Popularity, but You’ll Be Surprised at Who’s Buying

Sales of Skinny Jeans With Male Consumers Increase by 30 Per Cent Year-Over-Year

• Denim category remained flat in 2014
• Sales of skinny jeans to men increased by 30 per cent
• Sales of skinny jeans to women slipped by -14 per cent
• Skinny jeans make up 32 per cent of denim market in Canada

Toronto, ON - According to The NPD Group, a leading global information company, skinny jeans are growing in popularity - but only with certain consumers. While Canadians spend $1.7 billion annually on denim, the category has struggled as of late as athleisure products have seen an increase in popularity with consumers.

Overall the denim category was flat in 2014, with an increase of only 1.1 per cent on the year. Sales of skinny jeans, which make up 32 per cent of the overall denim market in Canada, also failed to keep pace seeing a -4.4 per cent decline on the year.

Interestingly, sales of skinny jeans to men increased by 30 per cent for the 12 months ending in April 2015 from $100 million to $130 million. This growth represents a significant recovery from the previous year when sales of male skinny jeans slipped by more than -14 per cent. 

Skinny jean sales to women, on the other hand, slipped by -14 per cent for the 12 months ending in April 2015 after a successful period of growth in the previous year when sales increased by 8 per cent.

These contrasting sales figures were driven in part by a significant increase in the average price for male skinny jeans, which increased by 18 per cent, compared to a rather small average price increase for women’s skinny jeans, which jumped by only 4 per cent.

“This data illustrates a significant shift in the denim market as sales to women have traditionally driven the skinny jeans segment”, says Sandy Silva, Director of Fashion and Beauty at The NPD Group. “It will be interesting to see how this trend plays out as consumer preferences continue to evolve.”