Au Revoir to Push-Up Bras 👙

It might have a reputation as the birthplace of sexy lingerie 👙, but even in France, titillation is taking second place as compared to comfort and practicality. The very word "lingerie" is a French export - used from Japan to Holland to Brazil - but France has been slow to adapt to a changing mood in the global 🌍 industry, which no longer treats expensive underwear primarily as a weapon of seduction 🥰. The shift has been noticeable in recent years in other Western countries, measured most notably in declining sales at Victoria's Secret, the US store that brought sexy lingerie to the mass market in the 1970s and then made billions worldwide by promoting images of impossible physical perfection.

In the iconic campaign, Czech model Eva Herzigova, 45, poses in a black padded lace bra and matching high-waist knickers. She stares, seductively, down at her voluptuous bosom, which is boosted up to her neck. But, fast forward 24 years, and the va-va-voom cleavage has gone south. Women are binning their boob-busting push-up bras in favour of more relaxed, functional styles. The chest of choice is now small 🤏, unshowy, and unsupported.

The priority of wearing a bra is no longer seduction, it is no longer about attracting men's attention 🤩. Women are playing things differently these days. Things that were seen as faults in the past - a few extra kilos, lines, scars - today, these are signs of individuality. As with so much else, the pandemic has accelerated the trend. With many turning to yoga 🧘 during the past year's lockdowns, the bra-and-leggings combo has become particularly popular. Ethical concerns as well as practical ones are driving the change.

A few lingerie brands saying that the last few years have been extremely challenging, driven by increasing competition in the market and more cautious consumer spending. In March 2018, L Brands, which owns Victoria’s Secret, saw its share price tumble by £27.44 (157.28 Malaysian Ringgit), down 38 per cent from the previous year, after a drop in sales 🏷️.

Padded bras were deflated when Victoria Beckham transformed from footballer’s wife to serious fashion designer by ditching her breast implants. Where once she had spheres up to her ears 👂, she now conceals her 32Bs under slouchy cashmere sweaters. Plastic surgeons have confirmed that Jessica Rabbit boobs are no longer in fashion. Demand for breast enlargement surgery has fallen with 9,652 operations carried out in 2015, down to 8,251 in 2017.

The more you know about the social trends that affect your community and your industry, the better you will be able to target 🎯 your marketing efforts and tailor your products to fit a shifting landscape. Some social trends, such as immigration, influence the demographics of your customer base so you may be working to appeal to a different pool of neighbours than you appealed to a decade ago.

Other social trends, such as almost universal reliance on smartphones 📱, influence the behavior of potential customers, forcing you to develop tech-savvy marketing strategies. Whatever the trend, it is best to learn and adapt while also staying aware that these trends will continue to shift, making new innovations eventually outdated.

Understanding the Demographics

The demographics of your customer base is its makeup in terms of age, race, nationality and gender, along with other characteristics that can be statistically measured 📏. While it may be counterproductive to simplify and profile different demographic categories - for example, assuming that all women will be interested in wearing high heels 👠 - you will most probably design a product differently if it is targeted toward men or toward women, or toward customers over 65 versus potential customers under 20. Shifting demographics is a social trend that will undoubtedly affect your business, so stay current on demographic research and keep your offerings relevant.

Observing Tastes and Trends

Tastes and trends are more fluid social influences than demographics, because they reflect personal preferences, which are more likely to change according to whim. But the seriousness of some trends should not be underestimated. A consumer preference for sustainability in everything from product sourcing to energy efficient manufacturing is a trend that has proven to have staying power and is unlikely to change as environmental awareness continues to grow. It is tricky to change your products to accommodate fleeting trends such as a preference for red shirts over blue ones, but it makes sound business sense to recognise and adapt to longer term trends.

Continue to Innovate

Regardless of the specifics of the social trends that affect your business, your company will always operate in a changing environment. Even if your business has built its reputation on qualities such as consistency and longevity, your customers may value these qualities differently in social and political climates that are increasingly less predictable. Whether your business changes rapidly in response to social trends or responds to them by cultivating consistency, it is useful to know how social trends are evolving and how you can respond to them with your products and marketing strategies.

Share with us what are the most challenging social trends that affect your business and how do you deal with it in the comment below 🤗👇👇👇!

References:
The Star, Friday, 19 Mar 2021
Sarah Barns, 3 May 2018, Why women ditched the push-up bra, The Sun
Devra Gartenstein, November 21, 2018, How Do Social Trends Affect Business?