女力崛起，女性運動服飾商機帶動創業潮 | Why sales of women's sportswear are gathering pace

女力崛起，女性運動服飾商機帶動創業潮

曾經，運動服裝給人的印象是鬆垮垮，與時尚或性感無緣，然而，隨著健康生活風潮越來越興盛，在消費者的需求下，近年來運動服裝往具備功能性，設計更時尚、呈現曲線等方向演進，而這又讓消費者把原本只在慢跑時或是瑜伽與健身房中穿著的運動服飾穿到一般場合，重現 1980 年代運動衣外穿的趨勢，進一步擴大需求，而這一次，不僅是流行因素，還有底層的功能性加持，商機更加穩固且廣大。

根據市調公司 NPD 歸納，以每年 7 月至隔年 6 月的時間區間統計，2011 年美國所有服飾總銷售額成長 4%，其中運動服飾成長 8%，運動服飾以外僅成長 3%；2012 年所有服飾銷售額成長 4%，其中運動服飾成長 10%，運動服飾以外僅成長 3%；2013 年所有服飾總銷售額成長 1%，其中運動服飾成長 7%，運動服飾以外負成長 1%。2013 年 7 月至 2014 年 6 月，美國運動服飾銷售額達 337 億美元，佔服飾總銷售額的 16%。

由以上數據可知，運動服飾已成為近年來服飾市場成長的主力，市場更預期 2019 年運動服飾市場將成長至 1,780 億美元規模。在市場需求壓力下，不只運動品牌，連同非運動品牌也不得不加入這場運動服飾風潮，美國青少年平價品牌 Forever 21 在 2010 年開啟運動服飾系列；2011 年，Gap 將原本只在線上銷售的運動子品牌 Athleta 放上實體店面，並推出自己的健身服飾系列 Gap Fit；H&M 也於 2014 年開啟了 H&M Sport 系列。

其中，女性運動服飾的成長速度更快，2013 年美國女性運動服飾銷售額達 115 億美元，較 2012 年成長 9%，成長速度高於整體運動服飾的 7%。

女性更懂得讓運動服飾與身體合而為一

各運動大廠自然已經看準這個商機，愛迪達（Adidas）在 2004 年就與英國時裝設計師史黛拉‧麥卡特尼（Stella McCartney）合作推出女性運動設計子品牌「Adidas by Stella McCartney 」；耐吉（Nike）自然也對女性運動服飾相當重視，在 2014 年 10 月時 Nike 女性運動服飾 2013 年全球營收達 11 億美元，年成長 6%，成長超過男性運動服飾；運動品牌新秀 Under Armour 也大膽預言其女性產品在 2016 年將達到 10 億美元規模，並且很有可能超越男性產品。英國女性運動品牌 Sweaty Betty 則於 2015 年 2 月獲得美國私人資本投資公司 Catterton 投資，資金將用以擴展全球據點。

這樣的「女力」崛起商機，不只成為大廠競逐的目標，也成為許多新創事業崛起的契機，尤其是女性最了解女性對功能性、舒適、時尚與美觀的需求，因此，不意外地，許多趁勢興起的新創事業清一色是由女性創業。

現年 31 歲的凱蒂‧比道夫（Katy Biddulph）在 2011 年時於倫敦創立了新創運動服裝品牌 Striders Edge，創業之初她得親自從卡車上把葡萄牙製造的產品搬上二樓的簡陋辦公室，才不過經過幾年，她的事業就已經成長到辦公室已經搬到可眺望倫敦眼的高級辦公大樓，有了 9 名員工，原本主要於英國銷售，2015 年 2 月登陸美國，於全球其他國家則以線上銷售，預期 2015 年營收將達 200 萬英鎊。

凱蒂的商業模式是學習自 Sweaty Betty，她表示，成功的因素是要讓消費者感覺很棒，且覺得運動服飾與身體有如合而為一，而她自己身為女性，對產品該達到何種標準特別敏銳。

2009 年於加拿大多倫多創業的 Titika 也是女性創業的成功典範，創辦人為香港裔的張艾玲（Eileen Zhan，音譯），如今 Titika 在安大略省已經有 7 家分店，2015 年在美國推出線上商店，並計劃年內要推廣至全球，其運動服飾售價約 60 英鎊，當問起如何向女性消費者推銷如此價格的產品時，Titika 表示，這比想像中容易，因為女性總是追求與眾不同的產品，消費者會主動詢問使用的布料，一旦了解布料的結構與功能，就願意付出更高的價格。

2013 年，紐約時尚界名人蘿賓‧伯克利（Robyn Berkley）創辦女性健身養生網站 Live The Process，網站上提供許多女性生活建言，兼營銷售運動服飾，創立第一年營收就立即突破 100 萬英鎊，蘿賓‧伯克利認為成功的因素在於 Live The Process 不只是賣衣服，而是提供真心誠意，並擁抱健康生活的理想，才因此獲得廣大女性消費者認同。

學者及產業界對女性運動服飾新創企業的成功也有同樣的看法，這波「女力」崛起與過去不同，不只是純粹流行或是要看起來性感，而是一種對女性生活理想的認同，女性穿上這些具備功能性的衣服，感到更有自信與力量，甚至還因此加強了在工作上的自信心與領導能力，而在企業中有更好表現。

「女力」商機或許也可給台灣一個啟發，其實不論運動大廠或是新創事業的相關服飾，所使用的特殊布料與製造技術，台灣的相關產業在技術面上都並不難達到，甚至有許多根本就是台灣代工，但是為何英國、加拿大女性創辦人可以新創品牌成功，其關鍵並不在於製造技術基礎，而是在於生活品味與生活哲學。

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【新聞來源：台灣紡拓會】

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Why sales of women's sportswear are gathering pace

The days when women would simply throw on an old T-shirt to do some exercise are long gone.

Instead, in today's ever more fitness and fashion conscious world, a growing number are willing to pay as much for a new gym outfit as they do for a new formal party dress.

This has led to a big increase over recent years in the value of the women's sportswear market.
In the US alone, combined sales of such products - from yoga leggings, sports bras and vests, to tracksuits - totalled $15.1bn (£10.3bn) in the 12 months to August 2011, according to research firm NPD Group. It said this was 10% higher than the prior year.

Meanwhile, sportswear giant Nike said last October that the rate of sales growth in its female clothing ranges was outpacing that of its products for men.

Analysts say that the rise in sales of women's sportswear has been helped by an increased emphasis on the style of the clothing - making them look and feel as good as possible - which in turn has led to an increase in the number of women wearing such items as fashionable leisurewear.
And with the market being so valuable, it is not surprising that a growing number of small companies - predominantly led by women - are launching their own ranges of upmarket female sportswear.

'Feel great'

Katy Biddulph didn't need gym membership when she launched her women's sportswear brand Striders Edge in London back in 2011.
Initially running the business from a second floor one-bedroom flat, she would get her exercise by carrying all her deliveries up and down the stairs.

The 31-year-old says: "It looked like a fairly big business to the outside world when I was just starting out, but I was receiving all my goods from the manufacturer in Portugal from a truck outside my flat.

"I had hundreds of garments landing in the street, and I had to get all the boxes up the stairs by myself. I never slept that first year, but I just knew there was a gap in the market that I could fill.

"Now I've got an office that overlooks the London Eye."

Ms Biddulph set up the business after previously working for fellow British women's sportswear company Sweaty Betty, where she designed and managed a number of product ranges.

Her industry experience and knowledge persuaded a number of private investors to back her venture.

Striders Edge's clothes are now stocked by UK retailers Harrods, John Lewis and House of Fraser, and the brand launched in the US in February. It also sells globally via its website.

Now with nine members of staff, Ms Biddulph says she wants to hit £2m in sales within the next 12 months.

She adds: "You want your customer to feel great and part of something. As a female, you know the standard concerns."

'Something different'

But just how do you convince women to spend more than £60 on a t-shirt or a pair of leggings?

"It's not as hard as you would think," says Brittany Morris-Asquith, spokesperson and designer for Titika Active Couture, a Canadian brand based in Toronto. "Women are always looking for something different.

"They're asking more questions about fabrics, and if they understand the construction that goes into it, they're willing to pay for a better product."

Since Titika's founder Eileen Zhang, 32, opened her first shop in Toronto in 2009, Titika has expanded to seven stores across the province of Ontario.

And in March of this year it expended its online sales to the US, with plans to ship globally later this year.
Ms Morris-Asquith adds: "We provide clothing to women that make them feel good, we encourage them to try on things that they would never think about."

Titika also offers free in-store exercise classes to promote a healthy lifestyle - from yoga and kickboxing, to zumba dance workouts. And inspirational slogans affixed above fitting room mirrors urge against body shaming.

'Double bottom line'

Catherine Elliott, a professor at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, says that businesses such as Striders Edge and Titika share an ethos which is typical for female-led companies.

"They tend to have a double bottom line - to create wealth, but also to make positive change for girls and women," says Prof Elliott, who is co-author of a recently published book on the subject called Feminine Capital.

"When women are defining the objectives of [a clothing] business, they're going to see it as something that empowers women as opposed to just making them look sexy.

"The sports clothing industry is about feeling good about yourself, and wearing clothing that fits and makes you feel comfortable."

She adds: "A lot of women have talked about how being in sports and fitness has given them the leadership skills and confidence to be successful in corporate settings and entrepreneurship."

At New York-based women's sportswear business Live The Process, founder Robyn Berkley says the aim is for the brand to not just be about clothing, and instead "offer authenticity, honesty, and embrace the idealism of wellness".

Its website features editorial content from 32 contributors, offering tips ranging from changing careers to taking care of your skin.

Established in 2013, the company's clothing range was an immediate hit, with sales topping £1m in its first year.

Original Article: BBC News