The world of fashion is often associated with young adults (mainly Millennials) and adults, but baby boomers are almost completely excluded from the lens of modern fashion designers. It is reported that almost 70% of females between 53 and 72 years old believe they are ignored by fashion designers and the overall industry (Lindsay). At the same time, this population is growing and turning into an attractive market. Moreover, these people contributed significantly to the development of the fashion industry and paid significant attention to fashion in their earlier years (see Figure 1). This age group should be seen as a prospective target market.
Designers and marketers started paying attention to this audience only a few years ago. At present, the lack of understanding of the needs of the target population is apparent and hurts the development of new styles for older people (Starkey and Parsons 81). Retailers seem to acknowledge the increasing interest in clothes for older people and start offering products targeted at this segment of the market. Older people seek functionality and aesthetics, so fashion designers should implement thorough research to identify the expectations of this audience.
On balance, it is necessary to state that baby boomers have resources, time, and desire to look good, which can be regarded as an opportunity for fashion designers and companies. The focus should be on functionality, comfort, and style as older people want to be trendy and wear comfortable clothes that help them feel empowered. The current demographic trends in contemporary society suggest that this market offers a plethora of opportunities as the number of baby boomers may soon equal the number of Millennials, at least in some Western countries.
Works Cited
Lindsay, Jessica. “Have Baby Boomers Been Left out of Fashion?”Metro. 2018, Web.
Starkey, Sandra, and Jean Parsons. “Inclusive Apparel Design for Baby Boomer Women.” Fashion Practice, vol. 11, no. 1, 2019, pp. 81-104.