Menswear in the United Arab Emirates

2021 DEVELOPMENTS

Return to the office and resumption of daily activities contribute to signs of recovery

With the gradual yet smooth reopening of offices, shopping centres, stores and schools, and the return to events outside of the home, menswear benefited and showed growth and signs of recovery in 2021, as consumers refreshed their wardrobes after months spent at home. The majority of workplaces provided flexible work options and opted for a hybrid yet safe approach to working rather than returning to the office full-time.

Trend remains towards comfortable apparel

With the pandemic, and the uncertainty, stress and anxiety that came with it, men favoured comfortable clothing. This helped them to be more relaxed and ready to move whenever required without much effort.

Spending time and money purposefully becomes important

The pandemic led consumers to reconsider how and on what they spent their time and money, prioritising brands and products that resonated with their lifestyles. Hence, menswear was also influenced by this, as within the new normal men started to consider how and what they purchased, and what purpose it served for them and their community.

PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Value in terms of variety, quality and price will continue to create healthy competition

Healthy competition is expected to be observed in menswear during the forecast period, as brands compete for sales and growth as they recover from the effects and challenges of the pandemic. Regional and local brands such as Splash, Max, Redtag and R&B are likely to remain popular due to providing apparel and footwear all under one roof at competitive prices, and having a pre-existing strong foothold in the market.

Resumption of occasions and events outside the home to foster growth

In October 2021, the vaccination rate in the United Arab Emirates reached over 90%, and therefore many corporate exhibitions and events resumed alongside social occasions, including the hosting of Expo 2020, which opened its doors a year late due to the pandemic. Although regulations were still in place, the opening up of the country encouraged consumers to be more confident about visiting shopping centres and returning to social and work occasions, encouraging shopping for menswear once again.

Digitalisation to benefit menswear by conveniently engaging with consumers

Digitalisation continues to evolve to better engage with consumers. Despite store openings, digitalisation through e-commerce and other digital strategies has also gained momentum, providing convenient ways for men to browse and shop.