On functional clothing, contemporary fashion, the nature of functional items, the benefits they bring to consumers and the prospects for this phenomenon’s development, Sales and Marketing Director of the Vostok-Service Group Matvey Yurtov shared his thoughts.
How are buyers' preferences changing today when choosing clothing, footwear and accessories?
Changes in buyers' preferences are a living and often unpredictable process influenced by many different factors. Consumer preferences are constantly changing. Some time ago they were driven by a strong, rigid trend — fashion. Many remember when double-breasted jackets were ultra-fashionable and everyone wanted one in their wardrobe. But soon single-breasted jackets became fashionable, and their double-breasted predecessors were perceived as something outdated, items from the past. There was a time when short skirts came into fashion — and all girls wore only short skirts. The subsequent maxi period made fans of short skirts start wearing long ones. A similar story happened with trousers: at different times narrow or flared styles were in vogue.
Such periods of preference for items with specific, characteristic features were cyclical — the fashion for them came and went and then returned after some time. Now it has lost its categorical rigidity and become more liberal. In our present life we can find examples of all the trends mentioned above.
Today's world has changed significantly under the influence of new technologies, including digital ones. It contains increasingly many virtual components. Virtual reality is already a familiar attribute not only of computer games but also of other spheres, including fashion. A very real phenomenon today is virtual fitting rooms where you can "try on" and then buy a virtual item as a video file. That item will belong to you in the virtual world. You cannot wear it in real life, of course, but you can sell or exchange it, and so on. Such a thing was unimaginable before. Now many types of human activity are actively moving into virtual reality.
Over a couple of decades we have seen a generation grow up that feels very comfortable in the virtual world and realizes its boldest desires there. It is in virtual reality that modern people increasingly express their emotions and individuality, including in shaping their own image. In the real world far fewer emotions are spent on that. Hence — more restrained but more practical, utilitarian demands on real clothing, expressed in high requirements for the functionality of items and lower emphasis on everything else. The value of real clothing is now measured mainly not by the brand but by what the item "can do," how convenient it is in everyday life.
This transformation of preferences did not begin today. It is confirmed by a study of Russian consumer preferences conducted a quarter century ago. One of the main criteria by which people already chose items back then was quality. That is — neither price nor design alone, but quality, components of which were design, material properties, manufacturing technologies, and product functionality. This largely overlaps with today's consumer preferences of the younger generation — the functionality of items. Today a considerable number of people believe that convenience, comfort and durability are the main criteria when choosing clothing, footwear and accessories.
Life has changed greatly. Today people want to get the maximum set of characteristics they consider important for their money when buying a product: if it’s a waterproof jacket, it should not let water in and preferably also protect against wind (rain rarely comes without wind). If it’s a winter jacket, it should be not only warm but also comfortable and not bulky.
Many have surely noticed that the pandemic, when people began spending much time at home, also affected clothing preferences. A large number of people switched to a sporty style: sweatpants are now combined with blazers, blazers themselves have lost their external conservatism — soft fabrics, materials with unusual textures and colors are used in their production, and decorative stripes have become acceptable in business suits, etc. What seemed unthinkable a few years ago has become the height of fashion for almost everyone: for different generations, women and men alike. Sportswear has become a stable trend, primarily because it is comfortable! Today we can see the gradual blurring of the line between streetwear and homewear.
What has caused the emergence of such a phenomenon on the market as functional clothing?
Firstly, by a change in people’s lifestyles. Secondly, by a shift in attitudes toward the functionality of items. Thirdly, there are fewer strict canons regarding clothing. Western culture, which we orient toward whether we want to or not, promotes the cult of the individual, which is incompatible with uniform standards for everyone. Today, no universally accepted standards press down on consumer preferences — consumers proceed only from their own requirements, which can be influenced if desired. But there is no need for that because basic requirements are roughly the same for most people: they want clothing that blocks the wind, keeps them warm and dry, is comfortable, and makes them look modern. Although the notion of “looking modern” is flexible.
The need to comply with standards in clothing to look modern has ceased to be the primary, dominant factor in real-world choices. Other, more important criteria have emerged. Fashion remains an important element of our lives but has stopped dominating. If you look at how people present their looks online and on social networks, you will notice that many operate with colors and textures in clothing rather than brands; emotion remains in color, and design has yielded to convenience. Fashion as a phenomenon has become niche, and understanding this, it tries to move into the mass segment and play with the buyer on the field of comfort, unconventional design and bright colors.
How does functional clothing differ from other types?
Our company has been operating in the workwear market for many years. This field enforces strict requirements for protective properties of products (the ability to protect a person from various aggressive and non-aggressive environments) and for material durability. When we talk about functional clothing, we mean materials used in the production of specialized clothing but with simplified construction, since functional models are not intended for use in aggressive environments.
In our functional models we incorporate contemporary design elements and remove excessive protection against aggressive environments. That is how the functional clothing we offer consumers differs from specialized garments. We are experts in specialized materials, and this allows us to create clothing and footwear that fit modern design trends and look natural in everyday life.
I will give simple examples of how functional clothing differs from everyday items. A common story: you bought a budget down jacket, and after a year the down starts to come out. That doesn't happen with our down jackets, or it will be practically unnoticeable: even after many years and several cleanings you will not find down migrating through the fabric or seams. Another example: if you heavily soiled your jacket, most likely you will have to take it to a dry cleaner. In similar circumstances our jacket can be easily cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth thanks to the material properties. And a very simple example: if you accidentally catch your jacket or trousers on a protrusion or part of a metal structure, the fabric will most likely tear or threads will pull out. With items that belong to the "special clothing" category, this happens very rarely — the strength indicators of our materials are significantly higher.
What new and useful benefits does functional clothing offer the consumer, and why is it gaining popularity so quickly?
The term "functional clothing" simply did not exist before. Observing the market and analyzing ideas of what else to offer consumers, we concluded that by simplifying constructions and adding trendy design elements, it is possible to create functional products at prices attractive to clients compared to equivalents in everyday clothing stores. Therefore, functional clothing is primarily a new offer that is now available to people. If previously manufacturers could only offer consumers specialized and ordinary clothing, now we observe the formation of a new segment — functional clothing, which gives buyers greater choice and opens up different possibilities when purchasing clothing, footwear and accessories. If we correctly assess the trends forming now, such clothing and footwear will certainly be in demand.
Who are the consumers of functional clothing?
The strongest, most pronounced demand for functional clothing, as I have already said, comes from the younger generation. But its consumers span all age categories. Buyers like when one item combines several functions and properties. And here everything will depend on our clothing designers — whether they will hit the modern rhythm of consumer preferences. In our 280 stores there is a fairly wide selection of items interesting from a functional standpoint, which many have already bought and wear with pleasure, and many more will buy and wear.
What are the prospects for the development of the "Functional Clothing" direction?
We believe this market is at least comparable to the market for specialized clothing, as the number of potential consumers here is much higher. The interest in our first models that exists now allows us to look optimistically at the development of this direction. We will experiment in the field of functional clothing, footwear and accessories, creating new models and offering new solutions so that consumers receive bright, positive emotions and a good mood from our products, and so that our goods meet their requests and expectations. I am confident we will succeed.
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