Underwire bra sales rise as pretty and political trends converge

Bras are back. Not that they're really gone, but after years of pandemic comfort and soft, sporty styles, structure and sexy are making a comeback.

“We are seeing our underwire sales explode this year,” said Cosabella co-CEO Guido Campello. The brand, known for its bralettes, launched three new underwired styles this season due to high demand. Campello said they were already among the season's bestsellers.

While bra sales were down slightly from 2021, they were up 17% from 2019. "We've had all this next-level growth over the past two years, and now we're we kind of settle on a demand cycle,” said Todd Mick, executive director of NPD Group, which analyzes the lingerie market.

The demand cycle may be more realistic, but the more regular return to work, school and social activities after the false start of 2021 is impacting consumers' choice of fancier styles and elaborate.

This time around, demand for underwire and embellished styles is driving sales. "The consumer is rebalancing to have a little more beauty and a little more structure to give them that shape to go out and reappear in social events," Mick said.

Unlike the full-coverage t-shirt bras that were popular before the pandemic, the new underwire styles are fun, lightweight, and lacy. "Now people are asking for the same kind of support, but being more transparent, sexier," Campello added.

The focus is also on fit, as brands have expanded their size ranges and consumers have become more informed about what's available to them. To that end, specialty retailers are on the rise, as women want personalized service regardless of their size.

This is true in the US and Europe, although Europe has seen a stronger comeback of department stores, in part because the concession model allows for greater brand control, flow of inventory and specialized customer service, Campello said. U.S. retailers have been less successful in meeting sizing needs, he claimed.

According to NPD data, Millennials make up around 34% of the market, Gen Z around 23%, or more than 50% of the combined market. Yet, sales of embellished styles are also increasing in the Gen X and Boomer categories. “It actually happens across the generational spectrum,” Mick said.

Luxury lingerie between $120 and $150 remains strong, with Campello seeing growth in the category across Calida Group brands, which include Cosabella and French brand Aubade. “We actually sell more higher priced units as a 'sexy structured' than a low priced basic structured for us. So we know there is a desire."

Famous brands like Kim Kardashian's Skims and Lizzo's Yitty are courting consumers, in part because they're made to be seen. "Traditional brands drive sales through innovation, and D-to-C brands really do it through fashion," Mick said.

Rihanna's ultra-feminine Savage x Fenty brand also saw strong growth this year. "It's very embellished and very emotionally inspired," the singer's label Mick said. “Young consumers really see lingerie as a means of self-expression. They want to look good and show it to the world. »

Kayla Marci, market analyst for data and business intelligence platform Edited, cites the '80s influence permeating fashion right now, from strong shoulders to Barbiecore shines.

“This era is really having a cultural moment, and with it comes more maximalism and more rigid structures,” she said. This trend also emphasizes sexier looks, sheer fabrics and the “naked dress trend” that permeates all price points. "There is definitely a hypersexuality that influences fashion, and it comes from everyone...