| Fashion and clothing shopping has always been | | | | bumper time for male fashion shopping, a |
| seen to be a women's domain, something in | | | | stark contrast to the views expressed by |
| which men until recently have not taken an | | | | Acadia as shops reported an increase in |
| active interest. | | | | takings from their male departments |
| | | | |
| However for men, fashion and the pursuit of | | | | It seemed suddenly there was a rise in the |
| couture has always flitted in and out of | | | | number of males keen to spend their dosh. But |
| favour. Think of the highly preened men of | | | | why? |
| 17th century Europe with their puffed | | | | |
| sleeves, lace collars and powdered wigs. | | | | The trend can be attributed to many things |
| Today men once again are interested in | | | | including an increase in men's style |
| looking good, with roll models like David | | | | magazines and the changing patterns in the |
| Beckham who enjoys shopping and has his own | | | | way designers are catering to male customers. |
| stylist - it is not 'girly' to want to wear | | | | |
| cool clothes and be individual looking. | | | | Homme and GQ are among the biggest selling |
| | | | magazines in the UK with FHM alone overtaking |
| Having said that most men do not lust after | | | | the sales of many women's monthly magazines. |
| fashion as obsessively as their female | | | | As FHM et al increasingly feature fashion in |
| counterparts and this reluctance to hop aboad | | | | their pages, they are unintentionally |
| the fashion bandwagon has meant that large | | | | encouraging more men to adopt an attitude |
| name retailers are having to reconsider their | | | | towards fashion, something they have not |
| investment in their range of male clothing | | | | being previously forced to do. |
| lines as men are simply not spendign enough | | | | |
| money on clothes. Towards the end of 2001, | | | | Designers that originally designed for women |
| 'The Acadia Group' in charge of some of the | | | | only are beginning to introduce lines for men |
| biggest names on the high street, including | | | | while high street giants such as Benetton and |
| Topshop and miss selfridge, was to close the | | | | Gap now have extensive male sections. |
| male departments of some of their biggest | | | | |
| stores. | | | | Who knows how long the trend will last, but |
| | | | for the time being it seems we have seen an |
| The managing director of Acadia claimed | | | | end to the time when women use to shop and |
| simply that "men are not spending enough". | | | | their partners had no choice but to stand |
| Furthermore "we are unable to cater to a | | | | around. The industry's changing attitude with |
| market that just isn't interested" his point | | | | the help of the media means that now while |
| was fairly obvious -. If you don't shop then | | | | your partner shops, you can simply nip over |
| we will focus on those that do. | | | | to the male section to do some shopping of |
| | | | you own. |
| However the Christmas holidays of 2001 was a | | | | |