Beyond the Game: The Transformation of Women’s Sportswear

August 2024

The report provides insights into current trends, consumer preferences, emerging opportunities and competitive landscape in the women's sportswear market. Understanding these trends helps companies in making informed decisions about how to differentiate in a growing space.

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Key findings

Ignited Interest: The Rise of Women’s Sports

Advocacy for gender equality, the push for equal pay and recognition of female athletes have boosted the interest in women’s sports. High-profile events such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and WNBA games have significantly increased viewership, alongside expanded media coverage and social media visibility. Inspiring female athletes serve as role models, attracting new fans and encouraging young girls to participate in sports. Brands have responded to this surge with more sponsorships, endorsements and advertising, enhancing the financial viability and visibility of these sports.

Gained Ground: Women’s Sportswear Outperforms Men’s

Women’s sportswear grew faster than men’s over the last five years, but despite this better performance, this segment accounts for only 36% of global sportswear sales in 2023. Although women’s sportswear saw gains across regions, performance and drivers differ. Australasia leads in women’s sportswear share and significant growth over the last five years. In contrast, Asia Pacific lags, largely due to lower penetration in China and Japan. Meanwhile, Western Europe and North America have seen modest increases to reach 39% and 35% of overall sales, respectively.

Closing the Gap: Diverse Paths Towards a Common Goal

Despite the growing interest in women’s sports, gender gaps persist in the sports world, offering opportunities for those who can capitalise on this expanding segment. Beyond traditional strategies, brands can partner with women in their quest for gender equality in sports or support them in their journey to a healthier lifestyle. Whether by expanding their portfolios, promoting a lifestyle, reaching sports aficionados, or advocating for women, brands have several avenues to support women and unlock growth opportunities in the process.

Why read this report?
Key findings
Women’s sportswear outperforms men’s, driven by heightened interest in women’s sports
Increased advocacy for gender equality reaches the sports world
2023 FIFA World Cup success reflects the growing popularity of women’s football
Record attendance in basketball boosted by rising stars and record-breaking performances
Paris 2024 Olympic Games expected to further increase fan interest in women’s sports
Brands, big and small, eager to capitalise on women’s sports boom
Growing interest moves to off the court, but gap still exists
Women’s sports footwear outperforms sports apparel over the historic period
Men’s products still concentrate majority of sales of leading sportswear brands
Can e-commerce facilitate access to a wider offering of women products?
Women’s sportswear gains ground in Latin America boosted by wellness trends
Sports brands capitalise on the increasing popularity of football in Europe
A changing message, wellness trends and domestic brands boost sales in Asia Pacific
Renewed attitudes towards exercising favour growth in the Middle East and Africa
Brands can take diverse paths to tap into underserved women’s sportswear market
Tapping into underserved segments opens new pockets of growth
Women’s sportswear requires change through their life cycle, calling innovation around it
Knix diversifies offerings with leakproof selections across life occasions
Sports aficionados, growth opportunities beyond the court
Women’s sports boom attracts beauty brands and beyond
Selfridges focuses its summer offering on the “ Sportopia ” concept
Gender equality remains a pending task in sports science/sports medicine research
Promote women’s health through physical activity
Women value brands that advocate for them and are willing to change the message
New Balance partners with the WNBA to grow in women’s sports
The transformed women’s sports segment: Opportunities for growth
Bridging sports gaps: a boost for women’s sportswear
Evolution of women’s sportswear
The transformation of women’s sportswear: Questions we are asking

Apparel and Footwear

Apparel is the aggregation of clothing and footwear. This dataset covers retail sales of apparel through both store-based retailers and non-store retailers. Excludes black market sales (i.e. untaxed, generated within informal retailing)and duty free sales (travel retail). Items must be new when sold to the consumer; second-hand/used items are excluded. Antique and/or vintage clothing and footwear is also excluded.

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