Online women's clothing retailers revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.2% over the five years through 2024-25. The industry has mainly boomed thanks to the dramatic increase in photos and videos posted online, fast, affordable fashion and the introduction of credit and financing services like buy-now-pay-later platforms that have allowed consumers to manage household budgets better. Influencers, shopping hauls, and discount codes make buying clothes irresistible. Despite the positive momentum, fast fashion comes at a cost and growing awareness surrounding sustainability issues and ethical allegations, which weigh on growth. This has spurred a shift towards sustainable fashion, with shoppers increasingly opting for quality, second-hand items, or rental platforms like Hurr. Retailers, such as Boohoo, are also pledging to reduce emissions and waste by 2030. The luxury e-commerce boom is waning as interest rates remain high and shoppers return to physical stores. Retailers have also contended with tightening disposable incomes forcing consumers to rethink if they should hit 'add-to-cart' or return items entirely. As the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has decreased from its peak, suggesting a reduction in inflationary pressures for 2024-25, consumers are likely to feel more confident about their spending, revenue is expected to hike 4.3% to £13.2 billion, while the average profit margin is set to reach 6.5%. The sustainability trend will continue to gain momentum. Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of waste, choosing to upcycle and repair products instead of buying new ones, and these trends will accelerate. Gen Z will enter the workforce, becoming a significant source of spending power and bringing new values to the market. However, with increased scrutiny on environmental claims, brands must tread carefully to avoid greenwashing. Authentic storytelling, resale sections, and partnerships will be key in attracting the next generation of socially conscious consumers. Those that fail to adapt to consumer trends by emphasising sustainability and ethical sources risk not benefitting from a potentially lucrative market. Revenue in the Online Women's Clothing Retailing industry is slated to grow at a compound annual rate of 2.5% to £15 billion over the five years through 2029-30.

This statistic presents the distribution of the apparel market in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2010 to 2015, broken down by category. In 2010, womenswear made up 54.6 percent of the apparel market in the UK, while menswear accounted for 28.5 percent, childrenswear for 14.2 percent and hosiery for 2.6 percent. Since then, the distribution of the market has remained relatively stable, with market shares of womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and hoisery measuring at 55 percent, 28.2 percent, 14.2 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, in 2015.

The Fashion eCommerce market in the UK is predicted to reach US$48,028.8m revenue by 2025. The top online retailers in the market are sainsburys.co.uk, shein.co.uk and asda.com.

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Women Apparel Market Size 2025-2029

The women apparel market size is forecast to increase by USD 207.7 billion, at a CAGR of 5% between 2024 and 2029.

The market is experiencing significant growth, driven by the increasing trend towards premiumization. Consumers are increasingly seeking out well-positioned brands that offer high-quality products and unique styles. Another key trend is the adoption of virtual reality technology to enhance the shopping experience for consumers. However, the market also faces challenges, including the availability of counterfeit products. Premiumization is a major growth factor in the market, as consumers are willing to pay more for high-quality, unique clothing items. Virtual reality technology is also becoming increasingly popular, allowing shoppers to try on clothes and see how they look in a more good way. However, the prevalence of counterfeit products poses a significant challenge to the industry, as it undermines the value of authentic brands and can lead to consumer dissatisfaction. Overall, the women's apparel market is expected to continue growing, driven by these trends and the increasing demand for high-quality, authentic clothing.

What will be the Size of the Market During the Forecast Period?

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The market is experiencing significant growth as consumers increasingly prioritize ethical and eco-friendly fashion choices. This shift in consumer behavior is driven by a combination of factors, including changing lifestyles, fashion trends, and a heightened awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Fashion trends continue to evolve, with styles ranging from casual wear to sports wear, winter wear, and night wear. Sustainable options are available in various categories, including t-shirts, jeans, leggings, shorts, skirts, tops, shirts, denim, and more. Brands are responding to this demand by offering a wider range of sustainable and ethical choices, from organic cotton t-shirts to recycled denim jeans.
Social media and celebrity endorsements have played a crucial role in promoting sustainable fashion. Working women, in particular, are embracing the trend, seeking out brands that align with their values and offer high-quality, comfortable, and stylish options for the workplace. E-commerce sites have made it easier than ever to access sustainable fashion, with discounts and customization options adding to the appeal. Clothing trends are no longer dictated by seasonal collections or runway shows but are influenced by social media and consumer demand. Magazines and fashion blogs have also played a significant role in promoting sustainable fashion, highlighting the latest styles and brands.

How is this market segmented and which is the largest segment?

The market research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

Distribution Channel

  Offline
  Online


Product

  Tops and dresses
  Bottom wear
  Intimates and sleepwear
  Coats jackets and suits
  Others


Geography

  APAC

    China
    India
    Japan
    South Korea


  North America

    Canada
    US


  Europe

    Germany
    UK
    France


  Middle East and Africa



  South America

By Distribution Channel Insights

The offline segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

The market primarily relies on offline distribution channels for sales, including specialty stores, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, and department stores. Specialty stores, which specialize in clothing and related accessories, dominate the market due to their exclusive focus and higher pricing. The offline segment accounts for a significant market share, contributing substantially to the market's revenue growth during the forecast period. Women's apparel encompasses various categories, such as Online Stores, T-shirts, Sports wear, Casual wear, Night wear, Indo-Western clothes, Formal wear, Informal wear, Premium-quality women apparel, Innerwear, and Sleepwear. The female population, particularly working women, drives the demand for these apparel categories through multi-brand retail outlets and social media platforms.

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The offline segment was valued at USD 566.90 billion in 2019 and showed a gradual increase during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

APAC is estimated to contribute 47% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period.

Technavio's analysts have elaborately explained the regional market trends and analysis and drivers that shape the market during the forecast period.

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The market in the Asia Pacific

The UK sustainable fashion market size reached USD 261.04 Million in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 1,757.42 Million by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 23.60% during 2025-2033. The market is primarily driven by rising demand from consumers for ethical products, the higher uptake of zero-waste and circular fashion efforts, and rapid development in sustainable production technologies that emphasize the use of eco-friendly materials and recycling techniques to satisfy environmental standards.

Report Attribute	Key Statistics
Base Year	2024
Forecast Years	2025-2033
Historical Years	2019-2024
Market Size in 2024	USD 261.04 Million
Market Forecast in 2033	USD 1,757.42 Million
Market Growth Rate (2025-2033)	23.60%

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the regional level for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on product type, fabric type, distribution channel and end user.

ZARA UK Fashion Dataset offers an extensive collection of fashion product data from ZARA's UK online store, providing a detailed overview of available items. This dataset is valuable for analyzing the European fashion retail market, particularly in the UK, and includes fields such as product titles, URLs, SKUs, MPNs, brands, prices, currency, images, breadcrumbs, country, availability, unique IDs, and timestamps for when the data was scraped.

Key Features:

• Product Details: Includes title, URL, SKU (Stock Keeping Unit), MPN (Manufacturer Part Number), and brand for each product, helping to uniquely identify and differentiate items.
• Pricing Information: Features the price of each product along with the currency used (GBP) to understand the pricing strategies of ZARA in the UK market.
• Visual Data: High-quality images of each product, essential for visual merchandising analysis and online consumer behavior studies.
• Categorical Information: Breadcrumbs data provide context on the product's placement within ZARA's website structure, helping to analyze navigation and product hierarchy.
• Geographical Focus: Specific to the UK market, making it relevant for studies on British fashion retail and consumer trends.
• Availability Status: Includes real-time availability data, which is crucial for understanding stock levels, popular products, and restocking practices.
• Unique Identifiers: Each product is tagged with a uniq_id, ensuring data integrity and making it easier to track and analyze over time.
• Data Collection Timestamp: The scraped_at field records the exact time and date when the data was collected, aiding in time-based analysis of inventory and pricing.

Potential Use Cases:

• Market Research: Analyze UK and European fashion trends, consumer preferences, and competitive positioning within the fast fashion sector.
• E-commerce Analysis: Study ZARA's product placement, pricing, and availability to optimize online retail strategies.
• Stock Management: Use SKU and availability data to predict inventory needs and enhance supply chain efficiency.
• Brand Analysis: Examine the impact of brand identity on consumer choices and product performance in the UK market.
• Academic Research: Ideal for research projects focused on fashion retail, marketing strategies, and consumer behavior in Europe.

Data Sources:

The data is meticulously collected from ZARA's official UK website and other reliable retail databases, reflecting the latest product offerings and market dynamics specific to the UK and European fashion markets.

• ZARA US Retail Products Dataset: Explore over 10,000 product records from ZARA's USA online store, including titles, prices, images, and availability.
  
  
• Fashion Products Dataset from GAP.com: Access detailed product information from GAP's online store, featuring over 4,500 fashion items with attributes like price, brand, color, reviews, and images.
  
  
• Myntra Fashion Products Dataset: A comprehensive dataset from Myntra.com, offering over 12,000 fashion products with detailed attributes for in-depth analysis.

This statistic presents the distribution of the womenswear market in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2012 and 2017, with a forecast for 2022, by offline and online sales channel. In 2017, around 28 percent of all womenswear products were sold online in the UK. The share is expected to rise to 36 percent by 2022.

In the UK's plus size women's clothing stores industry, revenue is expected to decrease at a compound annual rate of 3.1% over the five years through 2024-25, to £738.4 million. This decline can be attributed to uncertain economic conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in reduced sales of non-essential items. The increased risk of COVID-19 among the overweight led to consumers making a more concerted effort to manage their weight, lowering revenue. However, online retail sales have surged across all major sectors, with clothing retail seeing a notable shift towards online shopping even post-pandemic. This trend has persisted and poses ongoing challenges for high-street retailers. Plus-size clothing retailers, in particular, continue to find growth opportunities online, resulting in a 0.5% revenue hike in 2024-25. As consumers seek convenience, the industry will face rising competition from supermarkets and e-commerce. Over the five years through 2029-30, revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 3% to reach £857.9 million. A push-up in overweight or obese individuals due to poor eating habits and reduced exercise will likely expand the market for plus-size clothing. The World Health Organisation expects obesity levels to continue rising over the next decade, indicating sustained demand. However, growing health consciousness sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about diabetes may curb this trend. These contrasting factors could influence future market dynamics. Innovation, value-added services, a focus on the luxury plus-size market and customisation of purchases will drive the industry's growth. Nonetheless, external competition from high-street brands and supermarkets will put downward pressure on profit.

UK Fashion Ecommerce Market size is estimated to be valued US$ 44.01 billion in 2025 and is expected to a CAGR of 15.7%, reaching US$ 122.14 billion by 2032.

Over the five years through 2024-25, clothing and footwear wholesalers’ revenue is expected to decline at a compound annual rate of 2%. They’ve come up against enormous challenges recently, with the cost-of-living crisis leading consumers to cut their spending on clothes and footwear, pushing down revenue. Wholesalers have historically been the middlemen of fashion, forming an essential link between retailers and the companies that make clothes. However, retailers are increasingly building relationships with manufacturers to avoid paying commissions to wholesalers and to have more influence in the design and production process. That being said, shifts in consumer behaviour, like women no longer opting to buy footwear from specialist retailers, have opened up the market, allowing wholesalers to establish a foothold in specific product and market segments. The emergence of the fashion-conscious male market has also supported revenue. Revenue is slated to inch upwards by 0.9% in 2024-25 to £14.9 billion. The high street has seen a sustained decline in footfall over the past decade, which played a big part in the collapse of prominent retailers like Topshop and Debenhams, cutting demand for wholesalers. Weak disposable incomes and subdued confidence have also limited retail sales. Wholesalers have sought other ways to bolster their finances in the face of weakening demand. For example, the growing success of the direct-to-consumer model enables wholesalers to take their products directly to consumers and make a higher profit, though this does come with higher marketing and technology spending. Revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.3% over the five years through 2029-30 to £17.5 billion, propped up by improving economic conditions – specifically, inflation is set to subside, boosting consumer spending power. Ethical consumerism is pushing clothing wholesalers towards sustainable practices, with many UK consumers ready to change their buying habits based on brands' environmental impact. This shift could increase costs, leading wholesalers to explore vertical integration with manufacturers and invest more in technology like automation to boost efficiency. Trends such as anticipatory shipping and automated systems are set to become more prominent, allowing wholesalers to better manage supply and demand while addressing rising wage concerns. Wholesalers will be pressured to make their operations more sustainable, creating opportunities for localised production.

Plus-Size Clothing market will experience high growth during 2025 to 2035 due to increasing demand for numerous clothing trends, body positivity campaigns, and plus-size consumers going to retail stores. The market will be around USD 319,821 million in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 583,451 million by 2035 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% during the forecast period.

Metric	Value
Industry Size (2025E)	USD 319,821 million
Industry Value (2035F)	USD 583,451 million
CAGR (2025 to 2035)	6.2%

Country Wise Outlook

Country	CAGR (2025 to 2035)
USA	6. 1%

Country	CAGR (2025 to 2035)
UK	6.7%

Region	CAGR (2025 to 2035)
European Union	5.9%

Country	CAGR (2025 to 2035)
Japan	6.5%

Country	CAGR (2025 to 2035)
South Korea	6.2%

Competitive Landscape

Company Name	Estimated Market Share (%)
ASOS Curve	14-18%
Lane Bryant	12-16%
Torrid	9-13%
Eloquii	7-11%
H&M+	5-9%
Other Companies (combined)	40-50%

This statistic presents the value of the plus size clothing market in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2016, with forecasts up until 2022. In 2016 the plus size clothing market in the UK was worth approximately 6.44 billion British pounds. This value is expected to increase to around 9.03 billion British pounds by 2022.

Market Size statistics on the Clothing Retailing industry in United Kingdom

The UK value clothing market will grow by £3.2bn in the five years to 2021 – equating to 23.6% growth on 2016, with menswear driving the market and outperforming womenswear. As male interest in fashion and personal appearance builds and retailers are starting to respond to male consumers’ growing demands for more choice, style, and newness. Read More

Over the five years through 2024-25, revenue in the fast-fashion industry is expected to creep up at a compound annual rate of 1.5%, reaching £10.9 billion. This includes a 2.1% rise over 2024-25, where profit is anticipated to reach 5.6%. Fast fashion remains in high demand, having benefitted hugely from the growth of social media. Photos and videos constantly drive sales posted online, with people wanting to look their best and seek out the latest trendy clothes and accessories. Disposable income levels, fashion and styling trends and environmental awareness levels affect demand for fast fashion items. Yet, the fast-fashion industry faces mounting criticism for its environmental impact, as it ranks as the second-largest water consumer and emits around 10% of global carbon emissions. With 92 million tons of textile waste produced annually, green concerns are gaining prominence. In March 2024, a landmark investigation by the FCA targeted greenwashing in fast-fashion brands, urging them to avoid misleading claims about sustainability. Rampant inflation pushed up competition from upcycling and thrifting. Platforms like Vinted offer convenient avenues for selling unwanted clothes, fuelled by a desire to cut costs amid tight finances. The race among retailers, including newcomers like Shein and Temu, intensifies, prompting strategies like nearshoring to respond faster to consumer trends. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions drive sourcing closer to home, reducing lead times, but inflating costs in the short-term. Revenue is slated to climb at a compound annual rate of 2.6% over the five years through 2029-30 to £12.4 billion. The sustainability trend will continue to gain momentum, with UK shoppers becoming increasingly conscious of waste, choosing to upcycle and repair products instead of buying new ones. Fast fashion retailers that fail to adapt by emphasising their sustainability efforts and ethical sourcing risk losing out in a fast-growing market. Data-driven strategies are revolutionising retail operations and are more critical than ever in helping retailers improve the supply chain, increase personalised customer experiences and enhance business practices. Gen Z takes over, bringing new values and markets and social media will continue to drive purchases.

The Fashion Accessories eCommerce market in the UK is predicted to reach US$3,661m revenue by 2025, reflecting an estimated growth rate of 8% compared to 2024.

The UK baby clothes market dropped to $80M in 2024, declining by -6.4% against the previous year. Over the period under review, consumption, however, saw a deep reduction. Baby clothes consumption peaked at $239M in 2012; however, from 2013 to 2024, consumption remained at a lower figure.

The UK apparel market is a hotbed of competition. From mid-market players to value clothing companies, specialist brands to department stores, the UK retail landscape has been anything but unexciting with tectonic changes happening in the past decade. In 2018, the leader in the market was Marks and Spencer with a market share of 7.6 percent. This was a considerably poor performance for M&S, as previously the retailer had a relatively secure position at the top with 9.7 percent share. On the other hand, Primark, whose market share has made the biggest leap over this period of time, is an ambitious and likely contender.

  Winners and losers  

As the present statistic demonstrates, for the time being Primark seems to be a winner while Marks and Spencer has reasons to be cautious. Next is one retailer who was able to keep its position stable, whereas the same cannot be said of Arcadia Group, who owns brands like Topshop, Topman, and Miss Selfridge among others. Indeed, sales numbers for Arcadia slumped significantly over the years and the retailer was recently threatened with store closures as the company had to go into restructuring.

   Good days for specialist retailers   Specialist retailers such as JD Sports and Sports Direct were two brands that increased their market share between 2008 and 2018. Particularly, Sports Direct has recently been a much talked about retailer in UK retail as its CEO Mike Ashley made several moves to buy out ailing high street retailers, including department stores House of Fraser and Debenhams. Most recent data reveals that the revenue of Sports Direct generated from UK and European markets is on a reassuring track.

As per Cognitive Market Research's latest published report, the Global Online Fashion Retail market size was $771.90 Billion in 2022 and it is forecasted to reach $2,755.17 Billion by 2030. Online Fashion Retail Industry's Compound Annual Growth Rate will be 17.37% from 2023 to 2030. Market Dynamics of the Online Fashion Retail Market:

Evolution in online shopping along with the emergence of technologies:

Technological advancement has become the center of life. Most devices such as smartwatches, and mobile phones with multiple accessibilities merge with digital networks. Technologies such as blockchain, and artificial intelligence have pushed online fashion businesses to be more user-friendly which can help customer to fulfill their needs. E-commerce retail platforms which are using several technologies would be able to surge their competitive advantage towards better customer experiences and customizing the products as per their requirements. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming the most popular technology in the online fashion retail industry. AI has the ability to change vast and diverse data into valuable data which helps to exceed cost, speed, and time. Furthermore, Augmented Reality (AR) technology also plays a vital role which provides a real-time view and also magnified computer-generated information.

Restraining Factor:

Lack of close examination and frauds in online shopping:

Many customers want to feel and touch the product in order to identify product quality. Thus, most of the customers prefer to purchase from window shops to touch-feel-try the products which may lead to hinder the market growth to some extent. In addition, the products shown in the pictures are sometimes misleading. The size, colour, and appearance are not images with electronic images. In addition, many people prefer to visit physical stores for examining the product though it consumes time. Further, the online payment mode is not much safe while doing payment transactions. Therefore, retailers and e-marketers are paying attention to finding out a solution to this issue.

However, the emergence of new technologies, good discounts, availability of different brands, time-saving processes, a wide range of products, and safer payment transactions are expected to surge the market growth during the forecast period.

Current Trends on Online Fashion Retail:

Development of new applications in online fashion retail platforms:

Increasing penetration of smartphones and the emergence of new technologies followed by the development of different applications have gained traction in the online fashion retail market. Solutions like Mobile body scanning technology are having a lucrative impact on the online fashion retail market size and shape. In addition, a solution like Mobile Tailor which allows customers to take body measurements remotely and contactless by using just two photos of them enables businesses to expand their reach. Furthermore, YourFit solution also helps shoppers to find out matching online shoppers in order to overcome size issues. Thus, the development of new applications in the fashion world is projected to expand the market growth in the future.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Online Fashion Retail Market:

The outbreak of Covid-19 has significant impact on the global fashion retail market. As governments of several nations announced lockdown and social distancing regulations, the market has faced several damages during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, there are some positive impacts such as the emergence of new technologies i.e. ewallet, 360-degree videos, three-dimensional product view, and trying on clothes with augmented reality has gained traction during a pandemic. The online fashion market has gained traction among young consumers during the outbreak of COVID-19. UK-based eCommerce company BooHoo has reported that during the lockdown their sales has increased by 45% in May 2020.

As the online fashion retail industry is growing, fashion businesses need to adapt to changing circumstances. Due to the high competition in the sector, online fashion businesses have to implement new intelligent solutions which are going to recommend the right product to the right customer in real time. Introduction of Online Fashion Retail:

In the past decade, increasing usage of the internet has given new momentum to the online fashion retail market. Rising demand for designer dress...

The UK clothing market will grow by £3.2bn in the five years to 2021-equating to 23.6% growth on 2016. However volume growth will not reach pre-recession levels until 2019. Retailers will need to overcome unpredictable weather by investing in more transpersonal items. Online growth is slowing so retailers will need to find a balance between instore and online channels to offer a seamless experience. The increase of male interest in personal appearance will demand more choice and newness from the menswear market and retailers can expect to see a boost to the school wear market because of the baby boom of 2010-2013. Read More