Spring Racing Trends in Australia - Omnilytics
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www.omnilytics.co SPRING 2019 • WOMENSWEAR Spring Racing Trends in Australia Introduction | Key Apparel Categories | Apparel New-In Styles | Colour Performance Analysis | Overview on Headwear | Headwear New-In Styles | Styles Spotted at Spring Races | Conclusion Written by Nur Atiqah Kamarudin, Senior Business Intelligence Analyst
SPRING 2019
Introduction
The Australian spring racing season is known to be a huge part of
the nation’s culture and tradition and a main event in the fashion
calendar. The races have long acted as a platform for racegoers to
showcase their impeccable style and finery, making it a huge
opportunity for brands to tap into.
Despite Melbourne Cup 2019 hitting a 24-year low in attendance
following the public protests and backlash towards horse racing
industry, the event continues to be a key date for fashion in the
region.
In this report, we reviewed a total of 12 Australian apparel and
accessory brands retailing at David Jones, Myer and The Iconic, to
analyse the key head-to-toe looks offered in the Spring 2019 race
season. More than 3,000 data points were screened from August to
October 2019 on popular clothing items for racewear – Dresses,
Jumpsuits and Suits as well as Headwear.
The apparel brands used in the analysis were Alice McCall, Sass &
Bide, Thurley, Lover, By Johnny., Bec & Bridge and Shona Joy while
Morgan Taylor, Max Alexander, Gregory Ladner, Olga Berg and
Ford Millinery were analysed for their Headwear.
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Instagram @davidjonesstore
SPRING 2019 CHART 1: NEW-IN CONTRIBUTION BY CATEGORY
Key Apparel Categories
Dresses are consistently the most popular choice for the races.
According to the Spring new arrivals (Chart 1), the category
continued to be the key volume driver, accounting for almost half
of the brands’ newness during the period. Feminine midi dresses
contributed to almost half of new-in dresses, followed by mini and
maxi dresses.
Although Jumpsuits and Suits’ contributions were relatively minimal
compared to Dresses, these two categories have proved to be the
next popular options after dresses, just like at Royal Ascot.
Brand Contribution
CHART 2: NEW-IN CATEGORY BREAKDOWN BY BRAND
Overall, some brands had the competitive advantage of
dominating a high contribution in all three categories in newness,
such as Alice McCall and Shona Joy. Brands Dresses Jumpsuits Suits
Alice McCall 16% 46% 30%
However, for the key racewear staple, Dresses, Bec & Bridge held
the biggest contribution during the season with 24%. It offered Sass & Bide 10% 11% 27%
various styles of dresses from satin slip dresses to midi floral
Thurley 7% 3% 4%
dresses.
Lover 8% 9% 1%
Meanwhile, Alice McCall had the biggest offering for Jumpsuits
By Johnny. 19% 0% 2%
and Suits, which mainly came in floral motif.
Bec & Bridge 24% 6% 18%
Shona Joy 16% 25% 18%
Total 100% 100% 100%
3
SPRING 2019
New-In Styles: Dresses & Jumpsuits
Overall, the silhouette for dresses and jumpsuits this year was more
feminine and ladylike. The key styles spotted among the brands in
focus included:
Bold Florals
Although florals are a given for spring, the romantic print
accounted for 20% of the brands’ newness, signifying its continued
popularity. With ‘feminine and floral’ being the official dress code
for one of the major races, Oaks Day, coupled with the versatility of By Johnny. Watercolour Floral Strapless
Bec & Bridge Tilly LS Midi Dress Thurley Persia Midi Dress Dress
this print, it is no doubt that florals will be a popular choice for
AUD 450.00 AUD 649.00 AUD 370.00
Spring Racing.
Lace
Alice McCall, Thurley and Lover were among the advocates of this
trend. Intricate lace contributed at least 10% of the season’s
newness, which was mostly used in a full head-to-toe ensemble.
This style was also popularised by Kate Middleton as she
repeatedly wore a full lace dress at Royal Ascot.
Puffy Sleeves
Puffed-sleeve tops and dresses reigned supreme on the Fall/Winter
2019 and Spring/Summer 2020 catwalks. This voluminous sleeve
trend was also a major offering among the Australian brands this
season, as it was not only on dresses but also on jumpsuits. Alice
McCall, Shona Joy and Bec & Bridge were among the brands
popularising this style.
Alice McCall Wild Flowers Jumpsuit Lover Dandelion Jumpsuit Shona Joy Ellington Jumpsuit
AUD 450.00 AUD 595.00 AUD 340.00
SPRING 2019
New-In Styles: Suits
Some of the major Suit trends included:
Check Print
Although classic solid blazers held a higher contribution in the
overall jacket category, check printed blazers were also common in
this season’s newness as seen at Bec & Bridge and By Johnny. The
print, which was more synonymous in the Fall/Winter season
proved to be as popular in spring.
Shona Joy Ellington Double Breasted
Bec & Bridge Alexa Blazer Suit Jacket Bec & Bridge Harlow Pants
Double-Breasted Blazers
AUD 420 AUD 360.00 AUD 240.00
The ‘80s power suit silhouette appeared in the form of double-
breasted blazers – boxy yet tailored and sleek. Shona Joy was one
of the brands advocating this style best, mostly in tonal looks.
Strong or sculptured shoulders were prevalent too, giving a more
structured look to the whole ensemble.
Wide-Leg Pants
Another fall trend, the wide-leg trouser, which made a huge
comeback on the Fall/Winter 2019 runways also reappeared in this
season’s newness. Accounting for more than 20% of the pants’
newness, this style also extended to the groovy ’70s bell-bottoms,
but in a more polished style.
By Johnny. Check Mate Blazer Lover Francoise Blazer Sass & Bide You Are the One Pant
AUD 390.00 AUD 695.00 AUD 350.00
SPRING 2019 CHART 3: DRESSES & JUMPSUITS COLOUR BREAKDOWN
Colour Performance Analysis Total Assortment New-In Sell-Out
Core Colours 4%
21% 19%
The core colours – black, white, brown and grey - accounted for 22%
nearly 60% of the brands’ total assortment, newness and sell-out 5%
6% 7%
during the period. Black and white alone contributed around 40%
of the new arrivals, giving plenty of options for consumers for 7%
17% 18% 8% 15%
Derby Day, as it is widely known for its strict black and white dress 10%
9%
code. However, black was more popular as it showed signs of 9%
missed opportunity as opposed to white, which showed signs of 10% 13% 10% 12%
16% 10%
overstocking with 3 percentage point variance against sell-out
(Chart 3).
While nude colour was popular following the neutral, tonal trend
from the Spring/Summer 2019 runways, it was not the case for
racewear, as it showed signs of overstocking with 4 percentage
CHART 4: POPULAR SHADES OF BLUE AND PINK
point variance against sell-out.
Fashion Colours Alice McCall Bec & Bridge By Johnny. Alice McCall
Pink and blue were the top two prominent fashion colours, as they
were the only fashion colours appearing in the top 5. Based on
Chart 4, pastel colours reigned supreme for blue, following Kate
Middleton’s periwinkle blue number by Elie Saab at Royal Ascot
2019. Meanwhile, the shades of pink were more playful, as both
bright and pastel hues were equally well received. Bright pink
shades were popular especially at Melbourne Cup and Stakes Day.
Interestingly, red showed signs of missed opportunity with 4
percentage point variance against sell-out.
SPRING 2019 CHART 5: NEW-IN CONTRIBUTION BY CATEGORY
Overview on Headwear New-In Contribution
8%
Although headwear is not compulsory in Australian spring races, it Headbands
is still an integral part of the race day outfit, completing the look. 20% 37%
Fascinators
Headbands and fascinators took up a major contribution in the
new-in styles, accounting for more than 70% of this season’s Hats
newness.
Hair Clips
35%
With the growing popularity of hair accessories recently, Hair Clips
were also an alternative form of headwear, albeit having a
relatively small contribution. Pearls, resin and tortoiseshell hair
clips, which were popular in the ‘90s, commanded most of the hair
CHART 6: NEW-IN CATEGORY CONTRIBUTION BY BRANDS
clips styling this season.
Brand Contribution Brands Headbands Fascinators Hats
Overall, Morgan Taylor and Gregory Ladner were the biggest
contributors to the headwear newness. Morgan Taylor led in the Morgan Taylor 25% 35% 43%
Headbands and Fascinators department, while Gregory Ladner
dominated Hats marginally. Max Alexander 20% 30% 7%
Gregory Ladner 22% 14% 44%
Olga Berg 22% 12% 1%
Ford Millinery 11% 9% 5%
Total 100% 100% 100%
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SPRING 2019
New-In Styles: Headwear
With no stringent guidelines or rules for headpieces for the
Australian spring racing season, the key trends surrounding
newness in alternative forms of headwear were more robust and
saw a lot of varieties. These included:
OTT Headbands
As seen at Prada, the padded ‘80s headband is now back on trend,
giving inspiration for over-the-top headbands as a key headwear
trend for the races. The ‘crown’ look was prevalent, mostly in the
Ford Millinery Akira Headpiece Gregory Ladner Shallow Hood Boater Morgan Taylor Velvet Bow Clip
form of flower garlands. Other elaborate headband styles included
AUD 289.95 AUD 79.95 AUD 49.95
the colourful halo crown, wide and high padded headbands, as well
as the large turban style headband, which also came in floral print.
Boater
Straw in millinery continued to be popular, especially for wide brim
hats. This season, the boater style with wide ribbons took the centre
stage. This style offering was mostly seen at Morgan Taylor and
Gregory Ladner in neutral colours but loud fashion colours such as
pink, red and orange were popular too.
Bow Elements
Big bows were a major element in headwear this season as they
appeared not only in the form of satin hair clips but also across
headbands, fascinators, and hats.
Max Alexander Black Satin-Covered
Olga Berg Luciana Raffia Fringe Halo Ford Millinery Spangle Star Boater Pillbox with Large Bow
AUD 69.95 AUD 499.95 AUD 129.00
SPRING 2019
Styles Spotted at Spring Races
The spring races, which officially kicked off in October with the
Caulfield Cup and The Everest, saw similar trending styles among
the Australian influencers and racegoers. The two races, which fell
on the same day, saw dresses, sleek pantsuits and jumpsuits to be
among the popular choices despite having different themes and
dress codes.
As predicted by stylists, tonal tailored suits proved to be popular,
especially at the Caulfield Cup. Floral prints were especially huge,
appearing in dresses in feminine silhouettes with puffy sleeves and
ruffles during the event. This style was also prominent at The @victorialee @katewaterhouse7 @ amypejkovic
Everest, complete with statement headbands. Pink, blue and yellow
were among the popular colour choices aside from the usual core
colours.
As for Derby Day, ultra-feminine and sophisticated looks were
apparent, where attendees adhered to the black and white dress
code, donning full lace dresses as well as tailored skirt suits and
jumpsuits. Classic wide-brimmed hats were mostly chosen to
complete the look.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Cup, which also known as ‘the race that
stops the nation’, saw more bold, progressive styles yet still
remained feminine. As expected, the biggest event in the Spring
Racing Carnival was more colourful, as racegoers mostly came in
bright fuchsia, canary yellow and scarlet red. Softer hues such as
baby blue and blush pink were popular too.
@brookehogan1 @michellebattersby @nadiabartel
SPRING 2019
Conclusion
Main Findings Next Steps for Brands
Floral Print to Stay: Although floral prints tend to evolve Balancing the Art and Science of Fashion: The trends from
season after season – from garish, retro florals in 2018 to the runway, and street styles from Instagram, have proven
bold florals in 2019, the print remains a success and to be good indicators of what would be trending for the
continues to have its pull. The brands’ constant injection of races. Furthermore, there is opportunity for local
newness in this print coupled with the high adoption Australian brands thanks to the 6-month seasonal gap
amongst racegoers further prove that the print is a must- Australian labels have compared to the Northern
have for the racing season. Hemisphere brands.
The recent trend on feminine silhouettes such as puffy The success seen with the recent trending silhouette, puffy
sleeves, midi length dresses and romantic ruffles, as well as sleeves, which was huge not only on social media but also
girlish hair accessories also helped amplify its popularity, across fast fashion retailers, was reflected similarly in
making this combination a key style that will influence the Australia. Trending fashion colours from the runways that
wedding season. Also, as the races in the United Kingdom have proven to be successful will also help brands
are more stringent with the dress codes, the feminine understand how colours and trends perform over time.
silhouette seen in the newness will continue to shape the
racewear trends in 2020, but in a more conservative style. Make Informed Decision-Making: Relying solely on runway
trends would be risky when it comes to commercial
Importance of Fashion Colours: While the monochromatic interpretation. With data-backed trend analytics, brands
black and white will always remain as the main core colours would have a higher rate of success and efficiency, as well
in apparel, fashion colours showed of bigger importance to as a guided direction, provided that monitoring and
get right during the spring races. For instance, the lack of tracking is done diligently.
red offerings as depicted in Chart 3 proved to be a huge
missed opportunity for the brands. Furthermore, Royal As spring racing is a key event on the yearly calendar,
Ascot that took place during mid year has definitely brands should monitor recurring success from their
influenced the popularity of certain colours such as icy blue, bestsellers and update them for new collections with
pink and red, which would point towards consumers’ trending prints, silhouettes and colours of the season to
Instagram @alicemccallptyltd
demand. drive commercialism.Definition of Key Metrics
Metric Description
The total count of stock keeping unit (SKU) i.e. the number of styles that a brand offers. In the report context, it is the total product count within a
Assortment SKUs Count
data set.
New-In The products that are newly added to the retail website within the timeframe selected.
The number of new products launched by a brand within the timeframe selected. It is calculated by dividing the new-in count over the total product
New-In Rate
count within a data set.
New-In Contribution % Calculated by dividing the number of new-in product count over the total new-in count within a data set.
Sell-Out A product registers a sell-out event when it is indicated as out-of-stock or no longer published on the website.
Sell-Out Contribution % Calculated by dividing the number of sell-out product count over the total sell-out count within a data set.
Percentage Point Variance (New-In vs. Calculated by subtracting the new-in contribution with sell-out contribution on unit percentage difference. Metric is used to indicate sign of potential
Sell-Out) missed opportunities and overstocking.www.omnilytics.co
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