Stores from American Eagle to Kohl's are all bragging about being 'cozy' - and it represents a major shift in fashion
The word "hygge" doesn't have a direct English translation, but it can best be described as a sort of coziness. And American Eagle Outfitters was all about coziness when we visited a Midtown Manhattan store.
It seemed everything in the store was geared towards comfort.
“While consumers will look to get dressed up for holiday festivities, comfort is the key word. Brands that are incorporating fashion along with athletic and comfort elements will win,” Beth Goldstein, executive director and industry analyst at NPD Group, told Footwear News last month.
Source: Footwear News
Goldstein explained that winter boots with fluffy detailing might benefit from the hygge movement as well. Old Navy had an entire wall of fuzzy moccasins and slippers when we visited.
Source: Footwear News
The Aerie store attached to American Eagle was very similar — everything was soft and cozy. Hygge is more about a cozy and content feeling than a particular look, but one style we found everywhere was Sherpa.
"One word we will hear about is 'Sherpa.' This fabric typically made from polyester, acrylic, or cotton resembles lamb wool or fleece and is named after the Sherpa people of Nepal and Tibet," Rugolo wrote in the NPD blog post.
The store also carried velvet scrunchies, cozy knit hats, and dozens of fleece sweatshirts. Everything was oversized and very soft.
The men's section of the store was similar. There was an entire wall of fleece-lined gloves, hats, and even fanny packs. The text on the display read "You've been warmed. Everything you need to stay warm, get cozy, and make every look your own."
Kohl's chief merchandising officer Doug Howe said in October that “cozy knits” was one of the most searched-for terms on its website last year.
Source: Associated Press
And when we visited a Kohl's store in November, it was certainly reflective of that trend. There were cozy sweaters and sweatshirts everywhere.
Abercrombie was the same, with oversize sweaters ...
... and no shortage of fur-lined coats, knit sweaters, and cozy flannels.
It was apparent at Gap as well.
There were "Give Cozy, Get Cozy" signs all over the store.
Knit sweaters were everywhere, and everything was in neutral or muted colors.
And in Gap's sister store, Old Navy, it was hard to find anything that wasn't plush and warm.
Rugolo also mentioned in her note that pajamas are one of the first things that come to mind when it comes to being cozy. "The growing sleepwear category is front and center this time of the year as nearly half of the category’s dollars are generated during the fourth quarter," she wrote.
Nearly every store we visited reflected this, with cozy pajamas and fuzzy slippers being highlighted.
And the trend of Sherpa coats, fuzzy sweatshirts, and knit sweaters doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
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