14 DAY TRIAL // Until a few years ago, it was almost unconceivable for a 40something woman to go out and buy lingerie that a 20-year-old would also wear. What with 40 becoming the new pink, as the saying goes, and women being more financially strong at that age, as compared with the other age group, sales for luxury lingerie are seeing an incredible surge – and it is expected to continue well into the year, the Daily Mail says.
It’s called the “Cougar” effect and it presumably also has something to do with many productions, both on TV and the big screen, pushing a different stereotype of the desirable woman: she is no longer in her 20s, but, on the contrary, well into her 40s, is in incredible shape, very confident, financially independent and, of course, not afraid to take life all by herself. This projection translates in real life into more and more women of the same age forgetting about “mom bras” and undergarments that do not flatter them, and choosing instead luxury items that make the most of their assets.
“Well-to-do women in their forties and older tend to have more spending power than those in their twenties – making them an attractive prospect for luxury underwear brands. Debenhams said its highest lingerie sales among women in their 40s and 50s are in London. Older women in Edinburgh, Brighton and Liverpool are also spending more on underwear. The store’s head lingerie buyer, Annette Warburton, said the booming sales showed women in their forties no longer thought getting married and having children should necessarily mean neglecting their love life,” the Mail writes.
“Women in their forties are being touted as the new twenties, and lingerie designers are stepping up to the mark to feed this demand. We definitely expect the market to continue to grow in the future,” Warburton says. Frances Russell of Marks & Spencer also admits that ranges aimed at 40+-year-old women are doing incredibly well. “We launched the Portfolio lingerie brand this season because there was a clear demand for flattering underwear for the 45 plus market. The range has proved to be a clear favorite with this kind of customer,” Russell explains.
On the other hand, this “cougar” effect is not entirely new, as luxury lingerie brands were speaking of a boost in sales as early as recession hit, which proved to be another paradox in consumer patterns. Instead of cutting expenses, many women reacted to recession by investing more in pricey underwear.