The Don Draper Effect on Men’s Fashion

Because when Don Draper does it, you know it is right. Though the popular period drama, Mad Men has ended, the style of the protagonist and antagonist of the show, Don Draper seems to have stayed forever. Never have people witnessed a style sense for men so popular that instead of a trend, it becomes a testament. Don Draper has been an inspiration for all the men around the world and it has made them focus more on the suit and less on those sweatshirts. He has taught all the men to make an effort and dress to impress and create an impact. And because of this, the fashion industry has found a great opportunity to cash in on.

The reason behind the boom

Senior Vice-President of Kantar Retail, Mary Bret Whitefield agreed with the present trend and was quoted saying “Gen Y and Millennial men are more interested in fashion, grooming and things that are a key part of the fashion and apparel retailing sector. This is why you see a lot of retailers who historically have been primarily focused on women extending their brands to be more appealing to men”. Present fashion industry is a witness to the fact that men have never been more fashion conscious. Styling and grooming has surpassed the boundaries of gender and men are equally aware and focused. Men now pay more attention to what they wear, how it looks on them and how they carry it. The attempt is to be as close to the Don Draper aura as possible.

The companies are making things equally easier for them. This was seen at the last month’s “Men at Work” summit held by Cowen & Company. At the summit, fresh views, opinions and options were presented for men. Companies like Lululemon Athletica, Fifth Avenue and Sotheby’s were joined by several privately held entities. The all had fresh insights and plans for their latest target demographic – Men.

Don Draper effect showing results

Managing Director of the Cowen & Company went to the extent of declaring that men are the new women. What he meant was that men have started to care again, about the way they dress and the way they look. It was estimated that the men’s apparel market has a whopping share of $63 billion and is still growing. Don Draper had a strong impact as a character and all the credit goes to the handsome John Hamm, the man who gave Don Draper a life. The makers made sure that the strength of the character was spelt in his dapper style and dressing sense. The suit complimented the way whisky was held and dialogues were said. Don Draper did not just remain a fictional character, rather he became a phenomenon.

Men and Dressing: The New Bonding

Chen further explained, as classic cocktail and craft beers make a comeback, there is a certain return to basics as well. Men have started preferring to dress for the position they want and the position they hold. Dressing well has become more of a necessity rather than an obligation. Lululemon Athletica aims to cash in on the trend as much as possible. They recently opened a men’s only store in SoHo, New York. Men’s category is expected to grow in future and reach newer and better benchmarks. And a lot of it can be acknowledged to Don Draper.