Emma Angel, director of Angels Fancy Dress and Angels Distribution, shares her thoughts on the hen and stag party market in 2019.
How important is the hen and stag market to the party industry?
“Hen and stag parties are becoming more and more popular every year and more extravagant as friends and family really want to make the lead up to the wedding as special as possible. With the era of Instagram, Pinterest and all other social media on the rise, novelty costumes and group costumes are becoming increasingly popular for stag and hen parties.”
What’s new in the hen and stag market for 2019?
“Novelty costumes remain consistently popular for stag and hen parties; the funkier, the better. Costumes from Rasta Imposta are the general go-to’s for novelty costumes, pieces such as ‘Genie In The Lamp’, ‘Anita Waxin’ and ‘Flip Flop’ are easy to wear and always a good laugh.”
Which themes / styles / licences are key at the moment?
“Costumes which are an ode to a pop culture reference tend to be crowd pleasers, Rasta Imposta’s ‘Vegas Aftermath’ is always a winner for a classic stag do costume! For the guys who are willing to bare a little more flesh on their night out, ‘Cinderfella’, ‘Sleeping Boozy’ and ‘Bro White’ are a great spin on Disney classics and are absolute stag do staples.”
What is your hero product or range for this sector for 2019?
“The bolder the better appears to be the philosophy for stag and hen parties and so ‘Flip Flop’ from Rasta Imposta has been consistently popular. Along with ‘Tequila Worm’, the quirky and fun nature of these costumes means they are a perfect fit for stag and hen parties. The classic ‘LW Beer Bottle’ has also been a regular hero product in this range.”
Any advice for retailers looking to update their hen and stag offering?
“Always display products around the store, making them easily accessible. Customers don’t always know exactly what they’re looking for so keeping costumes visible means they can see options easily. Group costumes are all the rage currently and so keeping options for teaming costumes is always a good idea and will be a big draw for customers.”
