rage the consumer to let bathing suits rest between usages, allowing them to regain their proper shape, have increased the number of suits bought per season. Buyers often purchase several suits in order to alternate between them, hoping that they will last longer as a result. However due to the variety mentioned above, Lepine claims that with the assortment and the new trend towards separates, consumers often buy another top or bottom to go with their previous purchases, in order to update their swimsuit wardrobe. Different companies are producing very focused swimwear developed for a specific segment or use. He says that, depending on the use intended by the consumer, they will have different selection criteria. Those searching for recreational suits place a high importance on style, colour and fabric texture. More importantly, they expect the suit to enhance their desired features and camouflage their flaws. On the other hand, an athlete will select something that is geared towards performance, placing the actual look of the swimsuit fairly low on their priority list. He also said that performance suits would gain increasing importance as a tool for competition. Their capability to shave a few seconds off the race time will become more important as the suits and accessories become more advanced. When we mentioned the Barker article to Lepine, he agreed with the predictions of future swimmers depending more on high-tech equipment. Since races are often won by such small time increments, races will increasingly be won based on small advantages that can be gained from their equipment rather than their abilities. His final comment was that although the industry trend is leaning towards higher R&D expenses, one new innovation in performance swimwear can lead to a small company gaining an important share of the performance market. Independent Local Market StudyLast semester, Andree-Anne conducted research on swimsuits for a ...
