Material World: Skinny Jeans are Killing the Fashion Industry

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Every other week, hosts Lindsey Rupp and Jenny Kaplan guide you through the consumer universe, breaking down what's going on with all the things people buy.

Skinny jeans have dominated the denim world for 10 long years and the fashion industry has had enough. In the midst of the back-to-school shopping season, apparel companies are eager for pant styles to change. Wider styles on the bottom would prompt customers to spend more on updating their entire wardrobes, a boost retailers could use.

This week, we talk with Nancy Zhang, chief operating officer of New York boutique chain Otte, who explains why the skinny silhouette has serious staying power. Sid and Ann Mashburn, who own a retail chain, describe how skinny became a style staple, from denim to athletic apparel to menswear. Bloomberg's Matt Townsend bets the time has come for skinnies to meet their end. Is it finally time for a change?

SoundCloud: Skinny Jeans Are Killing the Fashion Industry by Bloomberg

To contact the authors of this story: Lindsey Rupp in New York at lrupp2@bloomberg.net, Jennifer Kaplan in New York at jkaplan84@bloomberg.net.