30 something? Now you can dress your age

Retailers pursue women weary of the high street's juvenile fashion ranges. Rachel Shields reports

Women who have notched up a few years but who still have an eye for fashion are to get three new ranges of clothes aimed specifically at the thirtysomethings. Wednesday will see the launch of GIVe, the latest venture from George Davies, the retail giant behind Next, M&S's Per Una range and George at Asda. In October, the popular US chain Anthropologie opens its first UK store here, and the label Mint Velvet is launching in 13 House of Fraser stores, with 10 boutiques to follow in the next six months.

While the arrival of new retailers to the high street will be welcomed by many fashion-hungry shoppers, some object to the idea that a woman's age should determine what she wears and where she shops.

"Plenty of women and men shop above and below their age," said Laura Weir, senior reporter at fashion magazine Drapers. "Of course being age-appropriate comes into play, but broadly it is a personal sense of style rather than the restriction of age that should influence the choice of clothing."

With thirtysomething celebrities such as Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow leading the way in the style stakes, and mother-daughter shopping trips to Topshop a common sight, retailers are desperate to cash in on the over-thirties.

"I've never designed for teenagers. I design for a discerning woman, who can appreciate great fabrics and likes being fashionable," said Davies. "I've observed the way the retail scene has developed, and if you look at the last 12 months, it has become very low price driven with a distinct lack of service, support and style advice.

"Lots of women had said to me that they don't enjoy shopping any more, and I'd like to bring that joy back." He is keen to distinguish his new venture from cheaper shops on the high street, such as Topshop and H&M, and is trying to give stores a "boutique" feel. Each store will have an in-house tailor who will do minor alterations free. To emphasise the difference between GIVe and its high-street neighbours, only a couple samples of each garment will be on the shop floor, with the rest concealed in hidden wardrobes behind the walls of the store. Shoe blocks representing different sized heels will also be provided, sparing women the charade of standing on tiptoes in the changing rooms.

Some of the tactics which Davies is employing to entice mature women into the shop are less logical, most notably replacing the traditional sizing of 8 to 18 with roman numerals, supposedly to spare bigger women the indignity of having to hand a coat bearing an obvious size 18 label to a waiter in a restaurant.

While GIVe will be concentrating on tailored pieces for women over 30, new label Mint Velvet – which is backed by the chairman of Clarks, Peter Davies – is keen to corner the market for stylish casualwear.

"We are aimed at 30 plus," said Chloe Martin, a spokeswoman for Mint Velvet. "The brand came from three women who were all working mums and who felt that there was nothing on the market for them to wear that allowed them to feel a bit dressed up when picking up the kids on the school run. They didn't want work clothes, or evening wear, but something in between."

Targeting trendier thirtysomethings is the US store Anthropolgie, the grown-up sister shop of the popular chain Urban Outfitters, which opens its first European store in London in October.

"The over-thirties market is broad but often criticised as being poorly served by those who operate in it," said Laura Weir. "There is always a gap in the market, but the success of a new launch depends on what you fill that gap with."