潮流走向分析（从鞋头到）

近年来，随着女性经济能力的不断提升，“她经济”成为了商业杂志中的流行语，各大商业品牌也都热切地追逐着不断扩大的女性中产阶层。

相比之下，男性的消费习惯与消费能力较少被提及。

然而，有越来越多的证据显示，消费市场中的“他力量”正在迅速崛起。

苏宁金融研究院消费金融研究中心今年发布了《男性群体消费趋势研究报告》，指出“他经济”被市场严重低估了。

报告的作者付一夫表示，男性群体的消费意识正在觉醒，其消费升级的步伐也在提速，“他经济”市场前景将不可限量。同时，他总结了当下男性消费者的三个消费特征——消费领域不断扩张、消费品味持续提升、热衷于线上购物。

Men aren't typically known for their shopping prowess. As the "She economy" became a buzz phrase in business magazines, the ever-expanding Chinese female middle-class has been eagerly pursued by consumer brands from cosmetics to electronics.

For some entrepreneurs that means there's a huge missed opportunity in the male market, especially given the fast-rising living standards across the most populous country on Earth and a male population that's increasingly yearning for a better quality of life.

Those instincts appear to be largely on point, according to the latest study on male consumption trends conducted by Suning Institute of Finance. The author of the report, the institute's Senior Researcher Fu Yifu, concluded the male-oriented market in China has great potential after observing three specific shopping habits of Chinese men in recent years: widened category, improved awareness and increased online consumption.

“鞋头”文化

Sneakerhead意为“满脑子都是球鞋的人”，简称为“鞋头”。

鞋头文化起源于国外，如今在中国年轻人当中也颇为流行，不少年轻的男性消费者喜欢通过球鞋来表达自己的个性以及对时尚的追求。更重要的是，他们愿意为了球鞋“花重金”。

22岁的“鞋鬼”是一个典型的鞋头，他表示自己每次买完鞋后就会觉得特别充实。在他看来，“人与鞋之间的连接，任何事物都无法替代。”

“鞋鬼”的房间里有两面“鞋墙”，收藏了100多双限量版球鞋。他的朋友总是开玩笑说，这些鞋都能买一套房了。

作为鞋头圈的网红，“鞋鬼”在圈内颇具影响力，他对球鞋的评价影响着成千上万的圈内消费者。

These trends are particularly noticeable in the country's tech-adapted Millennial and Gen-Z populations, who have fervently embraced niche corners of consumerism in other parts of the world through the internet, such as the sneakerhead subculture, as a way to express their individuality. More importantly, many are willing to spend a fortune on it.

"I feel fulfilled after purchasing a pair of sneakers," said Xiegui, a 22-year-old sneakerhead who lives in Beijing.

The self-styled "shoe addict" said he really picked up the sneaker-collecting habit while studying in the U.S. where he often felt lonely. Since then, he has built two wall-sized shelves to house some 100 limited edition sneakers – a premium collection worth enough to buy a house, as his friends often joke.

“男人妆”

追求美绝不是女性的特权。眼下，“男人妆”正悄然兴起。

越来越多的男性比以往更加注重面部的修饰，他们希望拥有“精致的面容”，想要提亮肤色，使双眼变得更加有神。

JACB是成立于上海的一个初创品牌，它不仅有男性护肤品，还有为“男人妆”打造的BB霜。

受日韩流行音乐文化的影响，“男人妆”在东亚地区有一定的接受度。然而，想要让更多潜在的男性消费者接受化妆还是有难度的。JACB的创始人表示，“至少要让他们知道化妆并不等同于娘娘腔。”

天猫发布的《2019年颜值经济报告》显示，我国男性彩妆消费同比增长89%，其中口红的消费增速达到278%，越来越多的男士开始使用口红、眉笔、防晒等化妆品。

据美国联合市场研究公司预测，2022年全球男性个护市场价值将达到1660亿美元。

付一夫认为，对事业的追求也促使男性愈发注意外在形象、服装搭配与个人品味的提升，“他们渐渐开始通过购买护肤品、高档西装、时尚手表与豪车等方式来展示自己的能力。”

"Nowadays, men (Chinese) are definitely looking to lead more refined lives, they are especially scared of getting old," said Zhou Yihan, a 30-year-old graphic designer working in Beijing.

That desire for "refined lives" has been channeled more avidly, and perhaps vainly, through the pursuance of a more polished look – lighter skin, longer eyelashes and bigger eyes. These features are widely considered to be desirable traits for modern Chinese men.

JACB, which stands for "just a cool brand," is one of the Chinese start-ups looking to capitalize on men's increasing desire for a finer appearance. While most male cosmetic products today still focus on fixing skin problems such as acne, JACB is trailblazing into the "men makeup" category with products such as BB cream for men.

While the idea of "makeup for men" is less frowned upon in East Asian cultures, thanks to the rise of "K-pop" and "J-pop," the company still faces considerable challenges in convincing its potential customers about the products' masculinity, "at least not sissy," according to its founder Belinda Chen.

To achieve this, the Shanghai-based start-up wants to target men in their 20s and early 30s, as they are more accepting of the new trends. In 2018, sales of BB cream jumped 160 percent in men between the age of 18-35, according to data compiled by Taobao.

By 2022, the global market for male personal care could reach $166 billion, according to Allied Market Research.

"The individual's awakening in consumption helped drive the men-oriented market to new heights that we are seeing today," Fu said in an interview with the Chinese Business Herald. "They have learned to buy skincare products, expensive suits, watches and luxury cars as a way to show their personal abilities."