1 in 4 young men buy ‘man-bags’

THEY were once the preserve of fashionforward gents who didn’t mind some gentle ribbing from their pals.

But the ‘man-bag’ is soaring in popularity – with one in four young men buying one last year. The 24 per cent of those aged 16 to 34 who made the investment was up from 16 per cent in 2016.

Celebrities such as Ryan Gosling and Cristiano Ronaldo have been credited with boosting the man-bag’s profile. According to figures from consumer analysts Mintel, older men are embracing the trend, too. Overall, one in seven – or 15 per cent – of British men bought a man-bag in 2017.

Nonetheless, chaps still have some catching up to do. Just over half of British women treated themselves to a handbag last year. The market now accounts for one in two accessory sales, reaching £1.45billion last year – up from £1.37billion in 2016.

The study of 2,000 people also revealed that four in ten shoppers would happily pay more for items made in Britain.