B&B Leisurewear's (BBL) collection has been extended this year with eight new items for men. The new garments are enhanced, original and fashionable, says BBL, and have been designed by professional designers.

Over the past couple of years there has been move in menswear towards more sport inspired designs with functional fabric treatments which can be worn for all occasions, says Bella. Consumers are now looking for easy care products with great durability for their busy lifestyle, it says.

The Blue Max Stag Group, a major supplier of garments to the schoolwear, leisurewear and corporate sectors, offers a wide range of menswear garments - all representing excellent quality, combined with value for money, it says. The designs are deliberately classic in order that they stand the test of time and the fabrics have been carefully selected and tested to be hardwearing and built to withstand the rigorous demands of the working environment.  

The BTC activewear portfolio of menswear has grown considerably again for 2008 across all areas but with biggest growth coming from workwear and uniforms, with particular emphasis on heavier weight materials and easy-care.

Epona has concentrated its menswear range into two main products - the M001 classic cut t-shirt and the M003 hoodie. These products are both influenced by current trends and the hoodie has been updated to a more fitted cut, says Epona.

Menswear within the teamwear sector is all about comfort, performance and the look, says teamwear specialist Finden+Hales. "In a team situation it's important to create garments that suit a variety of shapes, sizes and ages: what works on a size XS has to work on a size 2XL as well," it states.

Men are fickle creatures but invariably their tastes never change, says Henbury. "The majority of men will still be wearing the same polo shirt, jumper and pair of chinos in 10 years time, but thank goodness the corporate and business wear market has changed in the last 10 years," it says. "Men are now offered a varied array of styles, colours, fits and fabric finishes to choose from. The Classic cotton polo shirts are still there, but they now come in a huge variety of colours and fancy and fashionable styles."

Front Row combines practical styles with new fabrics, vintage fits and vibrant colours. A specialist in the relaxed casual rugby look, Front Row offers a number of rugby shirts including the industry's first and its very latest brushed back cotton alternatives.

Jill Granger, director of distributor I.S. Enterprises, highlights the key menswear styles for 2008: "I.S. Enterprises offers a full range of menswear garments, including polo shirts, t-shirts, shirts, jackets, trousers and caps. The latest styles in the I.S.Enterprises collection include softshells from Result, the sporty R120 Soft Shell Activity Jacket and the new R118 Ice Fell Hooded Soft Shell - the company's first hooded soft shell, both aimed at outdoor activities such as cycling and skiing."

James & Nicholson's menswear collection offers everything from casual leisure time clothes to practical sports wear and business outfits, with new products and bright new colours for fashion-conscious men.

Taking its inspiration from the retail markets Jerzees Colours presents four distinct menswear collections: Original, Favourites, Vintage and Softshell, each one representing a retail trend.

Menswear, like women's clothing is influenced by the trends we see on the catwalk and in street fashion, says Mantis. "Both are equally influenced by the music and film scenes and to some extent by what we see worn by celebrities," says md Prama Bhardwaj. "Menswear arguably, is also more heavily influenced by sportwear. All this and many other factors are taken into consideration when we introduce new styles into the Mantis collection."

Multi-brand distributor PenCarrie is delighted at how well the many new menswear styles listed for 2008 have been selling. Andrea Charteris, customer services manager for the company, says: "New styles from top brands are often instant winners; we've seen it this year as in years past. 

The demand for menswear continues to grow with customers seeking garments which are stylish and also have performance properties, comfort and fit, says Prestige Leisure.

New trends in menswear this year tend be focusing on the feel and functionality of fabrics, says Ralawise, with a variety of new technologies in fabrics making them extra comfortable.

Regatta believes that its consumers are still looking for great value but when it comes to menswear purchases the performance and technical features of the product is key.  Hi-tech sporty styling is dictating the direction for new styles, it says, adding that an assurance of this trend continuing is proven by the rise of luxury designers adopting the look for their winter catwalk lines.

The Result Clothing Company's comprehensive range of jackets offers functional and technically advanced products that provide a real performance benefit, says the company.

RTY Engineered Clothing says it has gone from strength to strength in the past twelve months with its workwear, enhanced visibility and high visibility sectors, which are targeted essentially at the Menswear market.

Skinnifitmen says it is the only brand in the marketplace today that is designed specifically for men - and only men. "There aren't any women's products in the Skinnifitmen range, nor any superfluous extra-small sizes introduced to cater for the "female contingent". This is a men's brand and that's the way it's going to stay," it says.

The contest is over and the battle is won but how did you and your team perform? More importantly, how did your clothing perform? With the emphasis very much on teamwear at the moment, Tombo is dedicated to producing menswear pieces that have crossover appeal for different sports while using technical fabrics to help athletes perform better. Tombo's newest pieces reflect the growing trend in both fitness and fashion, combining the latest moisture wicking performance fabrics with strong teamwear colours.

Leading headwear brand Beechfield reports that pink is shaping up to be this summer’s hot colour choice… for men!

“Sales figures suggest that pink is no longer a women-only colour,” confirms Beecfield’s Roger McHugh. He suggests that garment decorators could reap dividends by including a pink cap in sales presentations to fashion-conscious clients this season.

According to Mary Fawcus, business development director at Blue Max Stag, “garment decorators are looking for products that combine high performance at value for money prices”.

Men typically get by with a short list of clothing basics and, with the coming of warmer months; the must-haves boil down to a few classic essentials. These fundamentals should be comfortable, durable and easy on the wallet.

Two new slim fit shirts are the headline styles in Fruit of the Loom’s summer 2007 menswear collection.

The Slim Fit Polo and Slim Fit T are designed specifically for men and are heavily inspired by current trends in retail, with both styles featuring subtly shaped side seams for a closer, more athletic cut.

This summer the Continental Clothing Company recommends two key menswear styles from its Tshirt range. Both are new products that became available from stock this May.

The Men’s Burnout Jersey T-shirt, in 50/50 Cotton/Polyester Jersey 160g, is described as the ‘New Fasion T-shirt’.

Men are fickle creatures but invariably their tastes never change, says Henbury. “The majority of men will still be wearing the same polo shirt, jumper and pair of chinos in 10 years time, but thank goodness the corporate and business wear market has changed in the last 10 years,” it says.

“At Front Row, we don’t want to dictate style: we want to respond to it.” In order to achieve this and stay ahead of the game, the company closely monitors existing sales, ensures that styles and colourways are constantly assessed and keeps a close eye on competitors. “Above all, Front Row responds to market demand. This includes gathering, but more importantly, taking on board customer feedback,” says managing director Clive Hurley.

Mantis World claims to have recognised early on the differences between men’s and women’s wear, and the Mantis range has been crafted to bring a range of garments dedicated to meet the needs of each sex.

Vintage-look menswear is everywhere on the high street and PenCarrie reports strong demand for the new colour-faded pigment dyed and enzyme washed styles now available to garment decorators.

Current trends in the menswear market provide an excellent opportunity for the Regatta promotional and corporatewear brand, which says it has the expertise and experience to offer the menswear market something different.

In the printwear and promotion market menswear is driven by performance, with workwear being the most popular area in the market, says Prestige.

Ralawise has commented in the past on the great scope for sales in the menswear market, solely down to the fact that the modern man takes far more of an interest in his appearance than in days gone by. Male grooming and appearance is no longer something men shy away from. Quite the opposite in fact, says Ralawise, with more male orientated products on high street store shelves than ever before.

There was a time in the not too distant past when, in general, men and fashion just didn’t appear to go together, says Russell Europe. Men were not interested in shopping, even in men only stores, and tended to choose their clothes on the basis of functionality rather than style.

You don’t have to be skinny, nor indeed do you necessarily have to be fit to wear Skinnifitmen. Wearing the clothes won’t work wonders with your pecs, nor will it transform a couch potato into an Olympic athlete. What Skinnifitmen does offer, however, is “a range of carefully thought out menswear that fits well, looks good and reflects what’s happening within the retail sector”.

The menswear available from distributors is now so much broader than T-shirts, sweats and polos, says UK Leisurewear.

Within Jerzees Colours’ range of popular promotional garments is a brand new sub collection – Vintage. Vintage encompasses smart cotton T’s and polos that have been pigment dyed to impart a depth of colour and then enzyme washed to give the Vintage look and feel to the fabric. The polos and T’s are complemented by a zip through sweat in fashionable French Terry, offering an up to the minute street look.