A MARKET trader has relocated to Brentwood to capitalise on the hottest new fashion garment in town – the onesie.
Nicky Bedworth has been selling clothes in markets in Romford, Barking and Rayleigh for the past ten years but says he has never experienced anything like the craze for the all-in-one outfit made popular by ITV2's The Only Way Is Essex.
Cast member and Brentwood resident Joey Essex became the first TOWIE star to don the garment, which resembles an oversized babygro, last year.
Mr Bedworth decided to set up his stall at Brentwood's High Street market three weeks ago after a friend who runs a bed linen stall assured him it would be good for business.
In a day, he now sells on average 20 onesies, to both men and women, in an area he says "has been put on the map by TOWIE".
Mr Bedworth, 37, from Romford, said: "It is crazy how many people walk past us in a day.
"This is a small market, but because it's in Brentwood it has suddenly become huge.
"I would say it is busier here than Romford Market, which is much bigger, but doesn't have the same footfall as it used to.
"TOWIE has seriously done it – it has made the onesie huge.
"I decided to stock up on onesies at Christmas as I thought there would be a lot of people buying them for presents.
"It is mainly young boys up to the age of 25 and older women in their 30s and 40s who buy onesies."
He continued: "The market trade is like swings and roundabouts.
"Now it is quite quiet – it is called the kipper season in the trade – but we are not doing that badly at the moment thankfully because of the onesies.
"Personally I don't have a onesie, but I am too old to go around wearing one really."
Mr Bedworth said the most popular pieces are the Geek, pink Aztec and heart onesies.
At £15 a piece, they attracted the attention of shopper Tom Harding, 17, from Pitsea.
Tom, a student at Prospects College in Basildon, said: "I do wear them, they're comfortable and warm – why wouldn't you want to wear one?
"I wear it round the house but I have also worn it to Tesco and generally to the shops – my one is plain black with white cuffs.
"It's not just me, all my mates are wearing them, and the other day a saw a big group of girls walking through Brentwood all wearing the same onesie. Who would have thought a huge babygro would've caught on?
"Although it's the fashion now, I don't think it'll last, I'd give it a year."
