by MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
Their predecessors – the Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials—have garnered the headlines in recent years.
But the members of Generation Z are beginning to flex their economic and social muscles as they move through their teens into their 20s.
And as they mature, fashion retail industry trend tracers say the influence of Gen-Z –those born between 1997 and 2012– may dwarf their older siblings, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
A report commissioned by trade publication The Business of Fashion, “Gen-Z Shopping: Separating Myth from Reality,” says Gen Z currently accounts for 40% of global consumers and $150 billion in spending power in the United States.
The BOF report said “Gen-Z spending could make up 40 percent of the global market for personal luxury goods (in particular) by 2035.”
Other than their birth years and spending habits, how do experts define Gen Z?
Trend-forecasting agency WGSN said in its 2019 report “Gen Z Equation,” “the demographic as a whole is defined by the common circumstances of their upbringing. They are a generation defined by technology, cultural aggregation, fluidity and contradiction. They are a divided generation, yet they are connected at the very same time by these commonalities.”
That’s how those outside looking in view Gen Z. But how do those living within the Gen Z rubric view their peers.
As noted by WGSN, the views of those members of Gen Z interviewed are divided.
Maggie Wernicki of Southington, 15, described her generation as “opinionated, trailblazers, and technology dependent.”
“This generation, above all others, has clearly voiced their opinions and beliefs through social media, protests, awareness, and so much more. In addition to this, we are trailblazers; we are paving our own path much different than what we are taught in history; and lastly we are technology dependent,” said Wernicki.
Grace Nowak of West Haven, 16, described her generation as independent. “Gen Z is not like any other generation… Having access to all sorts of technology allows us to have different opinions on things, which makes us so independent.”
“Uniqueness is a priority for Gen Z,” said the WGSN report. “Difference doesn’t scare them as it may have in the past. For Gen Z, there’s more emphasis during adolescence on creating their own path.”
This individualist spirit extends to their choice of attire, said the Gen Z-ers interviewed.
“The fashion sense of Generation Z is very diverse,” said Abigail Friend, 14 of Southington.
However, Nowak does see some recurring themes in Gen Z’s sartorial selections.
“Gen Z fashion trends are very comfy yet stylish,” said Nowak. “That can be cute sweats and a cute shirt.”
“However,” said Nowak, Gen Z never says no “to dressing up in a dress or jumpsuit.”
For other generations looking for examples of celebrities who epitomize the Gen Z aesthetic, Wernicki said she views social influencer (and Norwalk, Conn. native) Charli D’Amelio as the typical Gen Z’er. D’Amelio has 121 million follows on TikTok.
“D’Amelio may be known as a TikTok star but she also has her own coffee with Dunkin’ and has established herself with many other companies,” Wernicki. “She has heavily followed social media accounts (where she) shares a love for coffee, sports, hanging out with friends and keeping up with the latest trends.”
WGSN says of Gen Z, “As a whole, (they like D’Amelio) think outside the box and are natural-born entrepreneurs and innovators who like solving complex problems. From a young age, they forge their own paths and invent new opportunities that may not have previously existed.”
The BOF and WGSN reports both cite influencers as key ingredients for retail brands looking to get Gen Z to open up their wallets and consume.
However, the teens interviewed saw influencers as a hit or miss prospect for getting them to hop on a fashion trend.
“Occasionally,” said Wernicki, “I will turn to an influencer to guide me when buying clothes.”
Friend also hedged her bets when it comes to the degree of guidance an influencer could provide. Social media influencers don’t drive her choices. But sometimes, a more historically traditional type of influencer– a favorite character on a television show, for instance — may give her shopping selections a nudge. But she said she really has to love a piece on its own accord and not simply because she saw a character wear it.
But, Nowak viewed things differently than Friend and Wernicki.
Social media is “a huge factor in teen fashion trends today,” said Nowak. “Teens learn what is trending through apps like TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram… Almost every teen that I know uses these apps.”
“When scrolling through TikTok or Instagram and I see something trending, I automatically would want to buy it,” said Nowak. “So I search through clothing websites to try and find that piece of clothing that is trending.”
The Board of Fashion report said youth focused social platforms, like TikTok or Instagram, “have empowered a global, highly educated consumer group (Gen Z) that is more connected than the generations before them, and which is highly segmented across platforms and channels as geographies and income groups.”
Ethics in the corporate world also has grown in importance for Gen Z, said the BOF report. “Teenagers are looking to fashion companies… to not just reflect their values and beliefs but to act as an extension of them,” the report said.
Gen Z is key to the increased popularity of sustainable fashion, which is manufactured in a way that is good for the environment and the workers.
“Ethics plays a very big role when I am buying clothes,” said Wernicki. “If a brand has a bad reputation for how workers are treated, the clothes are made, or the materials they are made with, I will stay away from buying from (them).”
Friend said she prefers to buy garments by companies that produce sustainable goods. “I know that it is a good thing to buy it because it will last a long time, or will help the environment,” said Friend.
PHOTOS by MIKE CHAIKEN
Model Madison Townsend demonstrates Generation Z style with a favorite outfit.
