The Gen Z Fashion Craze That’s Confusing Clothing Retailers

It’s time to stop talking about Gen Zers as lazy, spoiled, screen-obsessed snowflakes.

First, they aren’t kids anymore. Second, there are a lot of them—estimated to be about 25% of the global population. And third, they have become discerning consumers who now have money to spend and will have a lot more when the Great Inheritance begins to trickle down through the generations.

Their global spending power is forecast by NielsenIQ to reach $12 trillion by 2030.

The day that Gen Z became a consumer force to be reckoned with is here and, according to a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Z’ers are “a riddle that many retailers can’t quite crack.”

That’s especially true in fashion.

Gen Z’ers are 13 to 28 years old this year and there are now about 60 million out of the total U.S. population of 343 million. That’s 60 million young people who are right now forming long-term emotional bonds with brands and developing lifelong biases and preferences.

This wave of consumers is a new challenge for the fashion industry. Labels are discovering that the aspirational look that Millennials favored—fitted silhouettes, minimalistic styling, athleisure, tailored jackets—has no appeal for Gen Z. Where Millennials wanted to belong or blend in, Gen Zers want to stand out.

It’s all about self-branding and personalization.

That means micro-trends, like vintage looks that come and go on social media before the fast-fashion machine can catch up. Gender expression is fluid. Boys are dyeing their hair. Girls are wearing oversized blazers and baggy jeans. Bold colors, chunky jewelry, and big, bold eyewear are in.