Closely following Millennials, Generation Z includes anyone born between 1995 and 2015. Generation Z accounts for approximately 65 million of the current U.S. population with up to $44 billion in spending power, according to a statistic reported by Vision Critical.
This multi-billion-dollar spending power raises questions for the future of fashion, especially amongst men’s trendy clothing websites – the fastest-growing clothing industry currently outpacing womenswear. While Gen Z shows a strong, continued interest in men’s clothing websites with fashion clothes for men, that doesn’t mean retailers can keep recycling the same branding strategies that worked for Millennials.
As a generation that learned how to use a smartphone before they could even spell smartphone, they’re clearly accustomed to omni-channel retail, but also value brand transparency, sustainability and diversity. Here’s how Generation Z is influencing men’s fashion across both mens clothing online stores and brick-and-mortar stores.
Diverse Branding
Generation Z is actually one of the most ethnically diverse age groups in the U.S. According to U.S. Census Data released on Forbes, up to 49% of the Gen Z population is made up of a non-white ethnicity, which is 5% more than Millennials.
Along with cultural diversity, Gen Z appreciates brand inclusivity across sexual orientation, age, weight, religion, ability, etc. This presents a new opportunity for the men’s fashion industry to market towards a wider audience, such as providing a plus-size range on urban clothing websites and using disabled models in campaign ads.
Sustainable Clothing
Did you know that Generation Z thinks it’s cooler to be a vegan than a smoker? A study by BOL Foods on Plant Based News found that one in three would even go vegan just to impress their friends.
As the vegan trend rises, some of the best mens clothing websites are gradually replacing real fur and leather clothing with vegan-friendly products, such as vegan-leather bags and faux-leather pants. Today’s Google search trends show that U.S. consumers are searching for “faux leather jacket” almost nine times more than a “real leather jacket” or “genuine leather jacket.”
Moreover, trendy menswear retailers are making efforts to produce a more sustainable shopping experience. According to a poll on Differio, leading stylish mens clothing online store, 75% of male shoppers don’t mind receiving their goods without individual wrapping in order to reduce environmental waste.
As Generation Z grows, don’t be surprised if you find more mens clothing online flooded with eco-friendly and cruelty-free menswear products.
Multimedia Shopping
Millennials might be known for increasing the rate of shopping online for men’s trendy clothing, but Generation Z will drive the need for mastering omnichannel shopping, especially across social media.
According to data by Interactions Marketing released by Agency Ascend, 60% of Gen Z prefers to shop at retailers that engage with them through social media. Additionally, Millennials are more likely to have access to multimedia devices and subscription services, such as Apple TV and Netflix, which lets them connect to multiple digital formats, as reported by Neilsen’s insights.
Among today’s digital fashion marketing, radio and television commercials just don’t cut it anymore. Trendy menswear retailers are further expanding their ad campaigns across all social media platforms, from YouTube video ads to Facebook retargeting to Instagram’s in-app checkout.
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