TikTok, Instagram Cards, Live Comparisons, #GRWM, KPop...Gen Z and Gen Alpha trends are much strongerthan the fevers of other generations. They spread faster and gain more followers in seconds. And all thanks to the famous social networks.
Being born into the digital age has offered these young fashionistas a completely different relationship to content creation and fashion compared to older people.
The idea of "see now, buy now" has transferred to the digital world. And of course that's not allchanged the whole industrybut it also brought other perspectives and problems to the sector.
Still, there's one thing that's caught people's attention: Gen Z and Alpha's interaction with the luxury market is set in ways never seen before.
The generations understand: where does one end and where does the other begin?
Baby Boomers, Millennials, Zillennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha... and of course, the list of generational names will go on and on. But to give you a better idea of who we're talking about in this article, here's a generational breakdown.
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There is no consensus as to when each year begins and ends. However, a possible breakdown is as follows:
- Baby boomers: born between 1946 and 1964
- Generation X: 1965-1980
- Generation Y or Millennials: 1981-1996
- Generation Z: 1997-2010
- Alpha Generation: Those born after 2010
And the names don't end there.
There is also the transitional generation. Because in recent years, the changes have been enormous in a short space of time. This is how people were born who, because of their characteristics and attitudes, do not marry the previous generation or the next. Let's assume you are in the middle of the two. That's why we have the so-called'Mikro-GenerationOh come on Zillennials, between Millennials and Gen Z.
Why defining your generation is an important issue
To understand it better, let's take this writer as an example.
Being born in 1997, I had to wait anxiously for weeks for movies to hit blockbusters once they were released. I was also passionate about updating my MSN status with my favorite music at the time. But at the same time, I wasn't surfing Myspace like other millennials.
I know more about Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok than my 30 year old cousins. However, my 19-year-old sister often calls me'dying of shame'when I don't understand a meme or don't know the latest Doja Cat songdie of shameI can hear my sister making fun of me. So I'm not quite a Gen Z either.
On the internet - but dare I say it, in our society - there is a great demand for the creation of "tribes". That is, people want to identify with others who have similar interests and/or characteristics. It can be a singer that some like, love for anime, addiction to a Netflix series, etc. existThere are many reasons why people join groups for mutual identification.And identifying with a particular generation is of course another of those tribes.
However, this division of generations has another important function. Helps us understand betterHow consumption has changed over the years.And one thing is for sure, a lot has changed in recent years.
So let's talk about it.
Generation Z, Generation Alpha and consumption
Luxury fashion has long been one of the most profitable parts of the industry. Unfortunately he shares the podium todayfast fashion. Still, its power is undeniable.
Gen Alpha children are very young today. Most of them are just teenagers. However, thanks to the internet, they are much more connected to the big fashion brands and maisons around the world. They watch the Runaway shows and understand all about fashion brands by seeing their favorite artists wear them.
But when it comes to Gen Z, there are many more points to explore and discuss.
As environmentally conscious as this generation is, fast fashion shopping hasn't stopped. In fact it's the opposite. Today, the famous H&m and Forever 21 beat Shein as a competitor andIt's not because awareness has gone up that sales have gone down..
The hunt for luxury fashion
As explained byKidsKnowBest, a youth-focused creative media agency, we need to understand that brands matter to young people. And yes, that's something they consider when buying new parts.
According to the KidsKnowBest report KKB: Deep Dives 2022, there is an aspiration to own luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel or Prada, especially as they hit their teens and early 20s. As the company explains, “When we ask people what influences clothing purchases, parents and teens put friends and family first. However, social media influencers have a greater impact on the clothes people under the age of 24 buy than on the clothes parents buy for their children. TikTok and Instagram are major influencers when it comes to buying teenage clothing.”
Therefore, as mentioned earlier in this article, the power of social media in Gen Z life cannot be deniedhow young people keep up with fashion trends. These platforms are a more common way to keep up with fashion than celebrities or influencers, and they gain in importance as children get older.
So that suggests itYoung people get fashion inspiration from a variety of people on their favorite social media platforms, instead of simply following certain celebrities or magazines like previous generations did.
Luxury brands and flirting with Gen Z
It has never been common for luxury brands to engage with a younger audience. Ultimately, as their parts and accessories became more expensive, these brands focused on interacting with the public with greater purchasing power. In other words, he already had a salary and financial independence.
But,Generation Z changed it!
Pop singers and celebrities started wearing more and more luxury brands. With the mix of these personalities, influencers and social networks, the youngest began to approach these brands.
Therefore, we have observed a change in scenario in recent years. are luxury brandsFlirting with the younger generationduring different activations. Whether advertising withTikTok Influenceror even... games!
Attract the stylish Gen Z gamers
The famous skins are not just cool clothes for digital avatars. now they belongsocial construction of the visual version of the players themselves.
Therefore, virtual world enthusiasts want their digital version to match their personal preferences in the physical world. But in reality the ways to explore the world of video games or on a larger scale are theMetaversothey are endless.
As KidsKnowBest noted, the "metaverse is in a way Internet 2.0, the way you have to think is limitless, so brands become limitless, they can exist anywhere and participate in any way."
an example isRoblox. They are conceived as a "Metaverse Company". However, what they do in the eyes of a child goes beyond that notion. The company allows players to interact in rooms with friends, celebrities and artists across platforms. Everything is done with a currency that exists and that they can really add value to. "This isn't a metaverse, it's just a play area and they love it," say the experts at KidsKnowBest.
And it's not just luxury fashion brands that place activations with the game. Nike and other companies are also getting closer and more creative to explore the digital universe.
These days things change in the blink of an eye. Therefore, what we anticipate in the future may be closer than we think. But good practice isTake a look at past events to better understand what might happen next.
A great case study from last year was thisBritish Fashion Awards 2021 presence on Roblox. Audiences could experience the awards ceremonies online with the entire Roblox community, participate in fantasy role-playing games as a star guest, and walk the red carpet. There were many opportunities to celebrate for the nominated designers from the Roblox communityfirst fashion award for Metaverse Design.
“With lots of points of interest to explore, quests to complete, and portals to explore, it was a really interactive experience. I think we're going to see a lot more of these kinds of events and we'll break into industries other than fashion and music, with sporting events or product launches of new brands, all of which have a stage on Roblox or similar platforms," says the KidsKnowBest expert.
Read our article about the Metaverse and its different perspectives!