Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on fashion
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on fashion, 8 June 2021
- Fashion hit hardest by the pandemic
- The market
- Targeting more digital savvy older consumers
- Impact of COVID-19 on social media usage
- Companies and brands
- COVID-19 heightens role of new technology
- Retailers experiment with gamification
- The consumer
- Young men are the main smartphone shoppers
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- Figure 2: How consumers have bought fashion items in the last 12 months, April 2021
- Close to half purchased via a retailer’s app
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- Figure 3: How consumers have bought fashion items online via a mobile device, April 2021
- 74% of men drawn to additional functionalities
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- Figure 4: Agreement with shopping behaviour when using apps to browse or purchase fashion, April 2021
- 62% have used or would use a sizing tool
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- Figure 5: Current fashion shopping behaviour and future interest, April 2021
- Demand for repair stations in stores
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- Figure 6: Ideal fashion store innovations, April 2021
- Half of women interested in compostable clothing and footwear
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- Figure 7: Interest in fashion product innovations, April 2021
- High demand for retailers to be more transparent online
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- Figure 8: Interest in online fashion innovations, April 2021
Issues and Insights
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- How can retailers use technology to adapt to changing fashion shopping habits due to COVID-19?
- Redesigning stores for the future
- Designing fashion products for the future
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Impact of COVID-19 on social media usage
- Targeting more digital savvy older consumers
- Increased confidence for 2021 but 16-24s most worried
Market Drivers
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- Targeting more digital savvy older consumers
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- Figure 9: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2020 and 2025 (proj)
- Consumer confidence overall remains high
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- Figure 10: Trends in how respondents describe their financial situation, Feb 2020-May 2021
- … but almost a quarter feel worse off than a year ago
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- Figure 11: Trends in how respondents describe their financial situation compared with a year ago, March 2020-May 2021
- Increased confidence for 2021 but 16-24s most worried
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- Figure 12: Trends in consumer sentiment for the coming year, March 2020-May 2021
- Smartphone ownership stays stable
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- Figure 13: Smartphone ownership, by age group, December 2020
- Big rise in social media usage
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- Figure 14: Use of social media platforms, March 2021
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- COVID-19 heightens role of new technology
- Retailers experiment with gamification
- Retailers enhance online shopping experiences
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- eCommerce capabilities grow amidst pandemic
- Salvatore Ferragamo teams up with Microsoft
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- Figure 15: Salvatore Ferragamo personalisation tool, 2021
- Net-a-Porter, Mr Porter launch new ‘glanceable’ iOS widgets
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- Figure 16: Net-A-Porter and Mr Porter home screen widgets, 2021
- Farfetch launches style advisor with Karla Welch’s Wishi
- Burberry launches virtual replica of Tokyo flagship store
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- Figure 17: Burberry virtual store, 2021
- Pandemic heightens role of virtual reality technology
- Simone Rocha X H&M launches an augmented reality pop-up book
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- Figure 18: Simone Rocha X H&M pop-up book, 2021
- Chanel launches Lipscanner app
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- Figure 19: Chanel Lipscanner app, 2021
- Burberry launches AR Pocket bag experience
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- Figure 20: Burberry AR pocket bag feature, 2021
- Dior partners with Snapchat for AR sneaker try-on feature
- Valentino Opens the Doors of its Virtual Home
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- Figure 21: Valentino Insights, 2020
- Levi’s launches range of virtual clothing for Snapchat
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- Figure 22: Levi’s Snapchat Bitmojis, 2020
- Retailers experiment with gamification
- Balenciaga – “Afterworld: The Age of Tomorrow”
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- Figure 23: Balenciaga’s video game, 2020
- Burberry B Surf video game
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- Figure 24: Burberry B Surf video game, 2020
- Retailers make use of technology to improve product viewing
- Asos ramps up use of augmented reality to view products
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- Figure 25: See My Fit technology 2020
- Zalando acquires 3D body scan technology
- H&M experiments with digital fitting rooms in latest innovative drive
- Retailers enhance online shopping experiences
- Mango launches virtual chatbot
- Farfetch launches chatbot innovation iFetch
- Mango launches 3D-printed accessories range
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- Figure 26: Mango’s 3D-printed earrings 2021
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Adapting to changes in fashion shopping behaviour due to COVID-19
- Redesigning stores for the future
- Half of women interested in compostable clothing and footwear
Impact of COVID-19 on Fashion Shopping Behaviour
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- Women continue to spend less on fashion
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- Figure 27: Consumer spending habits since COVID-19, 13-21 May 2021
- Half still shop more online…
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- Figure 28: Changes to shopping behaviour since the start of Covid-19, 13-21 May 2021
- …but one fifth had a day out shopping
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- Figure 29: Activities done in the last week, 13- 21 May 2021
What Consumers Buy
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- COVID-19 leads to drop in appetite for fashion
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- Figure 30: Trends in fashion items purchased for themselves in the last three months, June 2019- April 2021
- Sportswear outperforms
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- Figure 31: Trends in outerwear purchased for themselves in the last three months, June 2019- April 2021
- Decline in purchasing of most clothing items
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- Figure 32: % point change in outerwear purchased for themselves in the last three months, March 2020- April 2021
How Consumers Buy Fashion
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- Women use smartphones for shopping more than men…
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- Figure 33: How consumers have bought fashion items in the last 12 months, April 2021
- … but young men are the main smartphone shoppers
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- Figure 34: How consumers have bought fashion items in the last 12 months, by gender and age group, April 2021
- Despite low usage, potential for voice recognition technology
- COVID-19 meant 70% shopped online in the last year
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- Figure 35: How consumers have bought fashion items in the last 12 months, netted, April 2021
- Gen Z shop across multiple channels
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- Figure 36: Repertoire of how consumers have bought fashion items in the last 12 months, by gender, April 2021
- Close to half purchased via a retailer’s app
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- Figure 37: How consumers have bought fashion items online via a mobile device, April 2021
- 25% of Gen Z and Younger Millennial shoppers buy via a marketplace
App Shopping Behaviour
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- Majority download apps for discounts, but only keep those they use often
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- Figure 38: Agreement with shopping behaviour when using apps to browse or purchase fashion, April 2021
- 74% of men drawn to additional functionalities
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- Figure 39: Agreement with shopping behaviour when using apps to browse or purchase fashion, by gender, April 2021
Current and Future Fashion Shopping Behaviour
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- 62% have used or would use a sizing tool
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- Figure 40: Current fashion shopping behaviour and future interest, April 2021
- 43% of male 16-34s buy fashion from social media
- Young women interested in fashion and gaming
Ideal Store Innovations
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- Redesigning stores for the future
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- Figure 41: Ideal fashion store innovations, April 2021
- Demand for repair stations in stores
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- Figure 42: Ideal fashion store innovations, by age group, April 2021
- Improved fitting room experience
Product Innovations
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- Half of women interested in compostable clothing and footwear
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- Figure 43: Interest in fashion product innovations, April 2021
- Young men drive interest in wearable tech
- Younger Millennials drawn to virtual clothing
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- Figure 44: Interest in fashion product innovations, by generations, April 2021
Online Fashion Innovations
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- High demand for retailers to be more transparent online
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- Figure 45: Interest in online fashion innovations, April 2021
- Making online shopping sociable
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- Figure 46: Interest in online fashion innovations, by generations, April 2021
- Potential for live streaming
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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