“What does todays fashion consumer look like?”

Be Viacom undertook an in-depth research study to understand the needs, attitudes and behaviours of Millennials in the area of style/fashion. We’ve come up with three typologies which represent these consumers…

Style helicopters are a niche group standing above the mainstream with an independent, discerning and intellectual approach to fashion that is based on real knowledge and personal cachet.

Super consumers represent a larger segment and are focused on being in the know and connected with the style and fashion scene. They are social connectors and use obtained knowledge as social currency to stay ahead of the mainstream. Super consumers are the ones who will re-Tweet!

Mainstream absorbers are interested in fashion but it’s not their main focus. They absorb and receive fashion information, they look to others for inspiration, they desire guidance and are developing their own style.

What’s interesting is that each segment is partly defined by the assertion that they try to have their own style.

The current fashion consumer is style savvy, creative and has eclectic tastes…

•78% agree ‘I mix and match different styles’

•2 in 3 are inspired as much by the past as the present/future

•65% describe themselves as creative

Influence is diverse…

•2 in 3 say street style is a key source of inspiration

•56% turn to friends for advice

•57% are inspired by brand websites

•6 in 10 are inspired by music artists

•62% say their fashion choices are inspired by other cities they visit

Consumers are active…

•Clothes are the #1 priority spend for young people (ahead of tech gadgets, travel, music)

•2 in 3 agree they do a lot of shopping online as well as in stores

•1 in 3 say fashion shopping is a weekly habit

Unique is chic…

•2 in 3 like to stand out from the crowd

•9 in 10 agree ‘I try to have my own style’

Fashion is all about individuality and most young people want to experiment, they want to be seen as fashionable, they want to get noticed… but all within the confines of what’s accepted. Unique is chic.

By Lisa Cowie, Senior Insight Manager at Beviacom