Gen Z embraces gender fluid fashion - report

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 1, 2022

The fashion industry may be increasingly embracing gender-fluid fashion, but perhaps not fast enough for consumers, especially Gen Z.

A report by payments specialist Klarna has looked into the rise of gender-fluid fashion and how attitudes towards it vary across generations. 

It found that Gen Z consumers are the biggest adopters of gender-fluid fashion, with 58% of shoppers in this age group having purchased a fashion item outside of their gender identity. This is followed by 40% of Millennials, only 22% of Gen Xs and just 11% of Baby Boomers.

Some 21% of consumers said they wear gender-fluid fashion “as a social statement” and 16% “to align with their gender expression”. 

Interestingly though, across demographics, comfort is key, ranking as the top reason why 53% of consumers sometimes favour fashion outside of their gender identity. This is understandably particularly high among females surveyed (63%), while males focus on design as a key focus (43%). 

The survey also showed 79% of men and women looking to purchase more gender-fluid clothing in the future.

Klarna merchant partner Uniqlo said of this: “As part of the Uniqlo philosophy of LifeWear: Made for All, we believe that clothing shouldn’t be restricted to one gender. While we provide clothing for men and women, we want to encourage people of all genders to wear the clothes that make them feel good - regardless of the label. This is why we are continuing to introduce more clothing that can be worn by anyone. We hope that by encouraging the wearing of our clothing by people of all genders we will go some way to supporting the diverse gender expressions of our customers.”