Gen Z’s Favourite Clothing Brands: Purchase Drivers Behind the Shopping Paradox
Updated: June, 2026
Published: March, 2024
Generation Z, a demographic known for its trendsetting fashion sense and distinct values, is reshaping the fashion industry. The findings in this article are drawn from Opeepl's ongoing Youth Pulse study, now in its fifth wave, which regularly surveys 15-30-year-olds across Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and the UK to track emerging consumer trends and behaviours.
Drawing on fashion brand data collected in Waves 1 and 2 (2023-2024), we examined young consumers' values, shopping habits, and brand preferences to understand which brands resonated most strongly with Gen Z and what drove their purchasing decisions.
Top Clothing Brands among Gen Z
We asked Gen Z consumers about their favourite clothing brands and analysed the complete fashion brand funnel, from awareness to preference. While H&M led awareness in our Wave 1 study, adding the brands Nike and adidas to Wave 2 revealed a more competitive landscape. Nike now leads the category with 88% awareness, followed by adidas (82%), H&M (75%), The North Face (74%), and ZARA (73%). SHEIN remains one of the most recognised fashion brands among young consumers, with 70% awareness across the five European markets surveyed.
Nike, adidas, H&M, The North Face, ZARA and SHEIN are among the most recognised fashion brands among Generation Z
Looking beyond awareness, Nike also dominates the lower stages of the funnel. Nearly half (47%) of Gen Z consumers report purchasing Nike recently, while 36% identify it as a preferred brand. adidas follows with 29% recent purchase and 11% preference.
Opeepl Youth Pulse Study, Wave 2 (2024)
The brand funnel reveals a consistent gap between awareness and preference across leading fashion brands. Although H&M, The North Face, and ZARA are highly visible among Gen Z consumers, relatively few convert that awareness into preference. This reinforces a broader pattern in Gen Z fashion behaviour: brand familiarity plays a limited role in driving loyalty for this demographic.
SHEIN remains one of the most effective brands at converting awareness into purchases. While awareness stands at 70%, 28% of Gen Z consumers report purchasing from the brand recently. However, preference remains significantly lower at 12%, suggesting that many young consumers shop with SHEIN without necessarily considering it their favourite fashion brand. This highlights the brand's ability to drive transactions even among consumers who may have reservations about its reputation or sustainability credentials.
What has changed since Wave 1 (2023)?
| Brand | Awareness W2 (compared to W1) | Consideration W2 (compared to W1) | Bought Recently W2 (compared to W1) | Preference W2 (compared to W1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nike | 88% | 74% | 47% | 36% |
| adidas | 82% | 53% | 29% | 11% |
| H&M | 75% (-4pp) | 45% (-10pp) | 25% (-8pp) | 9% (-8pp) |
| The North Face | 74% (-2pp) | 42% (-7pp) | 14% (-6pp) | 4% (-16pp) |
| ZARA | 73% (-3pp) | 39% (-12pp) | 25% (-7pp) | 10% (-6pp) |
| SHEIN | 70% (-3pp) | 34% (-10pp) | 28% (-6pp) | 12% (-7pp) |
Opeepl Youth Pulse Study, Wave 2 (2024)
Gen Z Shopping Paradox
Generation Z, known for its progressive social and environmental awareness, often faces a paradox in its shopping choices. While they advocate for sustainable and ethical practices, their purchasing decisions don't always align with these ideals.
No doubt, the social commerce aspect significantly influences Gen Z shopping behaviour. They are highly active on social media platforms, where they engage with brands and follow trends. This digital engagement often leads to impulse purchases driven by the fear of missing out on the latest trends.
Gen Z purchasing decisions don't always align with their social values
The contrast becomes particularly evident when looking at SHEIN. Although many Gen Z consumers express concerns about sustainability and ethical sourcing, these considerations often take a back seat to affordability, convenience, and trend relevance when making actual purchases. Our research found that SHEIN continues to attract strong purchase rates despite widespread public criticism of the fast-fashion sector.
Discover more about 15–30-year-old consumers fashion trends in our latest Youth Pulse Report
Our Youth Pulse study shows that 32% of Gen Z shoppers who claim to be eco-friendly recently bought from SHEIN, a brand frequently criticised for its environmental impact. This percentage is comparable to the 34% of all surveyed Gen Z consumers buying from SHEIN. This suggests that SHEIN effectively caters to both environmentally conscious and less environmentally conscious young consumers.
Opeepl Youth Pulse Study, Wave 1 (Q4, 2023)
Interestingly, this success is not replicated by all low-cost online retailers. Another Opeepl’s study conducted among Gen Z in Denmark and Sweden shows that while awareness of Temu reached 71% among Gen Z consumers, only 21% reported making a recent purchase. Furthermore, 73% expressed concerns about shopping on the platform. This suggests that while affordability matters, trust and brand relevance remain important differentiators for young consumers.
This contradiction extends beyond fashion to other categories like personal care and food & beverage. Broader industry research also highlights how Gen Z discovery and purchase journeys are increasingly shaped by social commerce environments, where social media plays a central role in product discovery and impulse-driven behaviour (SimplicityDX, 2023).
Me vs. We in Purchase Decisions
Driver Analysis of the Youth Pulse Study data, conducted using the Johnson Relative Weights methodology, indicates that personal factors predominantly influence Gen Z fashion purchases, accounting for 88% of their buying decisions. These factors include a sense of belonging, brand love, appreciation for customised products, and a desire for brands that enhance their personal image. Gen Z places significant emphasis on personal preferences and self-expression in their fashion choices, reflecting a strong desire for individuality.
Personal drivers have a share of 88% in explaining recent Gen Z fashion purchases
The importance of personal drivers has also increased by 9 percentage points since Wave 1, helping explain why brands such as SHEIN continue to perform strongly despite concerns around sustainability and ethics.
Top 3 fashion purchase drivers for Gen Z are:
Is a brand I love - 24%
Is trendy - 9%
Is popular - 8%
Among the strongest drivers are brand love, feeling valued by brands, self-expression, and a sense of belonging. By contrast, factors such as environmental responsibility and support for social causes play a smaller role in actual purchase behaviour. This does not mean Gen Z ignores these issues; rather, personal benefits tend to carry more weight at the point of purchase.
Opeepl Youth Pulse Study, Wave 2 (2024)
Conversely, social factors, including environmental responsibility, support for charities, and the promotion of diversity and inclusion, account for only 12% of recent Gen Z fashion purchases. This suggests that while Gen Z is aware of and supportive of these issues, their immediate personal motivations play a more significant role in their buying decisions.
Applying Insights to Connect with Gen Z
For fashion brands aiming to resonate with Gen Z, understanding and catering to their individualistic tendencies is crucial. Brands should create products and strategies that allow Gen Z to express their unique styles and personalities. Focusing on personalisation and aligning with their values can help brands establish a deeper connection.
Balancing personalisation, authenticity, and social and environmental considerations is key to appealing to Gen Z consumers
Fashion brands need to be dynamic and responsive to the evolving preferences of these younger consumers. Incorporating social and environmental considerations into their strategies, while prioritising individualistic and personalised experiences, is key to appealing to Gen Z consumers.
These dynamics are also reflected in broader industry analyses of how Gen Z is reshaping fashion and luxury markets (Euromonitor, Five Ways Gen Z Is Transforming Luxury and Fashion).
Summary
Gen Z fashion preferences are influencing current trends and shaping the future of the fashion industry. Their distinct values and trendsetting inclinations are pivotal in the evolving landscape of fashion.
Here are the main insights from Opeepl’s Youth Pulse Study regarding the fashion category:
Fashion brand awareness among Gen Z remains high, with Nike, adidas, H&M, The North Face, ZARA and SHEIN emerging as some of the most recognised brands across Europe. However, awareness alone does not guarantee preference or loyalty.
SHEIN continues to demonstrate remarkable purchase power among young consumers. Despite ongoing criticism regarding sustainability, the brand converts awareness into purchases more effectively than many competitors, highlighting the gap between stated values and actual behaviour.
Gen Z's purchasing decisions are primarily driven by personal motivations such as self-expression, brand affinity, and a sense of belonging. These factors account for 88% of fashion purchases, significantly outweighing social and environmental considerations.
The contrast between Gen Z values and their shopping behaviour remains one of the most important insights for fashion brands. While young consumers care about sustainability and social issues, these concerns do not always determine their final purchase decisions.
For fashion brands, the key to resonating with this demographic lies in balancing personalisation, authenticity, and ethical practices. Understanding Gen Z preferences is essential for brands to stay relevant and appealing in a rapidly changing market.
Discover more Fashion Trends among 15-30 y.o. in Youth Pulse Report
Opeepl Youth Pulse is a bi-annual study that keeps pulse on the latest developments in the youth market. Discover key youth trends in consumer confidence, media habits, attitudes, values, and four major categories: Food, Beverages, Fashion, and Personal Care.