What do Gen Z and Millennials want from fashion? Authenticity, a good fit and physical stores

Forget the myth of perfection at all costs, invisible but obsessive retouches and aesthetic canons lowered from above. Today, beauty has radically changed its connotations and speaks only one language: that of authenticity. This is confirmed by the new survey promoted by the Teddy Group (a fashion giant that signs beloved brands such as Terranova, Calliope, Rinascimento and QB24), conducted on a sample of more than 5,800 Italian consumers of all generations - from Gen X to Millennials and Gen Z. The result? For almost one in two people (44%), “being beautiful” means first of all feeling good about themselves, while for 23.7% beauty coincides with the freedom to express their unique style without necessarily having to conform to the rules of the moment. Although the approval of others continues to have an influence, the perception of fashion is moving decisively towards an intimate dimension, linked to psychophysical well-being and personal expression.

Fashion as well-being: fit and comfort beat brand logos

Fashion today goes far beyond the simple aesthetic dimension to become a real ally of our daily mood. In fact, more than 83% of the interviewees said that dressing well is a fundamental gesture to feel better about themselves during the day. In this new scenario, the way in which a garment “makes us feel” far exceeds the craving of the latest trend of the season. The data is clear: 82.1% choose a garment first of all for the fit, and 42.8% for the comfort and the feeling it transmits on the skin. On the contrary, only a small 3.5% consider it crucial that a dress is in trend and just 1.9% buy based on the brand name imprinted on the label. This is how the myth of the 'logo-addicted' collapses in favor of a conscious style focused on the well-being of the person.

The physical store never fades: everyone likes the live shopping experience

Another fact that emerged from the survey that overturns the clichés on retail concerns the enjoyment of shopping. Despite the seemingly unstoppable boom in e-commerce and digital platforms, as many as 77.6% of people still prefer to shop in physical stores. Touching the fabrics first hand, looking at the shades live and trying on the clothes in the dressing room, shopping remains a personal, concrete and ritual parenthesis. Entering the boutique allows you to establish that direct contact with the garments that digital, by its nature, cannot offer, transforming the purchase into a tactile and identity experience.

Accessible fashion and identity: the new wardrobe tailored to the person

In this perspective, accessible fashion becomes a real tool for democratization and freedom of expression. Clothing ceases to be a uniform to conform to others and becomes a means to tell the story, enhance one's silhouette and welcome one's uniqueness. Clothes thus become an everyday language through which to recognize and feel at ease.