Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, Nike Top List of Brands Millennials Love Most
Teenagers are incredibly fickle (at least that’s what I’ve discovered from being one, living with a few, and following a few hundred on Tumblr and Twitter). What’s cool — and what’s not — changes faster than a Snapchat deletes itself. But Teen Vogue (with the help of those smart bankers at Goldman Sachs) has consistently stayed on top of what’s trending despite the many mood swings of the demographic. For the third consecutive year, the companies partnered for the Teen Vogue/Goldman Sachs Brand Affinity Index, measuring the spending habits of young women, some of the most important and impactful shoppers in the industry.
The assessment asked It-Girls, educated and fashion-forward consumers and influencers, their awareness, favorability, word of mouth, ownership, and consideration (the next time you go shopping, will you consider purchasing/shopping from this brand?) of brands in order to compile a list of the top fashion and beauty retailers. The results demonstrate mostly what Generation Z, those born beginning in the late 1990s, is all about, which is especially beneficial considering these individuals are poised to become the next Millennials and dominate the market with close to 80 million people.
Here, the top 20 are listed in order, with some personal insights (these are totally biased with no data to back them up, they’re strictly opinions based on my own experience having a 17-year-old sister and being a Millenial myself, not from the study unless otherwise stated).
1. Forever 21
For the third year in a row, Forever21 has taken the top spot on the “Love List.” The company, since it basically created fast fashion in the United States years ago, has dominated the market of tweens, teens, young adults, and beyond. It offers really cheap clothes that are trendy and sometimes even knockoffs of runway looks (because culottes are chic but not enough to spend your life savings on). Prices are also low enough that kids can use their own babysitting money instead of begging their parents for cash every time they hit the mall.
2. Victoria’s Secret Pink
3. Victoria’s Secret
Just watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and it’s clear why both Victoria’s Secret and its younger sister brand are so popular. With 25 million Instagram followers and offering bras, underwear, bathing suits, and exercise clothes all in bright colors and fun silhouettes, the company has a stronghold over the lingerie market.
4. Nike
Everyone’s always needed sneakers, but with the rise of athleisure, Nike has diversified itself by providing fashionable wares as well.
5. Sephora
6. MAC
7. H&M
The Swedish equivalent of Forever21, the worldwide chain has gained even more awareness and clout with collaborations including the recent one with Balmain.
8. Converse
9. Urban Outfitters
10. Target
11. EOS
By using product placement within popular music, check out Jennifer Lopez’s “Booty” and Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop” for cameos from the cylindrical lip balm, the cosmetics company has become top of mind (whether they know it or not) amongst these celebrities’ devoted fans.
12. Bath and Body Works
13. Sephora Collection
14. Urban Decay
15. Vans
16. Maybelline
17. Louis Vuitton
Should Selena Gomez get all the credit for this one? The singer has been a brand ambassador, sitting front row in Paris and wearing plent of leather designs on the red carpet, for the past few months.
18. Steve Madden
19. Marc Jacobs
As one of the the only luxury company in the top 20, perhaps it was a mistake to cease Marc by Marc, the lower-priced diffusion line.
20. Free People
Notes from 20 through 50:
For the first time, Calvin Klein cracked the top 50 at 37. Not since Marky Mark and Kate Moss were the faces has the brand tapped such powerful influencers for its campaigns — and the high-profile hires (Justin Bieber and Kendall Jenner, celebs with two of the most followed Instagram accounts on the planet) obviously paid off. Adidas can also praise Kanye West for its debut, coming in at 31 thanks in large part to the Yeezy collaboration and the resurgence of the All Star.
Chanel (21), Kate Spade (28), Michael Kors (29), Coach (40), as well as Louis Vuitton (17) and Marc Jacobs (19), make up the luxury group. It’s surprising to see them listed as “loves” for a young generation who mainly rely on their parents as a source of income, but as the survey explains, Gen Z’ers are the “ultimate individualists” and value investing and understand the benefits of high-low shopping.
American Eagle saw one of the biggest drops, coming in at 16 last year and 25 for 2015. Abercrombie & Fitch didn’t even make it (which isn’t all that surprising considering the retailer’s struggles to find its niche after losing its stronghold). But the brand left off the list that is surprising? Zara. Owned by Inditex, its stock is hot, is beloved by the fashion world (editors and magazines love its high feel at an affordable price), and other retailers aim to replicate its success.
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