Yahoo News You'll Probably Stop Shopping at Zara by This Age, Research Says
Ubiquitous fashion retailer Zara has become synonymous with affordable, “It” girl style. But new research shows that there is an age at which “It” girls become “It” women and stop shopping at Zara.
According to a survey conducted by consumer analysis agency Insight Rooms, the median age at which women typically put the kibosh on the fast-fashion mecca is 25, according to Who What Wear, while the key demographic for Zara falls between the ages of 23 and 27. By age 33, women are all but done with the popular fashion chain; engagement falls below 1 percent, according to the research.
Though it may be surprising that Zara skews so young, that certainly isn’t hurting the company’s bottom line — quite the contrary, in fact. Zara recently reported the brand’s profits are at a record high, and the New York Times called the Spanish company the “world’s largest fashion retailer.” It’s owned by Amancio Ortega Gaona, the world’s third-richest man.
Suffice it to say, Zara serves its consumer base. That could be because the company takes a proactive approach, soliciting feedback from store managers based on their conversations with customers at branches all across the world. Zara then uses that information to inform future designs.
So what is it about Zara’s offerings that prompts most women to move on before they reach their 30th birthdays? Who What Wear suggests that career development, increased income, and, well, getting older, may be contributing factors. That said, Insight Rooms founder and CEO Ed Dilworth tells the publication Zara does not have “as drastic an age cliff” as other fashion brands.
“The looks include more conservative and classic styles that stretch up into that older range more than the youth brands,” he said. But women are jumping ship at a certain age anyway, implying that consumers naturally move on from fast fashion at a certain point in life — even from Zara, which carries merchandise including office wear and is similar to many more “mature” brands.
A 2016 study revealed there’s apparently an age limit on wearing jeans. Research conducted by CollectPlus concluded that 53 is the age women should ditch denim — at least according to the 2,000 participants who took the survey. The key difference between the two studies, though, is that the denim study is based on opinion, while the Zara study is based on actual behavioral patterns.
Another theory as to why women age out of Zara could be increasing consciousness of the downsides of fast (aka disposable) fashion, which can include pollution, low wages for workers, and even slave labor. Perhaps these women are simply ready to move on to building a wardrobe focused on durability and sustainability.
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