Shoppers think fast fashion is driven by influencers, survey finds

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Oct 16, 2019

More than half of shoppers believe social media influencers have contributed to the rise in fast fashion, according to new research from the Fashion Retail Academy.

A survey of 2,000 people has shown that 54% of shoppers believe that those who team up with brands for social media campaigns have at least partly caused a rise in mass produced clothing.

Only 10% of those surveyed disagreed with this statement, the survey found.

The younger generations see a stronger link between the rise of disposable fashion and influencers than the older demographic, with 73% of 18-24-year-olds and 68% of 25-34-year-olds stating influencers can be held somewhat accountable.

The findings revealed just how important Instagram has become for the fashion industry, with nearly a fifth of respondents using the app to find the latest trends. This compares to 8% just five years ago, when the photo-sharing app was just starting to gain traction.

Social media ads are also influencing the shopping decisions of 13% of those surveyed, while friends and family remain the main sources of inspiration, impacting the fashion choices of 26% of people.

Finally, 21% of Britons turn to shop windows for inspiration to help style their looks.

Lee Lucas, principal and CEO of the Fashion Retail Academy, commented: “Fashion inspiration was once the domain of glossy magazines and photoshoots, but now more and more people are making money by styling themselves and sharing pictures on social media.

“These influencers, in turn, inspire others to head to the shops to create similar looks. However, not everyone can afford top-end labels, and so retailers selling less expensive clothes are their destination of choice.

“Many people enjoy sporting the latest looks, but we would encourage people to give charity shops any clothes which are still in good condition.

“This helps to lessen the clothing’s impact on the environment and also provides much-needed space in the wardrobe.”