Interest in secondhand brands has risen so far this year, new data on brand searches suggests, while searches for fast fashion names have fallen at the same time. Independent and party wear brands have seen higher levels of interest, while there are mixed results for designer fashion brands, according to the analysis, from MediaVision.
The online search specialist used its in-house Digital Demand Tracker to analyse search data from AdWords and Google Trends between December 2021 and May 2022 and found strong growth over the course of that period in the number of searches for second hand clothing retailer Preworn (+344%) and resale marketplace Vinted (+62%).
Searches for fast fashion names including Asos-owned Topshop (-60%), Misspap (-45%), and Missguided (-21%) have fallen, while independent and partywear labels including Lavish Alice (+182%), Never Fully Dressed (+72%) and Revolve (71%) have grown. Among designer fashion names, searches rose for Coach (+28%) and Net-A-Porter (+23%), but fell for Agent Provocateur (-22%) and Brand Alley (-36%). Searches also grew for for multichannel brands that sell clothing for events, including Moss Bros (+127%), Dune (+100%) and Phase Eight (+81%).
Louis Venter, chief executive of MediaVision, says: “The world of fashion is changing, as seen by eBay’s sponsorship of ITV favourite Love Island. Sustainability and cost are pushing shoppers towards second-hand resellers in 2022’s ‘Summer of Pre-Love’.
“The losers in this shift are the big names of fast fashion. For years many people have commented negatively on the impact disposable fashion has on the world around us, and now it looks like consumers are voting with their search bars and wallets.”
He adds: “Growth has been focused on those fashion brands that have been receptive to what their customers want, have targeted that audience accordingly – whether through search, social or in store, and have delivered on their promises. Others have seen revenue plummet.
“It’s no longer enough to rely on sales, discounts or unwavering customer loyalty as customers are faced with so much choice on where they spend. Sustainability is going to be one of the watchwords of the fashion industry from now on.”
