Fashion has always been one of the most visible markers of cultural change, so it’s unsurprising that when TikTok took the world by storm and democratised consumer culture, we saw the effects play out in how people engaged with fashion. The effects are particularly noticeable for Gen Z – TikTok natives – who are coming of age and finding their identity in this brave new world.
For H&M, it was critical to connect with their audience of young women on a deeper level – understanding the shape and colour of their world, their worries, gripes, joys and dreams, as well as what inspires and excites them in the world of fashion.
An always-on online community of 300 young women, aged from 13-25 years, provided H&M with the ideal platform to really get to know this audience.
We spoke to them about everything from their hopes for prom to their views on sustainable fashion, exploring the beautiful contradictions in what they say and do. We also helped shape monthly social campaigns, ensuring that emerging trends were communicated in the right way to engage young women.
The result: A window into the complexity of the ‘Gen Z’ label, and how this plays out in identity formation and fashion choices. H&M gained a unique view into the mindset of their teen audience, which has helped ensure that everything from communications to store design is shaped with this key group in mind.