Rizz, Reels, and Realness: Decoding Gen Z’s Fashion Power Play

In the 21st century, Gen Z has emerged as India's largest and most dynamic generation, wielding significant purchasing power, estimated at a staggering $860 billion and accounting for 43% of the country’s total consumption. According to a report by Snap Inc. and the Boston Consulting Group, Gen Z is a powerful influence across key sectors such as fashion and lifestyle (47%), dining (48%), and out-of-home entertainment (48%).

Recognizing the rizz Gen Z brings to the table, brands and marketers have pivoted their strategies to resonate with what could easily be the most influential consumer cohort of our time. For this generation, fashion goes far beyond brand logos and fleeting trends, it's an emotional dialect, a medium of self-expression, and a canvas for identity. Whether it’s expressing mood, gender, politics, or purpose, Gen Z uses style to speak their truth. That explains the growing popularity of emerging local and homegrown labels - brands that offer originality, purpose, and cultural resonance.

A new legacy of consumerism unlike baby boomers, Gen X, and even millennials, whose fashion journeys followed more predictable paths, Gen Z is forging an entirely new roadmap. Their purchase funnel begins not in stores but on social feeds - first they explore, then wishlist, seek peer validation, and finally hit purchase. Today, their buying behavior is driven by moods, values, creators, and real-time social feedback.

In fact, 83% of Gen Z respondents in a recent study emphasized that customer reviews play a pivotal role in their purchasing decisions. This not only highlights the importance of brand trust but also offers two critical insights for marketers: (1) user-generated content and honest testimonials are essential in capturing Gen Z’s attention, and (2) satisfied customers can become the most powerful brand ambassadors in influencing future buyers.

What Drives Gen Z’s Style Mantra?

Mood-Based Styling:

Gen Z doesn’t follow fashion - they feel it. Their wardrobes are curated to match moods and occasions, with each item echoing a part of their personal journey. From clothing to fragrance, authenticity reigns supreme. This demand has pushed brands to expand offerings in customisable apparel, niche perfumes, and diverse beauty products.

Social Media as the Style Compass:

Social media platforms aren’t just digital diaries anymore - they're now shopping destinations & key style guides. A remarkable 53% of Gen Zs admit to making purchases directly through social platforms which sparks exposure, fast moving styles and trends.

Trends like #StreetStyle, #OversizedFits are gaining massive traction. GenZ shoppers are experimenting with relaxed co-ords, cargo pants, barrel fit jeans, crop tops and fusion wear that blends traditional prints with modern cuts & twists. Athleisure continues to dominate, while denimon-denim, graphic tees, and Y2K-inspired accessories have made a strong comeback across college campuses and city streets alike.

GenZ wardrobes are more inclusive where comfort and self-expression comes first and gender fluidity is a part of everyday dressing - whether that’s unisex basics, oversized fits, or relaxed, allday silhouettes.

Micro-trends go viral in no time fueled by social media and Gen Z’s expressive & try it first attitude. What once took months to catch on now spreads in days. Aesthetics like #Balletcore, #MobWife, and #Cottagecore are quickly moving from niche to mainstream, thanks to influencers, styling content, and D2C brands that make trends instantly shoppable. With endless inspiration just a scroll away, trend adoption is faster and more accessible than ever.

Staying in Step with Gen Z With their spending power projected to skyrocket to $2 trillion by 2035, Gen Z is more than a trend - they are the future. Notably, two-thirds of Gen Z prefer hyper-personalized content and AIpowered recommendations, pushing businesses to deliver not just products, but curated experiences.

This generation isn’t just different - they’re redefining the rules. Social media is their marketplace, their classroom, their community, and their stage. Their consumption loop is a continuous cycle of inspiration, exploration, validation, and loyalty.

GenZ engages with commerce through an entirely new lens, where social media platforms double as storefronts, and brand loyalty is built through authenticity, community, and creative expression. Their purchase journey is no longer linear but a loop of inspiration, exploration, validation, and conversion, often playing out entirely on mobile.

Recognizing this shift, major players in Indian fashion e-commerce are evolving their platforms to cater specifically to this audience. Flipkart’s SPOYL is a notable example, reflecting a concerted move to build dedicated spaces within their ecosystems that speak directly to Gen Z sensibilities.

So how do we connect with a generation raised on Reels, driven by authenticity, and known for eight-second attention spans? The same way we’ve always connected with empathy and active listening. Because if there's one thing fashion must always be, it’s in tune.

(The author is the Vice President at Flipkart Fashion. The views expressed in this article are personal and do not represent the opinions or positions of Outlook Business.)