Afterpay Unveils New Fall/Winter 2022 Trend Report

Afterpay’s bi-annual trend report is here, identifying the key fall and winter trends of the season. By analyzing Gen Z and Millennial purchasing behaviours in Canada and the U.S., the trend report sheds light on the macrotrends being shaped by the younger generations, who are turning to BNPL to help budget for everyday purchases. Since 2020, BNPL spending has increased by 660 percent as consumers adopt flexible payment solutions to help manage their purchases.

We present a breakdown below of the top three fall and winter macro trends Gen Z and Millennial consumers are shopping for from Afterpay’s global catalogue of more than 144,000 brands and retailers.2

Fall Grunge

Grunge is back this fall with Canadian shoppers incorporating 90s inspiration into their wardrobes and beauty routines. Plaid and leather apparel were added to shopping carts in the fashion category, and the return of the slept-in-your-makeup look has solidified grunge as a fall favourite.

• All Leather Everything: Consumers are clamouring to add leather into their wardrobes - with sales of leather jackets, pants, shirts and more, up 295 percent year-over-year in Canada.
• Thanks to Courtney Love: Shoppers are moving away from the perfection of the “clean girl aesthetic” and embracing the grungy, unbothered look once popularized by 90s rocker Courtney Love. Across North America, there’s a focus on smudged eyeliner, up 57 percent year-over-year, and chrome eyeshadow, up 491 percent year-over-year.

Muted Metallics

Uncertainty in the macroeconomic climate continues to hold influence both designers and consumers as they move away from Serotonin Dressing into a more subdued form of optimism through metallics - even giving rise to more futuristic dressing.

• Golden Hour: Sales for metallic apparel and accessories were up 184 percent year-over-year in Canada. While gold remains the popular choice across both regions, silver items are on the rise.
• The Future of Fashion: Just like designers, consumers want in on the latest fashion tech trends. According to Afterpay brand ambassador, Zanna Roberts-Rassi, “As more leading designers play into the world of NFTs, consumers are trying to keep up by incorporating vinyl fabrics, with Afterpay sales already up 42 percent year-over-year. Perfect for holiday season dressing!”

Haircare Gets Its Own Routine

As the seasons transition, it can be a motivational time for consumers to embrace change. Many are either changing up their hairstyles or investing in hair care products, especially for those experiencing hair loss. Afterpay fashion psychologist, Shakaila Forbes-Bell, says, “According to psychologist Harth W Blume-Peytavi, hair growth and hair disorders not only influence an individual’s appearance but often lead to an enormous emotional burden with low self-confidence, impaired quality of life and even psychological disorders. As such, consumers are investing in their hair to avoid these issues and further embrace wellness.”

• Luxe Locks: Self-care starting from the scalp has become a necessary part of wellness routines. Hydrating hair products are up 276 percent year-over-year in Canada.
• Revenge Hair: Refined Y2K hair accessories such as butterfly clips are up 78 percent year-over-year in Canada respectively.

The trend report analyzes purchases made by our global customer base of over 20 million, who shop from Afterpay’s catalogue of over 144,000 brands and retailers to identify the season’s

key trends and shopping patterns.² Afterpay gives consumers the ability to use their own money and pay over time without having to turn to expensive credit cards, which can lead to revolving and compounding debt. Built from the ground up to help consumers pay responsibly, more than 98 percent of Afterpay transactions never incur a late fee and more than 90 percent of Afterpay transactions are paid with a debit card.

For all the Gen Z and Millennial fashion, beauty and lifestyle shopping trends uncovered by Afterpay, click below to download the full report.

Afterpay 2022 Fall Winter Trend Report.

About Afterpay Limited: Afterpay is transforming the way we pay by allowing anyone to buy products immediately and pay over time - enabling simple, transparent and responsible spending. We are on a mission to power an economy in which everyone wins. Afterpay is offered by thousands of the world’s favourite retailers and used by millions ofactive global customers. Afterpay is currently available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, theUnited States and the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain, where it is known as Clearpay.Afterpay is a wholly owned subsidiary of Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ).