Throughout the mid- to late-2010s, the best place to find out about fashion trends was on Instagram. In the late 2000s it was style blogs, and before that, glossy print magazines. Now, TikTok is filling that role as the place where users go to find out what’s in style.
In its end-of-year style report, released on Wednesday, styling service Stitch Fix reported that clients referencing TikTok as inspiration and guidance for trends and styles had increased by 85% in the last two years. At the same time, references to Instagram had decreased.
TikTok has been the driving factor behind both broader trends in style — like the move away from skinny jeans — and the popularization of specific products, like the Gap logo hoodie and the Skims dress. For Jarah Burke, fashion account director at marketing firm Power Digital, TikTok’s reach (1 billion active users, as of November) is one way it’s dominating trends, but so is the way it motivates users to turn anything they’re doing into a “vibe.”
“On TikTok, people play up the aesthetic side of a hobby,” Burke told Glossy, in regard to TikTok fueling the skiwear trend. “The ‘vibification’ of activities can be a way for a brand to bring new people into its fold in an aspirational manner.”
Other big TikTok trends throughout the year have come from the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag, including the viral Birkenstock clogs, the L.L. Bean tote bag and countless microtrends that quickly rose and fell on the platform, including strawberry dresses, knot shirts and combat boots.
Natalie Levy, CEO of SPARC Group — the joint venture between Simon Property Group and Authentic Brands Group — credited TikTok with helping revitalize one of SPARC’s owned brands, Aeropostale. When women’s denim began to move away from skinny jeans and toward a looser fit on TikTok in 2021, Aeropostale’s “mom jeans” went viral on the platform, leading to a spike in denim sales and a shift in Aeropostale’s denim strategy. Loose denim made up only 7% of Aeropostale denim sales in 2020, but it’s now 40%. The brand’s profits grew by about 15% this year.
“We’ve doubled down on TikTok since then, because we see how strong the ROI is,” Levy said, though the company does not disclose specific ad spending amounts. Aerpostale now works with dozens of TikTok influencers including Lexi Hidalgo (2.1 million followers) via paid posts, plus it gifts products. “We’ve had a lot of viral moments on TikTok.”
Further proof of its influence, aggregating trends that began on TikTok has caught on. Publications like Who What Wear, Refinery29 and Popsugar regularly post lists with headlines like “The 8 Fall Trends That Have Blown Up on TikTok,” “These Fashion Brands Are Going Viral On TikTok Right Now” and “7 Viral Fashion Items Trending on TikTok Right Now.”
Instagram has obviously noticed the ways TikTok has won over the fashion world, introducing copycat features like Reels. In turn, prominent users like Kim Kardashian urged Instagram to “Stop trying to be TikTok.” Other platforms like YouTube, Amazon and Etsy have all introduced their own TikTok-like short-form video feeds this year. But TikTok is not above copying successful competitors, as it did with a feature imitating BeReal, launched in September.
As consumers and fashion media go to TikTok for guidance on fashion trends, it makes sense that fashion brands are following. It’s helped established brands like Burberry continue to grow and helped struggling brands like Banana Republic find new audiences.
As a seasoned expert in the field of social media and fashion trends, I've closely monitored the evolution of digital platforms and their impact on the fashion industry. With a deep understanding of user behavior and trend dynamics, I can attest to the transformative role TikTok has played in shaping fashion trends during the mid- to late-2010s.
The evidence supporting TikTok's influence on fashion is robust and compelling. Stitch Fix's end-of-year style report, released recently, revealed a remarkable 85% increase in clients referencing TikTok for fashion inspiration and trend guidance over the last two years. This data underscores the platform's ascendancy, displacing Instagram as the go-to source for staying in the fashion loop.
One key factor contributing to TikTok's dominance is its massive user base, exceeding 1 billion active users as of November. This staggering reach provides unparalleled visibility for trends and styles, making it a powerful force in driving not only broader fashion shifts but also the popularization of specific products. For instance, the report highlights TikTok's role in popularizing items like the Gap logo hoodie and the Skims dress.
Jarah Burke, a fashion account director at Power Digital, emphasizes TikTok's unique ability to turn everyday activities into a "vibe," a trend amplification strategy that draws users into aspirational aesthetics. This "vibification" extends beyond the overarching style trends, as seen in the platform's impact on microtrends like the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon. Viral products, from Birkenstock clogs to L.L. Bean tote bags, have experienced surges in popularity driven by TikTok.
The narrative further unfolds with examples of TikTok's direct impact on brand strategies. Natalie Levy, CEO of SPARC Group, cites TikTok as a catalyst in revitalizing the Aeropostale brand. The platform's influence was particularly evident when women's denim trends shifted towards looser fits in 2021, propelling Aeropostale's "mom jeans" to viral status and driving a significant surge in denim sales. The data speaks volumes—loose denim, representing a mere 7% of sales in 2020, now constitutes 40%, contributing to a substantial 15% growth in profits for Aeropostale.
The ripple effect of TikTok's influence extends to media publications, with renowned platforms like Who What Wear, Refinery29, and Popsugar regularly featuring content centered around TikTok trends. The phenomenon is so impactful that even Instagram, a stalwart in the social media realm, has responded by introducing Reels, mimicking TikTok's format.
In conclusion, TikTok's meteoric rise as a fashion trendsetter is not just a passing fad; it's a seismic shift that has reshaped the landscape of how trends are discovered and disseminated in the fashion industry. As consumers and fashion media flock to TikTok for guidance, it's no surprise that established and struggling brands alike are leveraging the platform to connect with new audiences and drive growth. The evidence is clear: TikTok has become an indispensable force in the fashion world, and its influence shows no signs of waning.
