Is anonymity the new luxury? Gen-Z in America says yes

The trend of anonymous luxury in the US is a result of the changing values and lifestyles of the younger generation of Americans

In recent years it has become very simple for American fashionistas to purchase a Prada skirt from the Spring 1992 collection, a five-figure vintage Rolex, or a pair of sneakers that they’ve just seen on the street on the Internet. If it’s absolutely impossible to find what you’re looking for, all you have to do is recruit a “fashion sourcer” from Threads Styling. In the US, consumers can track down anything they desire, whether it be an expensive bag or a skirt by a designer that they’ve just discovered 30 seconds ago on Instagram.

The ease with which one can now obtain any fashionable garment that comes to mind might explain something that young American consumers are doing which highlights a new trend in consumption: looking on Google for pieces which no else has and that are hard to find because they can’t be associated with any brand or style.

In the American fashion sector, it’s Gen-Z that has launched this latest trend, turning “no-brand” into a new kind of luxury

The popularity of unbranded jewelry is growing in the American fashion market, while “logo-mania” is waning

The 2021 sales report of The RealReal – the biggest e-commerce website for the resale of authenticated luxury goods – confirms it. The company keeps track of the demand for certain categories of merchandise in America (luxury watches and jewelry are on the rise) and, above all, observes consumer behavior. Last year it noticed a reduction in “seasonal” purchases, while in its latest report it indicated the most popular “high value” brands (those with items over $1000) in the US, but the list includes an anomaly. Chanel is number 1, and in second place there’s..... Mr. Nobody.

The demand for unbranded jewelry in the United States beat out other more well-known luxury labels. This ranking isn’t specific to jewelry: American consumers are simply purchasing more unbranded bracelets, chains, and rings as compared to the latest “It bags”.

One of the reasons that the sale of unbranded or discrete jewelry has gone up among members of Gen-Z in the US is because these are personal, timeless, and generally anonymous objects, unless they have a particularly recognizable design. Furthermore, jewelry is a durable item that can be passed down to the next generation.

In this era, what’s more luxurious than owning something that no one else can have, at least not easily? For Generation Z and also for some Millennials it’s about identity. New American consumers have fun with fashion. They’re less driven by logos and only want pieces that represent their personality, making them feel comfortable.

Selling vintage garments in the US can also attract Gen-Z consumers: it’s the boom of pre-2000 apparel

Those who wish to sell unbranded jewelry and clothing in the United States must consider the needs and new consumer behaviors of Gen-Z and Millennials

Recently many young American consumers have begun purchasing pre-2000 articles of clothing in order to stand out from their friends. But this change in consumer habits has been happening for a long time: today people are more concerned with experiences and things that are important to their lives, and therefore have reevaluated the meaning of individuality, generosity, and sustainability.

The result of all of this is the new meaning that consumers of fashion in the United States ascribe to clothing and accessories. In addition to the success of vintage clothing among Americans from 16 to 35 years old, evaluating the sustainability of what is purchased is becoming increasingly more common among American consumers, as is selling or donating old clothing in order to extend its life cycle.

Money and prestige are no longer essential to turning heads in the street and most American buyers are as concerned with their own values as they are with being fashionable. Anyone, in any American city, can purchase luxury brands, especially because resale and second-hand items are very affordable. On the other hand, personal style is much harder to find, and that’s why, to obtain relevance in the American market selling jewelry and clothing, one must be familiar with the demands and habits of those who will be the future’s primary consumers.

Gen-Z Americans are developing consumption habits that could be more long-lived than we expect

European companies that intend to export and sell unbranded jewelry and clothing in the United States must find a way to be in line with the values of the younger generation of American consumers. Before setting off, it’s necessary to figure out what the lifestyle of your potential client in the US is. What are the possible occasions for use?