The fashion industry in 2025 is undergoing a major transformation, driven by changing consumer preferences and rapid technological advancements. Today’s shoppers are more connected, more discerning, and more digitally savvy than ever before. From mobile-first browsing habits to AI-powered recommendations and social commerce trends, the way consumers interact with fashion brands is evolving fast.
The Drapers Connected Consumer 2025 report—produced in partnership with Feedonomics—shares insights from a study of 2,000 UK consumers and offers a deep dive into these shifting behaviors, plus how they impact ecommerce strategies moving forward.
Keep reading for some of the biggest takeaways from the report, and don’t forget to download the full study to see how the industry is evolving.
Mobile commerce takes the lead
In a significant shift, 40% of consumers now prefer shopping on mobile, up from 31% in 2024. Mobile has officially overtaken physical stores (33%) and desktops (26%) as the go-to channel for fashion purchases.
Even traditionally slower adopters are catching up:
- 47% of older millennials (35–44) now prefer mobile, up from 33%.
- 25% of baby boomers (55–60) now shop on mobile, up from 20%.
This isn’t just a Gen Z trend—mobile-first shopping is the new normal across generations.
Social media is the sales engine for fashion
Social commerce continues to surge:
- 45% of consumers are influenced by Instagram, up from 40%.
- 39% are influenced by TikTok, up sharply from 29% last year.
- For Gen Z, TikTok’s influence is massive: 66% say it drives their fashion purchases.
Even more telling, 39% have made purchases directly through social media posts, and 25% have shopped via live events, highlighting how content is now commerce.
Feedonomics makes selling easy on top social commerce sites
AI is creating relevant offers for shoppers
Artificial intelligence is changing how people discover products:
- 74% of under-35s say they buy items recommended by AI.
- Overall, 15% buy frequently and 42% buy sometimes based on AI recommendations.
Consumers respond best to relevant suggestions, seamless browsing, and smart discovery tools, not generic storefronts.
Online and offline still matter
While mobile leads, 33% of shoppers still prefer physical stores, particularly older shoppers (46% of those aged 55–60). In-store satisfaction is growing, but there’s room for improvement—just 28% of boomers are “very satisfied” with stores, citing long queues and poor stock availability.
This highlights the need for a true omnichannel strategy—combining the convenience of ecommerce with the tactile benefits of physical retail.
Convenience is king for delivery and payments
- 84% won’t pay over £5 for standard delivery.
- Yet, 45% of 18–34s are willing to pay for same-day delivery.
- PayPal is now the top online payment method (37%, up from 25%).
- BNPL usage has dropped to 12% overall, but remains strong among 25–34s (62%).
Consumers demand speed, flexibility, and simplicity at checkout—slow or clunky processes are a dealbreaker.
The modern fashion shopper is both impulsive and intentional
Today’s shoppers aren’t easily categorized as either impulsive or meticulous:
- 41% of purchases are impulsive
- 48% are considered
- 76% of 18–24s browse fashion online weekly, but don’t always buy immediately.
This means brands need to have a presence at multiple touchpoints along the customer journey to cater to inspiration and intention. Offering wishlists, reminders, and smart product suggestions can convert browsers into buyers.
For more insights about how the ecommerce fashion industry is evolving, read the full report from Drapers.
Mario is a senior content marketing manager based in Texas. He enjoys solving problems, learning about new ecommerce tech, and breaking down complex topics into useful tips for readers.
