Is the attachment to fashion the same among European women? What about their sensitivity to trends? These are the questions addressed by the ‘Fashion Report 2023/24’ survey conducted by Ipsos Institute for the German brand Bonprix (part of the Otto Group), which examines fashion consumption in seven countries across the Europe.

An international survey linked to a previous installment, unveiled last November, which highlighted the fact that French women wear only two-thirds of their clothing.

The second installment sheds light on “a significant consensus” shared by the citizens of the seven countries studied (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands) regarding eco-responsibility. Some 76% of European women still find it somewhat complex to determine whether an item is genuinely eco-friendly or not. Polish, French, and Italian women are more sensitive to eco-responsible criteria than German, Austrian, Swiss, or Dutch women.

“Our mission, and that of other fashion brands, is clear: there needs to be more transparency and information on this issue. Consumers should not feel that sustainability is a complex challenge,” asserted Carolin Klar, the CEO of Bonprix, who commissioned the study from Ipsos Institute.

A majority of the 7,100 women surveyed also consider clothing as an asset for feeling confident and enhancing their self-assurance (85% of respondents). What are their favorite garments? In most represented countries, jeans are the favorite piece (for over a third of Italian and Polish women and for 29% of French women), while in Germany and the Netherlands, it’s the sweater that is most popular.

This comparison of European countries also reveals differences in emotional attachment to fashion. In Italy and Poland, women have a stronger emotional connection to fashion (with certain garments playing a “lucky charm” role) than in other countries studied. More than half of the respondents find it challenging to find beautiful clothing that fits their body shape and would like to find more clothing suitable for all sizes.

Different sensitivity to trends across countries

The survey showed that over 90% of European consumers declare buying items they like, without being influenced by trends. However, sensitivity to trends is stronger for Polish (68%), French (67%), and Italian (66%) women than for German-speaking countries like Switzerland, Austria, and Germany (less than 60% on average).

According to Carl Tillessen, a trend analyst at the German Fashion Institute, this discrepancy in results is explained by the gap between consumers’ daily behavior and their survey responses.

“This is very often the case with the desire to consume more eco-responsibly […] People are increasingly criticizing the speed at which fashion trends come and go, and the sustainability of clothing continues to gain importance in their eyes.”

“I am personally delighted to see that 85% of all women surveyed feel that fashion gives them confidence and that 65% of them strive to buy more eco-responsible pieces,” added Carolin Klar, CEO of Bonprix. The objective of this digital survey for the German fashion brand was to compare the expectations of its consumers and thus better understand its target audience in its main European markets.

Founded in 1986 in the port city of Hamburg, Bonprix is present in more than 25 countries and claims 16 million active customers. For the 2022/2023 fiscal year (ending on February 28, 2023), the company achieved a turnover of 1.76 billion euros through exports. The Otto Group (About You, Quelle, Limango, etc.), a major player in distance selling worldwide, achieved 16.2 billion for the same period.

*The online survey was conducted in the first half of 2023 by Ipsos polling institute in partnership with Bonprix brand among 7,100 women, a representative sample of the population, living in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands.