Primark says Gen Z is denim obsessed

The UK’s love affair with denim shows no signs of waning with 2.5 million women (nearly one in 10) wearing their wardrobe staple daily and spending £3.2 billion a year in the process.

And Gen Z is ensuring its appeal remains strong, with 28% of the age group wearing denim for any occasion, from workwear (17%) to even weddings (10%), according to findings from value fashion/lifestyle giant Primark.

Its commissioned report shows the North of England is driving denim demand, with Mancunians and Geordies (both 12%) currently owning 10 or more pairs of jeans UK. But when it comes to style, classic looks dominate in the South as London emerges as “the capital for baggy jeans”.

And of course, all this fits in with Primark currently “reinvent[ing] its new affordable denim collection “to ensure great fit is across every style this Autumn/Winter season” accompanied by its first ever denim ad campaign launched earlier this month.

Back to the findings, 42% of women are now embracing double denim with Gen Z firmly leading the way “thanks to the Y2K revival trend bringing back this bold look with a strong dose of early 2000s nostalgia”.

Southerners are far more likely to go for classic denim shapes, compared to Northerners who are a bit more adventurous, exploring new styles.

Almost a quarter of Londoners (23%) say that baggy jeans are their favourite style, while mom jeans are the most popular in Birmingham and straight-legs are the overwhelming preference for Bristolians (62%). Meanwhile for Scots, in Edinburgh, high waisted are the city’s style of choice for almost a third (30%) and Glasgow comes out on top for favouring the low-rise look (10%).

As to what’s behind the perfect pair of jeans, almost three-quarters of UK women say it’s finding the right level of comfort and fit that’s the most important consideration when buying new denim. This is followed by price (55%), style (41%) and fabric quality (26%), highlighting the need for more affordable, quality fashion choices on the high street to meet the needs of female shoppers.

In response, Primark said it has revamped its latest denim collection “to meet rising demand for better fit and quality, without the premium price tag”. The  new denim collection features a curated range of 10 standout styles “specifically designed to combine comfort, quality, and fashion-forward cuts at unbeatable prices starting at just £12 for its Palazzo jeans”.

After over 18 months of work to refine its fit, sizing, styles and quality, Primark recently launched its first-ever ‘In Denim We Can’ ad campaign in the UK and Autumn/Winter 2025 denim collection in all 197 UK stores, including Click & Collect.