Established apparel brands have an authenticity advantage among shoppers surveyed for True Religion, but those consumers also expect familiar labels to evolve.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents said long-standing brands feel more authentic than newer labels, while 75 percent said established brands should evolve with changing styles and consumer tastes.
The findings come from a Wired Research survey commissioned by True Religion. The poll, conducted online June 1 to 12, included 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18 to 45 who had purchased apparel for themselves in the previous six months.
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Brand reputation also factored into respondents’ purchasing decisions, the Los Angeles-born label found. Three-quarters said reputation influenced their choices, while 69 percent said legacy and reputation drew them to heritage brands.
The findings suggest that established names retain appeal among these shoppers, even as consumers reconsider how they spend. Ninety-four percent of respondents said they become more selective about where and how they spend when prices rise. But in a June survey, only 20 percent expected to spend less for the rest of 2026.
“What we’re seeing is not simply a pullback in spending, but a more selective consumer who is making deliberate choices about which brands are worth it,” said Danielle Sherman, founder and chief executive officer of Wired Research.
True Religion says shoppers value trust over low prices. That said, the shared statement does not show how respondents ranked the two or how much extra they would pay to buy from a trusted brand.
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