Australian fashion shoppers blend aspiration with practicality

New research from Nexxen outlines how Australians are approaching fashion content, revealing patterns in consumer engagement, purchasing behaviour, and media preferences across both linear and digital TV.

The data, derived from the Nexxen Discovery platform, provides insight into who makes up Australia's online fashion audience and how their interests extend beyond the realm of style into broader lifestyle content.

The online fashion consumer

Nexxen's findings show that the majority of online fashion engagement is driven by women, accounting for 53 per cent of the total audience. However, fashion viewership remains broadly inclusive across genders. The most active segment comprises individuals aged 25 to 44, who represent 35 per cent of the total share. This cohort, according to Nexxen, wields significant influence due to their fashion interests and spending power.

The study highlights that fashion shoppers in Australia gravitate towards established editorial sites such as Vogue and Marie Claire. At the same time, they also look for practical, accessible brands including Zara and Princess Polly. The consumer behaviour documented by Nexxen is described as a balanced blend of aspiration and practicality, reflecting an openness to both luxury inspiration and accessible purchasing options.

Nexxen's audience insights reveal that fashion consumers are most active on Thursdays and Sundays, with notable browsing activity during late night hours between 12am and 3am, as well as in the evening during 4pm–6pm and 7pm–9pm periods. The timing suggests optimal windows for advertising campaigns to reach consumers who are actively searching for inspiration or preparing to make a purchase.

Cross-category interests

The report extends beyond core style topics, showing that fashion-minded audiences display significant interest in adjacent lifestyle domains. According to the data, these individuals are 2.3 times more likely to engage with beauty and skincare content and 1.5 times more likely to explore entertainment-related material.

Nexxen's analysis points to the value of designing advertising strategies that go beyond style, aligning with these complementary themes to enhance message relevance and overall consumer engagement.

Linear TV investment

In addition to digital engagement, fashion brands have made deliberate decisions regarding linear TV advertising, particularly in the first half of the year. According to Nexxen, leading advertisers invested in programming that commands public attention and conveys trust, including weekly news broadcasts, sports events such as the AFL and State of Origin, and primetime entertainment like MAFS and MasterChef.

The company's data shows that Australia's prominent fashion brands encompass a spectrum from everyday names like Big W, BONDS and TK Maxx, to premium labels including Ralph Lauren, Rolex and Rado. While some advertisers aim for maximum reach across households, others opt for frequent exposure to encourage repeat consideration and increase brand recall.

As a result, Nexxen observes that the linear TV advertising space has become increasingly competitive. The platform recommends that brands looking to stand out should "complement broad-reach linear activity with strategic streaming activations, leveraging audience data and targeting capabilities to reinforce messaging, increase relevance, and drive outcomes across the funnel."

Adspend patterns and promotional timing

According to Nexxen, retailers intensified their linear TV adspend in April and June, coinciding with mid-year and end-of-financial-year (EOFY) sales activity. The increased competition during these periods often creates a crowded advertising environment, potentially making it more challenging for smaller or newer fashion brands to gain traction.

The research advises brands on ways to improve visibility: "To cut through the clutter, brands should consider starting promotions before peak periods, such as launching Black Friday campaigns in October rather than a crowded November."

It also notes further recommendations for marketing strategy: "Additionally, integrated omnichannel campaigns help build awareness early, reinforce messaging across screens and devices, and keep audiences connected throughout the purchase journey."

Nexxen leverages data from 1.9 million smart TVs in Australia, sourced via the VIDAA ACR system on devices such as Hisense and Toshiba, to support its findings on audience engagement with fashion content across screens.