The survey reveals the top five loved stores as Mr Price, Ackermans, Pep Stores, Sportscene and Markham.
There are many reasons why interest in denim has consistently remained at the forefront of fashion; the primary one is its versatility.
Men can wear jeans with a shirt and still look professional while going to work. The same outfit can be worn to a bar, and it would still be suitable.
Similarly, women can wear jeans with high heels and still look respectable. Change the heels to sneakers, and go run errands.
Another reason for the interest in denim is its affordability. During difficult economic times, South Africans prioritise ways to save money, and buying jeans is one of them because you can get multiple outfits for different occasions from one pair of jeans.
Eighty20 and MoyaApp conducted research to understand the prevalence of denim in the country.
Most jeans bought at Mr Price
Andrew Fulton, director at Eighty20, said jeans are one of the most bought clothing items in the country. Premium brands like G-Star and Levi’s hold aspirational value.
However, it is the affordability and accessibility of retailers like Mr Price that drive volume and keep jeans in everyday wardrobes.
According to the latest Maps dataset, a survey of 20 000 people released quarterly by the Marketing Research Foundation, showed the top five clothing stores in terms of number of shoppers are Mr Price, Ackermans, Pep Stores, Sportscene and Markham, with nearly one in five people shopping at one of these stores in the past quarter.
“Just like their large international counterparts (H&M, G-Star, Zara, Gap and others), it is impossible to imagine not finding some form of denim product on the shelves of any of these stores.”
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12 million adults bought jeans
To get the information, 20 000 registered research panellists on MoyaApp were sent the survey.
Research released in April indicates that 12 million adults in the country have purchased clothing in the past three months, with women’s outerwear and children’s clothing being the most popular categories.
The results are based on 55% women, 45% men, and individuals between the ages of 25 and 44, with a significant proportion of younger adults (18–24).
98% of the respondents said they wear jeans daily, and 80% had purchased denim within the past six months.
Most like skinny
The survey also asked about preferred fit, with 58% of the respondents choosing ‘skinny’.
“This strong preference appears to be driven largely by younger consumers, particularly those aged 25 to 34.
“This age group, which made up 44% of the respondents, accounted for nearly half of all skinny-fit selections and shows a clear leaning toward fitted, fashion-forward styles, solidifying their role as denim trendsetters.”
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What about straight denim?
The survey shows that older adults love looser fits, such as straight and relaxed styles. Meanwhile, the bootcut, once a denim staple, has fallen almost entirely out of favour.
In terms of style preference, 32% opted for a dark wash, followed by 26% who preferred a light wash, and 21% who favoured a ripped or distressed look.
Earlier this year, Mr Price saw gains in cash sales and online growth amid improved consumer spending. The retailer’s retail sales grew by 10.6% to R14.6 billion for the third quarter of its financial year, which ended on 28 December 2024.
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