Welcome to the 2022 holiday edition of the Poshmark Canada Trend Report! ‘Tis the season for family, friends, festivity – and, of course, shopping. Secondhand is playing a bigger role than ever in holiday gifting, and that makes this season a huge opportunity (think $1.5 trillion – that’s right, trillion) for our sellers. You’ve got plenty on your plate getting ready to celebrate with the ones you love, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to bring that holiday magic to your Poshmark closet.
We’ve sifted through consumer surveys, industry reports and exclusive data from Poshmark Canada to deliver this report charting shopping behaviours across the platform, designed to help you make informative business decisions, while sourcing inventory for your closet and broadening your knowledge of trending items and styles. These trending brands, categories, and department highlights are based on growth rates in order volume—it has everything you need to know and more!
Read on and get ready to help make your shoppers’ holiday wishes come true!
Value-conscious Shopping Shines Bright For the Holidays
Shoppers are poised to make more budget-friendly buying choices this holiday season, with an eye toward the best deals and the lowest prices driven by ongoing concerns about the economy and rising costs. That means secondhand has a great opportunity to make some serious inroads into holiday wishlists – good news for both your sales outlook and the future of the planet.
1Deloitte, “Holiday Retail Outlook”
2 Cision, “Rakuten survey finds inflation will impact, but not reduce, Canadians’ holiday spending”
Search Demand: From Puffers to Patagonia, Cozy is Key
The holiday season is right around the corner, and we’re taking the guesswork out of shopping this year—we’ve got you covered with the most in-demand, top-searched items.
The ever-popular puffer continues to be a staple, but shoppers are looking for a range of options in the stylish-warmth category—from the luxury outerwear of Canadian heavy hitters Moose Knuckles and Canada Goose, to the tried-and-true trench coats, quilted coats, and shearling-lined aviator jackets (think “Top Gun” without the flight suits).
Consumers are also gearing up for those brisk holiday days by stocking up on items like Birkenstock Boston Clogs, which took social media by storm this past year with their comfort and versatility, and Patagonia fleeces. Patagonia is a star in the sustainable space, so we’re pleased to report that their longstanding, broad appeal to granola girls, streetwear aficionados, and everyone in between has kept them at the top of the trending search terms for years.
Women’s Top Brands + Categories: Pants Go Wide and Loose —Anything But Skinny
Nobody’s going to miss those Zoom holiday parties, but neither are we letting go of the comfort-driven styles of the pandemic. Just look at the interest in Lululemon Athletica wear, UGGs, and the viral success of Abercrombie’s rebrand, featuring comfy and flattering denim styles (see: Ultra High Rise ‘90s Straight Jean and Curve Love) that are sure to be worn on repeat this winter. Gen Z shoppers continue to wield their purchasing power, helping to drive success for brands like Levi’s and Dynamite.
Meanwhile, it’s official: RIP to the skinny pant. This year, orders for wide-leg pants and jumpsuits are up 30%, trousers are up 26%, and trendy shoppers are pairing these looser denim styles with bodysuits (31%) and blazers (28%) to achieve an effortless and perfectly-proportionate look.
Men’s Top Brands + Categories: Casual Cool to the Core
The Gorpcore trend—putting an everyday spin on functional gear designed for the outdoorsy set—is driving demand for outdoor brands like Patagonia, Columbia, Arc’Teryx, and The North Face.
Stylish comfort is the key to menswear this holiday season, personified by the dadcore aesthetic. We’re seeing high interest in button-downs, Polo by Ralph Lauren, and slim-straight jeans alongside the casual cool of a bomber or varsity jacket (up 55%).
The enduringly durable appeal of workwear continues to be on display, as shoppers gravitate toward cargo pants, vests, boots, and of course, the venerable workwear icon Carhartt.
Kids’ Top Brands + Categories: Sleep Sacks and Winter Gear
Cute, cozy, and comfy are top priority for Poshmark’s littlest ones, with those soft and sustainable bamboo sleep sacks from Kyte Baby (the new Harry Potter-themed line is a must-have) trending alongside stuffed animals. Shoppers are anticipating the particularly cold weather that is predicted this winter, and we’re seeing Bogs and Sorel climb the ranks alongside winter jackets and boots.
Keeping the kiddos entertained is also high on the list, with toys from cars to dolls topping the charts. Nothing beats the meteoric momentum of Monster High, up 1600% thanks to the family-friendly fun promised by the recent seasonally spooky musical movie.
Home Top Brands + Categories: Decking Out the Tree and the Table
Poshmark is the go-to place to keep your holiday decorating game fresh, whether it’s something new to top the tree or that sold-out Keepsake ornament from Hallmark (+400% YoY). In fact, we’re seeing Hallmark ornaments up 330%, confirming that it’s never too early to get a jump on decking those halls.
After a few years of holidays spent apart, shoppers are getting ready to host for the holidays again and are looking for a little style at the dinner table while they’re at it. Interest is peaking around all-things for the kitchen, from bakeware and serveware, to kitchen tools and Tupperware.
And it’s not just holiday decorations that are getting a refresh. Interest is up generally in home décor, with design stalwart Ikea standing the test of time, and Kate Spade trending for a more sophisticated take.
Top-Selling Electronics Brands: Wearable Tech for Work and Life
With many shoppers still remote or hybrid, interest is high in accessories that make working from home easier, healthier, and just more fun. Smart watches from Apple and Fitbit are on every wrist these days, reminding us to take a moment out to get unstuck from our chairs and move around, and headphones are a crucial component of everything from conference calls to exercise, not to mention those long airport layovers when you’re traveling home for the holidays. The endless churn of new models and incremental updates help make these gadgets a hot resale item for the price-conscious.
Luxury Top Selling + Trending Brands: Star Power Shakes Up the List
Some classics never go out of style. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel have long topped our list of best-selling luxury brands, and this year is no exception. From the Louis Vuitton Bum Bag to Chanel ballet flats, demand for these legendary European fashion houses has never been higher. Enduring demand for the chunky lug sole Prada loafers (searches up 118% YoY) helped secure Prada’s place on the list once again.
But there were some shifts to the luxury market status quo this year, as Balenciaga surged thanks to the star power of brand ambassador Kim Kardashian and the Le Cagole bag that rode the resurgence of the Y2K city bag onto every Gen Z wishlist. Dior also climbed the ranks with the help of timeless pieces like their sunglasses (up 100% YoY), the much-loved Dior Saddle Bag, and the Dior Book Tote, a gem of both practicality and beauty.
Spotlight: Trending Luxury Brands
With the return of late ‘90s and Y2K fashions, French designer Jean Paul Gaultier (+191% YoY) has reclaimed his status as a staple influence, this time with the Gen Z crowd. With pop culture sightings on everyone from Euphoria’s Kat Hernandez to Carrie Bradshaw in the HBO reboot of Sex and the City, trendsetters are taking note.
The loss of fashion icon Virgil Abloh, who passed away in late 2021, ignited a frenzy for streetwear lovers across Canada, with sales of his luxury label, Off-White, jumping 503% YoY.
If you’re looking for a quick way to upgrade your space and show off just a tiny bit, candles and small home decor pieces are key. A well-placed candle offers an easy hit of opulence and luxury, so it’s no surprise that Diptyque is trending this year.
Top-Selling, Sustainability-Driven Brands: Creating Clothes That Do Right By the Planet
Of course, anything you buy on Poshmark has the sustainable glow of secondhand, but some brands make it part of their purpose. While functional gear from outdoor brands like Patagonia and The North Face get a lot of attention in the sustainability space, consumers are also showing love for the stylish looks of brands like Reformation, Eileen Fisher and Everlane, which have found ways to be both elevated and earth-conscious.
Today’s Influencers Meet Yesterday’s Influences
Cultural powerhouse TikTok continues to shape what we watch, listen to, think about and, of course, buy. We’ve seen the platform drive viral demand for products ranging from the Steve Madden tote to best-selling books (all hail Colleen Hoover, Queen of BookTok!). Whether shoppers are looking for sold-out and hard-to-find styles, or closing the loop with more sustainable shopping, they’re turning to Poshmark to find the things that everyone’s talking about.
Another trend with staying power, Y2K, continues to hold sway. This year, we saw miniskirts take center stage, from vintage-style sequined minis to the more modern mini from Miu Miu—the Y2K influence is in full effect on Poshmark.
Trend Report Methodology
