In Piper Sandler’s 50th “Taking Stock With Teens” survey, On Running surpassed HOKA in popularity among upper-income teens for the first time in six cycles. Meanwhile, Nike’s decline appears to be slowing, and overall teen spending dropped 6 percent year-over-year to $2,213.
Key findings from Fall 2025 survey
Piper Sandler’s latest survey of nearly 11,000 US teens (average age 15.7) revealed several important shifts in youth brand sentiment and spending behavior. Nevertheless, Nike continues to dominate as the top clothing brand for teens, with Hollister ranking second and Brandy Melville ranking third among upper-income teens.
In footwear, Nike remained the top brand, followed by Adidas and New Balance. Notably, On Running overtook Hoka for the first time in the past six survey reads, to place fourth and fifth, respectively. After prior periods of decline, Nike’s mindshare held firm in footwear this fall, and its position in clothing is still the top rank. Nike’s stabilization may signal that its brand equity is holding firm, but the earlier erosion underscores its vulnerability. Brands should monitor whether Nike can convert that stabilization into renewed growth or if challengers will continue to chip away at its dominance.
The rise of On at the expense of HOKA suggests that agile, performance-lifestyle brands are resonating more strongly with younger, value-conscious consumers. For European brands with strengths in running and technical apparel, these trends offer a window into evolving preferences in the US teen market – often a bellwether for global youth culture.
One athlete is among the most popular celebrities
The top-rated celebrity was Adam Sandler, followed by LeBron James, Drake and Taylor Swift. Teens reported their favorite influencer as MrBeast and in second was LeBron James who held the distinction of both celebrity and influencer.
Teen self-reported annual spending fell to $2,213, marking a 6 percent decline year-over-year and continuing a longer-term downward trend (–1 percent average over 10 years). Amazon remains the number one shopping website by a wide margin for upper-income teens. The spending contraction – amid inflation and tighter household budgets – reinforces that value, authenticity, and quality continue to matter more than ever.
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