Overview
- Trend content has surpassed 50 million TikTok views, anchored by a Nov. 5 Jason Gyamfi post that drew roughly 24 million views and pushed the look from feeds to the streets.
- Retail and search metrics show a clear spike, including a 25% sales rise among 18- to 24-year-olds since mid-2024 and a 2,250% jump in Google searches for business-casual quarter zips.
- The movement is especially visible among young Black men, recasting a preppy staple as a professional, lower-cost swap for tech fleece that can sell for under $25 versus well over $100 for branded alternatives.
- Economic pressures help explain the appeal, with Gen Z male unemployment around 9.1% in Q2 2025 and entry-level openings down about 29% since early 2024.
- Designers and celebrities have leaned in—Tremaine Emory highlighted his own releases, Tommy Hilfiger cheered the moment, and T-Pain sported a Louis Vuitton version—even as some writers question how long the wave will last.