How trends become trends

I thought this summary would be of interest here because we don't really think of stats or mediators as shaping trends between high street and the runway.

http://www.frenchminimalist.co.....ts-trendy/

9 years ago

General

10 replies

Latest reply was from UmmLila (Lisa)

Aziraphale

Veteran

I had always wondered who actually "sets" the trends! Although that article doesn't really answer it. Who do you think "decides"? My guess --and it's really just a guess -- would be young-ish, "cool" (there is no other word) urbanites who have the confidence to experiment. I think it trickles down from there. Older people whom we'd identify as "stylish" have had more experience with fashion, have seen many trends come and go (and have lived through repeats of old trends!) -- plus, they have had time to develop their own personal style. So I would guess they are on the whole more judicious and selective when it comes to incorporating really new silhouettes -- i.e. they're less likely to be bandwagon-jumpers.

9 years ago

Anonymous

Some people are just good at this. Those companies who advise on trends should hire my DSIL. She sees these things before others. As an older person who has seen many trends come and go and return, often a future trend is a reaction to a current trend. If chunky jewelry is the style of the moment, it will not be long before delicate is in. The opposite starts looking fresh...like wide pants after years of skinnies or high rise after mostly hip riders. At my age, nothing looks really new, just a return to an older trend, although it may be tweaked. I suspect that long pants will be making a comeback, maybe for fall or fall 2018 or as soon as everyone has a closet full of crops.

9 years ago

Penny

Veteran

Interesting article - I imagine that there's always an interplay between forces of influence (the fashion and retail industry) and people of influence in creating and maintaining trends . . .

9 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This is my interpretation:

http://youlookfab.com/2010/07/.....f-a-trend/

WE THE PEOPLE can keep a trend alive despite it losing favour with designers.

9 years ago

cindysmith

Veteran

OK, Angie, I love how you are this human data retrieval machine LOL. Seriously, how you are able to recall all the posts you've done, and do it so quickly, is awesome!

Sometimes, I believe there is a secret cabal that meets to decide "let's see if we can get people to fall for this random trend"

And sometimes I think it's just a matter of the starts aligning. Right garment on right person at right time, and BOOM trend explodes.

9 years ago

Anonymous

My brothers' had one or two friends who had jobs telling people what's cool (not sure if it was part time or full time :-)). As in, they had been hired for their expertise in coolness, and their job was to tell people what was cool to them (ie: what will be cool to normal people in the next few years.) I think it went beyond just clothing.

These people are definitely trend setters and have a strong sense of style and confidence.

My brothers told me about this a while ago, when they were in their mid/late 20's.

9 years ago

Anonymous

There was a really interesting 99% Invisible episode about trend forecasting not long ago.

http://99percentinvisible.org/.....-forecast/

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Love these links! Great topic! Makes me think of that immortal scene (one of several) from Devil Wears Prada, where Meryl Streep scathes Anne Hathaway, telling her why she's wearing teal.

It occurs to me to dust off the definition between fad and trend. Colour of the year is fad in my book, trend is longer lasting...5 to 10 years.

Anyways, I think there IS such a thing as zeitgeist. Some people are aware of it and some are just swept along by it.

I think the sweet spot for an idea must be the vast majority that has certain boundaries and sensitivities, but that can make small adjustments in course (to the point, given time, will find themselves going back in the direction they started from). Trend makers are people who can play it just right and take the long view and never forget the forever core values of most people. It's all very Mad Men. I mean, who ever really needed a slide projector and a smart phone? Except that they are ways to keep doing what we like to do... ie, look at cat pictures

Btw, I feel designers and stores have been very off for quite some time now... I don't know what that says for companies who advise on the matter.

9 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I find trend forecasting fascinating. I think the forecasters get their information by immersing themselves in style culture from runways to the street and then there is feedback from consumers that ultimately reject or accept certain things. Basically what Angie said in her article. I have also noticed that most trends take a year or so to perculate - I am waiting to debut my bow shoes at the right moment .

9 years ago

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

In my next career I would like to be a trend forecasting anthropologist

9 years ago

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