As a trend consultant at Zukunftsinstitut, the German institute for researching future trends, I have a deep understanding of the factors that contribute to the rise and fall of fashion trends. In this article, I will share my expert insights on the influence of celebrities and culture on fashion trends. Fashion trends are constantly evolving and changing, but have you ever wondered where they come from? A trend is a change, a movement. It starts when a color, a product, a silhouette, a pattern, a material or a style becomes popular in a specific period of time. And by popular, we mean that most people adopt, imitate, or replicate a particular style. In addition to fashion editors judging looks, these shows are often star-studded events.
It's not uncommon to see a celebrity in the front row at a fashion show. And because of this relationship between celebrities and fashion brands, we're beginning to understand why certain trends are triumphing. Celebrities have a huge influence on the fashion industry. They want to know what celebrities do, how they live their lives and, most importantly, what they wear. That's why, if a celebrity is photographed wearing a particular style or designer, it's not uncommon for people to imitate this style.
In this context, it's easy to see the variety of styles, from fashion shows to celebrities to the average consumer. For example, a fashion designer can design a collection that is heavily inspired by Y2K. Then, the celebrities who were invited to their fashion show can see clothes on stage that they want to buy and wear. Once enough celebrities wear these outfits, a particular style starts to receive more publicity and suddenly people label it as a trend. Style and trends often have a trickle-down effect. At the top we have fashion brands that design the styles.
And then celebrities choose to wear the fashion they like. But just because a celebrity wears something doesn't mean that style is going to become a trend. Style doesn't become a trend until someone declares it. Remember those fashion magazines we talked about before? They are at fashion shows to report on the clothes that are presented, but they are also there to report on the clothes worn by the celebrities who attend. People go to these media to catalog the styles that celebrities prefer and tell us what is going to become a trend.
Using influential people as ambassadors is, therefore, a great potential for brands, especially when it comes to establishing trends. Fashion brands can take advantage of established influencers who promote their products and set new trends with them. Culture plays an important role in creating trends. It can be influenced by everything from art and music to politics and social movements. For example, the rise of urban fashion as a fashion trend can be attributed to the influence of hip-hop and street culture. In the same way, political and social movements can also influence the emergence of a trend.
For example, the recent trend towards sustainable and ecological products can be attributed to growing concern for the environment and the need to reduce the ecological footprint. As with the example of the pandemic, throughout history there have been many changes in culture, technology and economic and social conditions, and fashion has reflected them with different trends. By designing and photographing themselves in a variety of ways with these expensive garments, fashion bloggers create new trends that they share with their many followers. While you can find fashion trends anywhere, there are certain fashion centers known for their incredible style. Bloggers are fashion influencers who show the rest of us how to wear the latest looks and start new trends. If before celebrities were the only pioneers to adopt new trends and printed issues of magazines were the only place to read about trends, today influential people and social creators can address consumers' needs and desires and inform everyone about trends before an editor even writes about them. But if you've been reading Glam Observer for a while, you'll know that fashion is much more than what's in fashion this season, and a trend is much more than we should wear now to be in trend. Celebrities are, without a doubt, one of the most influential forces in the rise of fashion trends.
First of all, let's start by saying that trends aren't just created and influenced by the fashion industry itself. Designers, fashionistas, bloggers and publishers flock to these trendy spots to capture unique trends and immortalize them in their sketchbooks. Urban style looks play a fundamental role in creating trends during fashion week, as well as the runway itself.