By Andrea Forssberg | Magazine | November 11, 2022
Cover Illustration: Footlocker in Amsterdam. Simon Ordonez / The Amsterdammer
Magazine writer Andrea Forssberg draws attention to the trend cycle – an index of fashion trends and predictions. The rising speed of the trend cycle is alarming to environmental goals and the issue of overconsumption
The 20-year trend cycle has long been a reliable index of fashion trends and predictions. It helps dictate what consumers wear, what items companies produce and it indicates a timeline for fashion trends. However, in the age of social media, the trend cycle seems to be speeding up and micro trends are increasing in terms of popularity and influence on product consumption. The goal of sustainability within the industry is reshaping companies’ approaches to production, designers’ choice of materials, as well as consumers’ choices. However, with new micro trends rising in popularity across different social media platforms every month, there’s little hope that fast fashion consumption will slow down.
The trend cycle follows five stages according to Masterclass. The first one is called ‘observation’, where a new item is introduced in the fashion landscape. The second stage is ‘increase’, where the item rises in popularity among influencers or celebrities, which makes it considered a trend. The third stage is a ‘peak’, where the item is produced by different retailers and is worn by the general public. The fourth stage is ‘decline’, where the trend is no longer an interesting and fashion-forward choice. ‘Obsolescence’ is the fifth and final stage, where the item is considered outdated by the general public. In simpler terms, the cycle looks like this:
1. You see an item in a runway show.
2. Countless influencers and celebrities are wearing the item.
3. The item is everywhere, it could even be spotted on your commute to work.
4. The online presence of the item is decreasing.
5. If you wear it now, you will be uncool. The clothes that enter the trend cycle will inevitably come out the other side, deemed unworthy.
The cycle has always been closely connected to media. Not too long ago, when media and news cycles still moved a little slower, fashion trends were carefully reported to the general public in real-time. Nowadays, the social media landscape’s whirlwind speeds are responsible for a huge amount of fashion trend promotion; it is the hand that controls the fashion-trend-marionette.
Micro trends are known for moving faster through the cycle than regular trends. However, their speed is alarming: the average consumer often relies on fast fashion companies to keep up with them, while buying designer items is reserved for longevity. Thus, micro trends themselves are promoting fast fashion, which we have deemed a ferocious pollution machine. It is difficult to argue that people should not engage in micro trends at all–the need to fit in is ancient, after all. However, what should be more consciously taken into consideration when ordering garments is how uncool it really is to be on trend when the purchase grants you relevance for a week.
The trend cycle used to guide the route of fashion all on its own, moving through eras deliberately and with precision, but now it has reluctantly befriended social media. Together, they roam through an industry that is desperately aspiring to change the direction of fashion into a more sustainable approach. With consumers in hand, these frenemies set a goal of fast-paced overconsumption. If we – as consumers – keep them as close as we do now, the only relevance we will be able to buy is a dated receipt.
“Nowadays, the social media landscape’s whirlwind speeds are responsible for a huge amount of fashion trend promotion; it is the hand that controls the fashion-trend-marionette.”
Andrea Forssberg is an university student in Amsterdam. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Amsterdammer.
