4 Ways the Fashion Industry Chooses Trends - Daily Front Row (2024)

It’s no secret the fashion industry is huge — it’s everywhere. Even if you’re not what some might call a “fashionista,” you’ve shopped for clothes before, right? In fact, chances are high you’re wearing clothes right now. Well, that means you’re part of the fashion industry — you’re the consumer.The fashion industry is a trillion-dollar global powerhouse. From footwear to apparel, brands are constantly producing pieces with the consumer in mind. And given that trends are always evolving, the industry is in a constant state of movement.Have you ever wondered how fashion trends get decided? Who chooses what styles are trending? How do retailers determine what different wholesale clothing to feature? How do trends go from an idea to something bigger?The fashion industry isn’t just about creative people making great clothes. It’s a science, and those involved have to pay close attention to what’s going on in the world.

What Are Fashion Trends?
To put it simply, fashion trends are styles that become popular. If it’s trending, that means it’s something a lot of people want to wear at a particular point in time. Tie-dye shirts were a fashion trend in the 1960s; today it’s mom jeans.The people responsible for deciding what’s trending are called trend forecasters, and they focus on two specific types of trends: microtrends and macrotrends. Microtrends are items that go in and out of style rather quickly (usually from season to season). For example, checked prints might be popular now, but in a few months, a cheetah print might take its place. Macro trends, on the other hand, stick around for the long haul. Think of macro trends as “decade styles.” For example, bell-bottom jeans would’ve been considered a macro trend in the 1970s.Keep in mind that macro trends don’t necessarily have to be a specific style of clothing — they can be an initiative. This year, especially, sustainable clothing has become a macro trend. This is in response to the backlash the fashion industry has experienced in recent years for wreaking havoc on the environment. Because trends are always changing, clothes are constantly being produced, which creates waste and pollution. Having seen these results, many manufacturers have focused on creating sustainable and environment-friendly clothing in the last couple of years and retailers have been looking to sell more of these clothes. In fact, many brands have started advertising their clothing as eco-friendly. Levi’s, the denim giant, is working toward using 100% sustainably sourced cotton in its products. The company is also committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in the next four to five years. Cuyana, a women’s retail brand, has discussed its goal to work only with family-run businesses in an attempt to reduce overproducing. The company is also on a mission to only use sustainably sourced materials that are better for the environment.

How Are Trends Chosen?
The process of choosing trends has drastically changed throughout the years. There was once a time when trend forecasters relied solely on what they saw in designer fashion shows. Now, thanks to social media, a celebrity Instagram post could determine a trend. (Yes, really.)

Here are four ways trends are chosen in the 21st century:

1. Fashion/Runway Shows
While fashion/runway shows might not be the only way to determine trends anymore, they’re still a major factor. After all, runway looks are created by some of the best fashion designers in the world. And while every show highlights several different pieces, it’s the overall theme that trend forecasters look out for. In 2020, designers brought cashmere and wool back into the fashion industry with several “cozy” runway looks. Now, cashmere two-piece sets and wool tops have become widely embraced fashion trends. It’s important to note that one of the benefits of fashion shows is diversity. The clothing a trend forecaster will see on a New York runway will differ from what they see on one in Tokyo. That’s why trend forecasters pay attention to fashion in every part of the world.

2. Celebrities and Influencers
There’s no denying celebrities have an impact on fashion trends. Even celebrities who aren’t known to the fashion world can inspire next season’s must-have look. Why? Because celebrities have fans who watch their every move. They’re a source of information for many, which is why companies pay celebrities to endorse their brands. Take singer-songwriter Billie Eilish, for example. Her signature style of wearing loose and baggy clothes has inspired an entire generation of fans to do the same.

3. Fashion Bloggers
You might be wondering, “What’s the difference between a fashion blogger and an influencer?” While there can be some overlap between the two, think of fashion bloggers as a more credible source. Fashion bloggers have usually gone to school for fashion or have years of industry experience. Because of their backgrounds, their fashion opinions come from a more informed place. Some fashion bloggers are designers or trend forecasters who share their expertise via their online platforms.

4. Everyday Looks
Believe it or not, trend forecasters pay attention to what everyone wears. They’ll make note of the everyday looks they see while grabbing coffee or going to the grocery store. Celebrities and fashion bloggers aren’t the only people who can inspire a trend. According to Catriona Macnab, WGSN’s chief creative officer, monitoring trends is a constant task. “We can track what’s happening literally all around the world,” she told The Debrief. “If something’s happening in one city, we’ll track that and see where it might hit next and next and next. The customer now demands instant fashion, and they want the trends worn by celebrities, immediately. So we have to react to it. It can change even weekly.” Fashion trends can come out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. They can even come back years later, for seemingly no reason at all. Because trends are always changing, trend forecasters need to remain on high alert. They have to pay attention to what celebrities are wearing, what designers are producing, and what consumers are attracted to. It’s through this careful observation that trends are born and consumers’ needs and desires are met.

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4 Ways the Fashion Industry Chooses Trends - Daily Front Row (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 stages of fashion? ›

A fashion trend's life cycle can be divided into five stages, generally speaking: introduction, rise, peak, decline, and obsolescence. The life cycles of fashion trends today have changed; technology and social media have rendered them much shorter and less predictable than in the past.

How are fashion trends decided? ›

To accurately predict fashion trends one must observe and analyse social cultural movements to project a short, medium or long term impact on the direction of fashion. Trend forecasters use a mixture of intuition, research and data to create a scenario which they then communicate through writing and mood boards.

What are the three main influences on fashion trends? ›

There are certain factors that influence fashion, such as psychological factors, socio-cultural factors, economic factors, environmental factors, etc.

What is the Big 4 in fashion? ›

The Big Four, sometimes referred to as The Big 4, is the name given in fashion to the four most notable Vogue covers; American Vogue, British Vogue, Vogue France and Vogue Italia.

What are the 4 Ps of fashion marketing? ›

The 4 Ps of marketing refer to product, price, place, and promotion. These are the key elements that must be united to effectively foster and promote a brand's unique value, and help it stand out from the competition.

What are four factors that influence fashion trends? ›

Fashion trends are influenced by several factors, including cinema, celebrities, climate, creative explorations, innovations, designs, political, economic, social, and technological.

What is a trend cycle in fashion? ›

The traditional life cycle of a fashion trend consists of five stages: introduction, rise, peak, decline and obsolescence. Where even a few years ago, a trend would last for a year or two, this whole cycle currently runs through from start to finish in months or even weeks.

What factors determine fashion? ›

There are certain factors that influence fashion, such as psychological factors, socio-cultural factors, economic factors, environmental factors, etc.

What are the 4 basic forecasting methods? ›

While there are a wide range of frequently used quantitative budget forecasting tools, in this article we focus on four main methods: (1) straight-line, (2) moving average, (3) simple linear regression and (4) multiple linear regression.

What are the four 4 main components in a forecast? ›

To set up a perfect demand forecasting process, you need to get four things right: granularity, temporality, metrics, and process.

What are the 4 principles of forecasting? ›

The general principles are to use methods that are (1) structured, (2) quantitative, (3) causal, (4) and simple.

What are the 5 elements of fashion? ›

5 Important Elements of Fashion Design
  • Colour.
  • Silhouettes.
  • Fabric.
  • Body Shape.
  • Balance and Rhythm.
Jan 6, 2021

What are 3 main fashion categories? ›

A Lesson: The Three Types of Fashion
  • Mass Market Fashion. The first sector of design involves the most straightforward and accessible form of clothing, which is the mass market. ...
  • Ready to Wear Fashion. ...
  • Haute Couture Fashion.
Jan 18, 2021

What are the 3 segments of the fashion industry? ›

The fashion industry consists of four levels: the production of raw materials, principally fibres and textiles but also leather and fur; the production of fashion goods by designers, manufacturers, contractors, and others; retail sales; and various forms of advertising and promotion.

What are the 4 biggest fashion weeks? ›

Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week are the most known Fashion Weeks around the world, attracting buyers, the media, celebrities, top models and designers who proudly present their latest collections.

Is Big 4 selective? ›

Focus on your resume

Big 4 companies are highly selective when it comes to hiring new candidates. Unless your resume is stellar and stands out from others, you will not get an interview call from the Big 4 firms.

What are the 4 fashion weeks? ›

The "Big Four" events are the Paris Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week and London Fashion Week.

What are the four 4 basic elements of fashion design? ›

The four basic ingredients or elements of design used in fashion are shape or silhouette, line, colour and texture. A silhouette can be described as the outline of the entire garment. This is the most obvious visual element of the garment. It creates the initial impact before any other details are noticed.

What are the 4 main marketing strategies? ›

What are the 4Ps of marketing? (Marketing mix explained) The four Ps are product, price, place, and promotion. They are an example of a “marketing mix,” or the combined tools and methodologies used by marketers to achieve their marketing objectives.

What are the 4 M's of influencer marketing? ›

In social media marketing, the 4 M's refer to the basic steps involved in modern advertising, particularly influencer marketing. The 4 M's are: Make, Manage, Monitor, and Measure.

What are the 4 influencing factors? ›

Psychological, Cultural, Social and Personal are the four factors that affect consumer behaviour.

Where do most fashion trends start? ›

Most trends are spotted on the catwalks during fashion weeks. Designers work with trend forecasting agencies that build mood boards for brands with ideas about future colors, patterns, etc. Also, colors used by brands in their collections are not chosen by chance or the creativity/idea/vision of the designer only.

How does a trend start? ›

How do trends develop? Trends are usually a reflection of changing social and cultural mood, so we start by evaluating the socio-political, economic and cultural landscape. How do we think people will be thinking and feeling a few years from now? What will life at home look and feel like?

What are the levels of fashion? ›

The five levels of fashion segmentation are Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear (RTW), Diffusion, Bridge and Mass Market.

What causes the change in fashion trends? ›

People are influenced by popular culture, including athletes, musicians, movie stars, social media, and royalty. They also pay attention to what people wear in popular films, television shows, online videos, books, and music. We also are influenced by the fashion industry's advertising.

What are key success factors in fashion industry? ›

Apparel production: The 9 key factors to success
  • Efficiency. Buyer's demand for higher value at lower price is drivingthe need for maintaining optimum efficiency levels. ...
  • Factory layout.
  • Technology. ...
  • Training and HR. ...
  • Information technology tools.
  • Buyers' tie-ups.
  • Customer service.
  • Product development.

What are three 3 key elements of forecasting? ›

Event outcome, event timing, time series.

What is the most accurate forecasting method 4? ›

Of the four choices (simple moving average, weighted moving average, exponential smoothing, and single regression analysis), the weighted moving average is the most accurate, since specific weights can be placed in accordance with their importance.

What are the 3 stages of forecasting? ›

The preprocessing stage includes season extraction, before an evolutionary algorithm is applied to parameterize each forecast model. Finally, seasonality is restored in the postprocessing stage.

What are the major components of trend analysis? ›

Its components are the secular trend, seasonal trend, cyclical variations, and irregular variations. Its analysis derives meaningful statistics, interprets trends, identifies patterns, and contributes to decision making.

What is the fourth step in forecasting? ›

Step 4: Choosing and fitting models. The best model to use depends on the availability of historical data, the strength of relationships between the forecast variable and any explanatory variables, and the way in which the forecasts are to be used. It is common to compare two or three potential models.

What are the key components of forecasting? ›

Forecasts thus need to include the expected value of forecast, range specifying the minimum and maximum forecast and a measure of forecast errors. Short-term forecasts are generally more accurate than long-term forecasts. Forecasting process includes consideration of factors which can influence future demand.

What are the principles of fashion forecasting? ›

The fashion forecast process includes basic steps of understanding the vision of the business and profile of target customers, collecting information about available merchandise, preparing information, determining trend, and choosing merchandise appropriate for the company and target customers.

What are the four factors of time series forecasting? ›

Major Components Of Time Series Analysis

Trend component. Seasonal component. Cyclical component. Irregular component.

What are the 5 kinds of forecasting methods various factors to consider in making your choices? ›

Here are 5 key factors to consider as you refresh forecasting demand models.
  • External Factors. ...
  • Consumer trends. ...
  • Product trends. ...
  • Events & Promotions. ...
  • Internal Factors.
May 4, 2020

What 4 elements is fashion based on? ›

Four element fashion is based on the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. It consists of incorporating qualities of these elements in fashion to support the body.

What is the fashion 5 rule? ›

The five outfit rule is pretty simple. When you see an item that you just have to have you can only buy it if you can think of five different outfits that you can wear it with. These outfits should come to mind straight away, no having to wrack your brains to desperately come up with things, and no cheating.

What is the 7 elements of fashion design? ›

What Are the Elements of Design? The elements of design are the fundamental aspects of any visual design which include shape, color, space, form, line, value, and texture.

What are 7 types of fashion? ›

Types of Fashion Style
  • Classic Style. Classic is a formal-cum traditional style. ...
  • Formal Style. It is official dress. ...
  • Vintage Style. Vintage fashion refers to clothing that is 50 years old or older. ...
  • Ethnic Style. ...
  • Casual Style. ...
  • Sporty style. ...
  • Bohemian Style. ...
  • Street Style.
Oct 13, 2022

What are the 4 processes across the fashion supply chain? ›

The production of textiles encompasses the complex process of growing or creating the raw textile material, spinning it into a fibre, weaving it into a fabric, dyeing, and finishing it.

What are the 3 stages of the fashion cycle? ›

Fashion cycle refers to the rise, wide popularity and then decline in acceptance of a style.
...
  • Introduction of a Style: ...
  • Rise/Increase in Popularity: ...
  • Culmination/Peak of Popularity: ...
  • Decline in Popularity: ...
  • Rejection of a Style or Obsolescence:
Sep 19, 2021

What are the 4 parts of a fashion forecast? ›

The fashion forecast process includes basic steps of understanding the vision of the business and profile of target customers, collecting information about available merchandise, preparing information, determining trend, and choosing merchandise appropriate for the company and target customers.

What are the 4 elements of fast fashion? ›

All of the elements of fast fashion—trend replication, rapid production, low quality, competitive pricing—have a detrimental impact on the planet and the people involved in garment production.

What are the 4 core areas in a fashion business? ›

The fashion industry consists of four levels: the production of raw materials, principally fibres and textiles but also leather and fur; the production of fashion goods by designers, manufacturers, contractors, and others; retail sales; and various forms of advertising and promotion.

What 3 things define fast fashion? ›

WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF FAST FASHION? Fast fashion has three main components from the consumer's perspective: it's cheap, it's trendy and it's disposable. It makes purchasing clothes on impulse easy and affordable.

What are the four 4 main elements of a supply chain? ›

Integration, operations, purchasing and distribution are the four elements of the supply chain that work together to establish a path to competition that is both cost-effective and competitive.

What are the four 4 major components of supply? ›

Key Takeaways

Supply chains are composed of four major elements: procurement, operations, distribution, and integration.

What do the 4 areas of supply chain include? ›

The supply chain management process is composed of four main parts: demand management, supply management, S&OP, and product portfolio management.

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