Fashion has always been shaped by its trends and their life cycle. This cycle can be divided into five key stages: introduction, rise, peak, decline and finally obsolescence.
The pace of trend life cycles has evolved significantly in recent years. We know it: technology, social networks, AI have considerably shortened them to make them ever more unpredictable.
In these articles, we explain how to better understand and approach this irremediable fashion phenomenon. Here we go, short programmed cycle.
The original cycle of fashion trends
For a long time, it was said that fashion trends come back every twenty years and this is still partly true today. For example, recent years have been marked by the return of Y2K fashion with its low-rise jeans, its rhinestones, its colorful glasses, its baguette bags, its layering etc.
In the past, two decades was the time it took for a trend to appear, become ultra popular, eventually fall into oblivion and then make a comeback with a new touch of modernity.
As we have seen, this twenty-year cycle remains generally true today but to this global trend phenomenon has been added that of micro-trends which have a considerably condensed life cycle . These micro-trends were born with the advent of networks and technologies which make our quarter of an hour of glory more dazzling than lasting. What makes them so unpredictable is that they now promote styles linked to random decades and an infinite variety of styles can go viral at the same time only to disappear overnight .
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Who decides fashion trends?
What influences us first on a daily basis is popular culture, notably artists, movie stars, athletes, social networks and even royalty . We look at what people wear in series, on concerts, in music videos, on television sets but also in fashion industry advertisements.
What makes trends appear in pop culture is that stars don't stay stars by doing the same thing over and over again . On the contrary, they are constantly looking for a new angle of attack to maintain their popularity . Often these new angles take the form of new clothes, new hairstyles, overall a new style.
Naturally, when we see these new styles, we want to imitate them. Beyoncé doing country music? Everyone is throwing themselves on cowboy boots and fringed jackets. And it's normal to want to imitate your favorite star! We always want to be like those who inspire us the most.
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Moreover, this phenomenon has existed for hundreds of years! Since clothing was invented, it has been used as a means of expression . As early as the 1700s, we know that the French spent hours leafing through fashion magazines to learn about the latest court styles.
What are the different stages of the life cycle of a trend?
5 key stages constitute the life cycle of a trend, regardless of its duration or virality.
Step 1: Introduction of the trend
The first step in the life cycle of a trend is the introduction of this style. We are talking here about a silhouette, a color, a pattern, a fabric, etc. During this stage, the origin of the trend is usually in the hands of a big brand or designer during Fashion Week .
New trends can also come directly from consumers, like the DIY craze for example. In all cases, the visibility of the trend arises from a niche audience.
This is also the reason why trends at this stage only exist in small quantities at a few retailers, because mass production only comes into play once the relevance of a trend is ensured by a significant number of consumers .
Step 2: The rise of the fashion trend
This second stage is the transition from novelty status to real trend. This is where celebrities and pop culture really come into play.
During the ascension phase, more and more fashion leaders and trendsetters are wearing outfits that incorporate the idea, whether they are social media influencers or celebrities, which increases consumer demand. In response to this acceptance by fashion influencers, more and more retail stores will begin to copy and carry the trend.
It is also at this moment that a local phenomenon will become international. The interconnected world of social media and global fashion events plays a vital role in this cultural exchange. When celebrities and influencers adopt and display these styles, their impact transcends national borders , reaching audiences around the world.
Stage 3: Peak popularity
This peak phase is when a trend reaches the peak of its popularity with the general public. Most major retailers are now carrying the trend and making it accessible to all types of consumers, often at lower prices than during the growth phase. At that point, most luxury brands no longer offer the trend . It is a special period in the life cycle of a trend because its duration is quite unpredictable.
We realize at this point that luxury brands tend to be at least one season ahead of other, more accessible brands . Indeed, they are often the ones who launch new trends and they tend to move away from appeal to the general public in order to maintain their trendsetter status .
Step 4: The decline of the fashion phenomenon
There, the market begins to become downright saturated. The ultra-popularity of a trend is often the cause of its downfall : consumers will get tired of a trend that is too widespread, they start to feel too "mainstream".
Step 5: The obsolescence of the fashion trend
This phase corresponds to the moment when the trend is finally out of fashion (peace to one's soul). That's it, consumers have switched to a new trend. But be careful, an obsolete trend can become super hype again in a few years.
For example, the life cycle of jeans size: high-waisted jeans saw peaks in popularity in the 1940s, late 1970s and early 1980s, as well as in the 2010s, while low-rise jeans experienced peaks between these two periods, in the 1960s and at the end of the 1990s, until the beginning of the 2000s. The cycles being infinite, nothing is ever lost!
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