1. Introduction – This is when a new style or clothing item is initially seen, usually worn by celebrities (like Princess Diana’s street style in the ‘90s) or made popular by social factors like the pandemic (athleisure, anyone?). Pop culture also has a massive influence; remember when everyone was wearing pink during “Barbie summer” in 2023? And more recently, lime green was everywhere in summer 2024, informally dubbed “brat summer” thanks to Charli XCX’s iconic album.

2. Rise – The trend will start to gain popularity with the general public. More people see it worn by influencers and peers, so mass markets start producing more of it.

3. Peak – This is when it seems like you can’t escape the trend; it’s in stores everywhere and taking over your internet feed.

4. Decline – When people get tired of the trend and its novelty wears off, it starts to fall out of favor.

5. Obsolescence – When people’s attention is diverted to the next rising trend, the previous one is deemed out of style. 

This cycle used to last 20 years but can now go through all five stages over the course of mere weeks. These are called microtrends, around which fast fashion’s business model is centered.

Brands like Shein and Zara are known for a variety of apparel at affordable prices. They maintain consistent sales by using a marketing tactic called assortment rotation. This means fast fashion brands diversify their clothing lines more often, constantly swapping out old items with new ones, as opposed to the traditional model of releasing clothing lines semiannually. 

Because the fast fashion market centers around mass producing inexpensive versions of social media fads, consumers will often fall into their own cycle of buying cheap trendy clothes and miss out on discovering their own unique style. Following trends is fun, and it’s helpful for exploring different styles you like. However, it’s important to distinguish between genuine appreciation for a trend you actually like, as opposed to liking it just because it’s momentarily popular.

So how do you tell the difference?

At heart, fashion is all about self-expression. Whatever you choose to wear should make you feel confident and serve as an outward representation of your inner self. Whether you’re a faithful trend follower or a bold trend setter, your own personal taste is always timeless.

Sources:

https://glamobserver.com/how-do-fashion-trends-start/

https://www.iese.edu/insight/articles/fast-fashion-retail-strategy/

Cover graphic by: Colette Bergeron

Graphics/photos by: Google Images, Pinterest, Unsplash