Where do trends come from?

Often you can begin to see trends in fashion emerging at the start of a season, and as quickly as the plague they spread to the entire nation within hours. But, much like watching a whirlwind forming in the desert, it's seems impossible to figure out from where, or whom, they began. It certainly suprised me to discover that trendsetting is an actual job.

One of the most well known 'trend forecasting' companies is WGSN (Worth Global Style Network) which was launched in 1998 and now has around 300 staff working worldwide. They will decide what colours, patterns, styles and cuts will be featured on clothing and accessories around two years before these products are put on the market. They don't simply choose whatever tickles their fancy, but base all decisions on the time of year (as weather will affect the type of garment) and the social, economic & political climate of a country. As strange as this sounds all you need to do is look through Britains history and you can see womens fashion changing as the country grows and develops as a nation.

At the start of the 1910’s, Britain was an increasingly prosperous country. The Titanic was built and ready to sail, air flight was improving every day, and women were gaining confidence in their individuality as the suffragette movement began. Trend forecasters knew that women would be feeling self-assured, rich and effeminate. Thereby they made sure that the clothes available were decadent wide brimmed hats, overflowing with decorations and boldly patterned dresses in bright colours.

This soon changed as after WW1 women had equal voting rights and there were less gender divisions after our work towards the war. We also had a better connection with America as transatlantic communication became possible. Their film and theatre greatly influenced the glamorous flapper style of the 20’s. Eccentric patterns and 'shocking' knee length skirts were helping girls express the freedom they were feeling in the era.

However at the coming of WW11 femininity went out the window to be replaced by tough working clothes. Hemlines went up as material was rationed, colours were plain, and materials were coarse but warm. Although lipstick sales did increase as women were buying it to cheer themselves up.

Now the era I believe changed fashion the most, moving it on from girlish dresses to the creative freedom we have today, is the 60’s. This era brought forward an artistic revolution as the modern world began to move forwards at an alarming rate. Andy Warhol influenced a pop-art movement, the Beatles changed musical opportunities and Twiggy became a fashion icon. Plus the pill was invented and so the micro miniskirt became a hit as women explored the sexual freedom that they had never had before.

Back at the trend forecasters, they are using all of these events to create clothing that is likely to sell well. They compile colour and fabric swatches, moodboards, designs and outfit sketches into a large booklet which is bought by clothing companies such as Tommy Hilfiger and River Island for enormous sums of money. This is why it seems that all of the shops are selling the same sort of clothes at the same time- they're all recieving orders from the mothership!

 

So I do hope that you now feel more informed as to why mainstream clothing seems to evolve and grow as one, like some enormous fabric covered beast saying "Buy me! You know I'm perfect because I knew exactly what you'd be wanting- even before you did." Sleep well kids.

Lots of love, stay freaky! xx