Understanding Current Trends
The thing about trends is that they never quite mean what you think they do. Theyâre like fashion seasons - always present and shifting, but with a constant yearning for something else. And the truth is, the speed of this shift has become far more unpredictable and rather untameable than before. The popularity of social media and its ability to bring people together globally has almost overfilled our cups with more of everything.
So, how do you know which trend to align with, and which to let go of. The answer, in my opinion, lies in accepting impermanence as an important part of your branding process. Think about it - the more you try to catch up, the harder it gets, right.
But when you see each trend as an element that can be used for a specific purpose, things can get a whole lot easier. You wonât have to be so stressed about being behind or out of vogue. Instead, you can occasionally see how some trends fit your brand today or even five years from now. They can evidently be woven into your overall aesthetic because they make sense to your brand story.
While you may be looking at emerging trends and whatâs been trending on Instagram today, donât ignore the ones that are set to last much longer than others. These might seem like a slow burn at first but could become huge later. In fashion marketing, authenticity and quality have been two such trends.
When brands use these elements in every part of their communication strategy (both online and offline), they build on them over time. These are what last beyond seasons. So yes, itâs important to always keep an eye on emerging trends in fashion marketing (and in style as well). But not all trends deserve equal weightage and attention in your strategy.
If you look at each as a part of a puzzle that is likely aligned with your core narrative and business values, it becomes easier to create campaigns around them.
Identifying Your Target Audience
The way the word âtrendsâ can make even the most seasoned fashion professional break out in a cold sweat. The truth is, being on-trend doesnât matter unless you know who you want to impress or attract. I think there are a few basics to consider - who are you creating for, and why.
Is there a specific age group you want to focus on or do you want to be more inclusive with your clothing line. But, trends donât always have to do with age or gender. There could be a certain aesthetic or lifestyle you want to tap into.
Itâs good practice to study the designers and brands that have similar design philosophies as yours. Who are they catering to. How are they speaking to them. Are they missing something your target audience might need.
Once youâve done some research, itâs all about authenticity and how you present yourself and your brand. More or less. It seems like it is quite rare that a trend will take off if it feels artificial.
This is why streetwear is so popular among Gen Z and Millennials - they are speaking to these audiences with creative collaborations and innovative marketing tactics. Trends that catch on are often more often than not offering something unique yet familiar. And it takes quite a bit of thought and research to understand the groups that will appreciate this.
Which is why balancing between trying something new and keeping up with what people are actually interested in is so important. Maybe it seems like this process is intimidating because there are so many factors that go into creating something that could be trendy, but trends arenât everything. And sometimes going against the current trend works as well if it aligns with your vision as a brand and what your audience expects from you.
Embracing Sustainable Practices
I was recently browsing a linen shop with my sister. She is pregnant and wanted something beautiful for her soon-to-be-born daughterâs nursery. The store had bedsheets that cost as much as a new phone, which surprised us both.
The sign on the bedsheet said: Organic and sustainable. You know, itâs funny how these two words can get such a strong reaction from people. Brands have largely managed to shed the misconception that sustainable equals boring (or âuglyâ, depending on who youâre talking to), but itâs still synonymous with luxury and unaffordability. But, that perception is shifting.
And itâs affecting how brands are developing products too. People want to buy from brands who care about what theyâre putting out into the world, but donât want to be spending hundreds of dollars on every outfit or homeware item they own. It might not be possible to produce fast fashion sustainably, but itâs becoming easier for brands to make their clothing more sustainable.
We might not be able to all buy fully sustainable, organic clothing, but we can make more conscious choices when shopping for new pieces. For those who know that shein and asos are bad, but canât afford anything else - we see you and we support you in making every incremental change towards shopping more consciously. You could buy local even if it isnât organic or sustainable or buy secondhand but consume new clothing less frequently.
Sustainable practices are the future - if the last 10 years have proven anything, itâs that shoppers care about what brands are doing behind closed doors and want them to do better too.
Leveraging Social Media for Engagement
I've come to realise that the fashion world is almost never a lot like a soap opera. Thereâs always something happening and someone trying to get your attention. Take social media for example.
Itâs where aspiring models become icons, designers announce new lines and customers turn into loyalists. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter are allegedly no longer just platforms for friends to catch up. They serve as unofficial runways for supermodels, celebrities, and influencers to show off the latest trends in style.
When the Kardashians wore Skims, everyone wanted it too â proving just how easily one can kind of harness the power of social media to elevate their status in peopleâs eyes. So it only makes sense that independent brands are vying for quick internet fame by jumping on trends â while also looking unique enough to stand out. Sort of.
However, a strong digital presence means nothing if you donât engage with your community. Posting regularly shows consistency â but interacting with your followers and fostering genuine conversations in comments shows that youâre more than just another brand looking to make money off new trends on the block. It seems rather odd but it's also important to make sure you're not over-exposing yourself on social media either. Being spammed by your favourite brands can be frustrating, so it may be a good idea to exercise restraint when sharing content about collaborations or launching sales.
Innovating Product Design
Comes Across As iâve always liked that quote âgood artists copy, great artists stealâ. Sounds almost a bit illicit. Still, itâs what people have done since the beginning of time - take a good idea and figure out how to make it even better. When it comes to product design, âbetterâ usually means new ideas, unusual shapes, fresh colours or unexpected functionality.
It doesnât always need to be big and bold either. Thereâs plenty of room for subtle changes in silhouette, adding or removing things from pockets to drawstrings, adjusting leg width or heel shape. Sometimes just changing up the colour palette is enough to transform an entire product.
What I love about thinking more creatively when designing is probably that it can open up whole new worlds you might not have known existed. I know a product designer who made a tracksuit covered in 30 different-sized pockets for someone who hated carrying bags or backpacks everywhere they went. Or another designer who worked with children with prosthetics to figure out what would make their clothes easier to wear every day - like stretchy closures on sleeves and trousers and hidden zippers at the sides.
If somethingâs important enough for someone to ask why isnât this done yet or why hasnât anyone thought of this before - maybe thereâs some potential there to change things up and make them better for everyone. Or maybe you end up doing all the work and realising no one cares about it after all. Thatâs fine too - it means you can move on to other ideas with a bit more experience and a bit more creativity than before.
Creating Unique Customer Experiences
Customers are comparatively a canny lot. They know when theyâre being sold to, pandered to, placated or manipulated. But a unique customer experience. Itâs the holy grail.
More or less. Itâs the âoh wowâ moment where it seems like you can somewhat read their mind. It seems like personalisation is the bedrock of a customer-centric approach - if you know what i like and want, you get me. And then Iâll buy from you.
Personalisation takes data and curates it into a world that looks just like mine. I donât want to go down rabbit holes on websites with pages and pages of products that make my eyes glaze over. If they know me, then why show me things that make no sense.
Hereâs where knowing your target market goes past basic demographics to understanding their drivers - what makes them want something in the first place. When it comes to aligning with trends, often being unique is being ahead of the game. But there are ways to give customers unique experiences without outspending your competition or doing research that spans into next year.
Creating an authentic connection with your customer base involves listening and communicating - two skills that have never gone out of style (even when they were in style). The world is full of examples from big brands who seem to get their customers as well as those who seem to have abandoned all reason. I think customers are usually forgiving and understanding but if their online or in-store experience starts resembling an episode of Black Mirror rather than their favourite sitcom - there might be trouble ahead. Unique can sometimes tip into strange so a light touch is required here rather than going all out on aligning with trends without any thought for repercussions.