Today's fashion trends move at the speed of memes, but COVID-19 hit pause, giving us a unique lens into the social psychology of how micro-trends emerge, evolve, and eventually fade away.
Given an unexpected supply of free time, millions of people started making, remaking, mending, and upcycling clothing during the pandemic. Was it a random side effect of boredom, or will this trend have legs for the long haul?
Social media influencers helped fuel the rise of disposable fashion. Now they're making a turn toward sustainability, but is it too late to crush the monster they created?
Macro-trends can stick around for years or even decades, and they rarely arrive unannounced. Because of their cyclical nature, they leave clues for eagle-eyed fashion enthusiasts to anticipate the next big thing.