In recent years, there’s been a stark energy shift in the way brands, retailers, and even magazines approach the idea of trend. I remember at the beginning of my career when we’d walk into the Doneger office (the firm was the global leader in trend forecasting for decades and would help guide buyers, designers, and editors alike in creative business) for their trend presentations with such excitement to understand how the cultural shifts we’re seeing in our day-to-day lives will come into fruition in the form of tangible fashion in the next two years––the idea of new trends sparked novelty and creativity to bring the aspect of “craft” back into our businesses that can so easily be lost in overconsumption and mass production.
Nowadays, when I meet with clients as a trend advisor myself, the vibe pendulum has swung the other direction––trend has become the key source of fear. Touch-bases are filled with frantic questions like “is it too late to buy into X trend?” or “what’s the next big aesthetic?” ––everyone wants to be everywhere all at once, rather than where they’re meant to be. We’ve lost the underlying foundation that the point of brands or magazines is to channel this moment in time and personal story through your own creative lens; otherwise, what’s the point of having so many if they’re all the same?
It’s easy to chase those stories or products that can seemingly guarantee your business’s Return On Investment (ROI), but in the end, that’s the best way to dissolve any differentiator that you may have offered to the world, and that’s when unfortunate events happen: magazines fold because who can even remember if the story is coming from publication A or B, brands go out of business because consumers can get the look for a lower price, and so on. What happened to scouting for who’s next and championing their progress? Or uplifting fresh voices with inspiring stories? Those are the aspects that inspired so many to join the industry, and others to hold the art of fashion near to their hearts as a loving fan of style. Here’s the thing: if you miss one trend, you’ll surely survive. But if you chase every trend? You’ve dug your own fashion grave.
This doesn’t just have to be for creative pursuits; these “trends” might be things like “everyone else in my town gets married by 25”, “I have to climb the corporate ladder if there’s any hope of seeing success” or “I’d start posting on social media but I’m embarrassed.” It’s your life to live and you only have one of them, so don’t let it be dictated by trends someone else has set.
Know Your Brand DNA
If you don’t know who you are, how can you possibly share it with the world? Whether that’s through a product, a newsletter, or how you choose to style yourself on a day-to-day basis. I want you to think: if the world wasn’t watching, how would I live? Another exercise that I love: pick three adjectives that you want to show up as and model your actions, decisions, and even your style choices with that in mind.
Listen to the Signs
Now, this isn’t just about optics or data; the signs are within yourself and your relationship with the universe. Did doing that new project light you up, or deplete your energy? Do you feel fulfilled after spending time with that guy, or is stress manifesting through health issues? This can be played out in a variety of ways. Get quiet, go for a walk, stare of a plane window––let your mind wander and tap into your intuition to understand the signs of where you want to go and who you want to be with.
Understand Your Audience
So, what role do you want to play––in the world at large and in your daily life? Place yourself in the right rooms of where you see yourself going, spend time with those who you admire, and think about the impact you want to leave on the world, whether it’s through your art, business, or small gestures like holding the door open for someone to showing up as a mentor for those on a similar path to you.
Nix the Scarcity Mindset
There’s always another trend to chase, job opportunity to apply for, and tall, dark, and handsome man to pop up on your Raya. What’s meant for you was never lost. Wait for the trends, opportunities, and people that align with you––versus forcing a fit that was never there.
Amor Fati
The Love of Fate—the saying that changed my life. Redirection rekindles the fire within you if you let it. Sometimes you have to scrap a project that you for sure thought would blow up, rebrand your business, or move cities for better alignment. Maybe it wasn’t a part of your initial story, but the universe is a better writer than you––sorry.
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