Many people think that fashion is set by famous pop stars, film stars, musicians, or people in show business. This is generally true, but behind the scenes are the fashion designers who dress these celebrities and the fashion authorities they belong to. These designers and fashion organizations always have to stay ahead of the times. That is why they meet two years in advance to determine trends and movements. So how are these trends and movements determined?
Fashion Organizations That Call the Shots
Some of the main organizations that set fashion trends and are considered the highest authorities are the International Fashion Federation, headquartered in Paris; Intercolor, the “International Color Commission,” which has a major global influence; and Woolmark, the international wool authority, along with its affiliated Woolmark Blend and Wool Blend brands. Meeting two years in advance, these organizations first decide on fabric selection. If there is an excess wool stock or a large cotton harvest at the time, they determine which fabrics will be used in collections and therefore become fashionable, guided by the largest producers in the wool and cotton sectors, in order to use up the stock of wool or cotton. Woolmark is an organization bringing together sheep farmers in Australia and New Zealand and companies that produce goods using their wool. So it is the authority on the wool market.
Fabric Selection
Fabric and the yarn woven into it are very important materials for a fashion designer. These fashion authorities also decide on the raw materials and quality of the yarn, as well as the colors in which it will be produced. While manufacturers prefer to produce yarn and fabric that they can sell more easily, designers prefer to use fabrics suited to their designs and styles. Fabrics selected through a joint decision appear on the runways within two years.
Color Selection
Once the features of the fabrics to be used in designs are determined, it is time to choose the colors, and this is where Intercolor comes in. A color palette selected by Intercolor, the International Color Commission, and trend forecasters is chosen for use in the fabrics that will become fashionable. These colors are unveiled around the world within 18 - 24 months.
Of course, fashion and trends are not determined only by stock levels in sectors such as wool, cotton, and dyes, or by the colors selected by Intercolor. It is not that simple. Professional social engineers also work with these fashion organizations. These social engineers analyze society and track developments such as wars, famine, earthquakes, weather events, and politics around the world, along with their effects on society, and report their findings to trend-setting organizations. For example, during wartime, people tend to dress in dark tones. All this information is brought together to determine fashion in light of such circumstances. These fashion federations then inform the fashion designers or fashion organizations known as trendsetters.
Stages of Trend Forecasting
Organizations working in this field around the world and evaluating trends, such as the more global Intercolor or groups like BTCG and ICA, which consist of 20-25 people, hold meetings to determine the colors and patterns that will be fashionable several years in advance. At their meetings, these fashion forecasting organizations announce their predictions, new trends, and findings at press conferences. The influence of Premiere Vision, one of the world's most important fashion events, held twice a year, is especially significant. These members, who are usually designers, mainly present new phenomena they have observed in society to the group at meetings. They share their ideas about possible future trends with the other members. Various factors, such as an art event, a song, a film, or global events, inspire designers. As a result of these decisions, a unified color palette is established, while fabric and yarn selection is also decided by the same organizations.
Trendsetters
Fashion designers and fashion houses, informed by these authorities that colors and fabrics such as black and white, cotton, and monochrome patterns will be on trend, get to work creating collections... The most beautiful and avant-garde garments in these collections are used in fashion shows and advertising campaigns, while more commercial versions of these designs are adapted into clothes that people can wear in everyday life and offered for sale in shop windows. These trendsetting brands work with pop stars, film stars, and various artists to promote their designs, spending millions of dollars on advertising and fashion shows. To stay in the spotlight and gain acceptance in the fashion world, they use various means like these to successfully make their products popular with a wide audience. But despite all these advertising campaigns and the millions spent on fashion shows at various fashion weeks, it still comes down to the end consumer.
The Trickle-Down Theory
From 19th-century France, when the fashion industry began to show its influence, to the fast-fashion mindset of 2020, one fashion theory has been dominant: trickle-down. This theory argues that fashion takes shape among high society, the upper classes, or, in contemporary terms, in fashion designers’ shows, and that the public chooses its clothes as a result of these defining influences. First proposed in 1899 by sociologist Thorstein Veblen, this theory holds that when an aristocratic woman wears a dark red dress, people from the lower classes then begin wearing dresses in shades of the same red. In the modern world, major fashion houses and famous designers might feature red furs and shoulder-padded jackets in their runway shows, and demand for these items could suddenly rise and turn into a trend.
Trickle-Up Theory
There is also a second theory, proposed in 1981, that is not as influential as the trickle-down theory: “trickle-up,” or the “upward movement” theory. A young and bold fashion designer named Vivienne Westwood introduced this theory in her collection. By presenting models dressed in punk style in her show, Vivienne created a subcultural fashion trend. In fact, Chanel’s designs that allowed freedom of movement, inspired by the women here during World War II, can be seen as an example of this movement. However, while those pieces were designed with the conditions and needs of the time in mind, Vivienne Westwood’s creations were more of a sociological statement. As a result, punks did not need a special selection of clothes to wear in everyday life.
After a period in which the long-lasting punk movement was celebrated, the influence of the “upward movement” theory began to wane in the fashion world. That is, until Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Balenciaga and Vetements, brought the movement to a wider audience. These subcultural outfits, which took over the Fall & Winter collections last season, signal that they will remain influential for years to come. The characteristic pieces and combinations worn by people associated with subcultures such as punk, rock, hip-hop, rap, and R&B are favorites of major trendsetters such as Gucci, Stella McCartney, and Alexander Wang. These pieces give the impression of being simple, comfortable, and straight off the street. Often seen on people shopping at supermarkets or malls, they include tracksuit tops, ripped jeans, leather jackets, puffer coats, and combat boots. These outfits continue to replace the lavish, ostentatious, and sophisticated creations frequently showcased at fashion weeks. Making fashion more accessible and projecting a more sincere attitude, these silhouettes are bringing the “upward movement” theory back from the ashes.
