Trends are dead…
If 2021 has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot predict the future. So is there still a place for trends and how can we make them relevant to customers?
On a superficial level, we can give them the latest must-have colour, shape or pattern, but what if you go deeper than mood boards, to understand the mindsets behind them. From our experience trends are constantly evolving and often reflect bigger shifts in society. Yes it’s good to be aware of what’s happening in your corner of the world, but what about the wider world customers are experiencing?
Let’s take the wellness trend as an example, what started out as clean eating and mindfulness, has now evolved into a generation that speaks openly about mental health and cares not only for their own wellbeing, but that of the wider world.
From a more radical perspective one could argue that fast fashion and seasonal trends are at odds with living a more sustainable lifestyle. But not every look has to be consumed, if we are becoming more conscious of our consumption?
History shows us that periods of great depression often spur amazing creativity. •The 1920’s and 30s saw significant investment in culture and the arts. The 1980’s unleashed an explosion of colour and pattern, after the Pantone colour of the seventies, brown! ••Michelle Ogundehin wrote that 2021 was the year to be, ‘…braver, bolder and create your own interiors narrative.’ We couldn’t agree more.
If you like to receive our biannual trends report, please email carole@nikandcarole.co.uk
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