The Secret to Predicting Fashion Trends

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Have you ever wondered how fashion trends form? It can feel like the same looks just appear everywhere one day. The truth is, trends form through what I like to call "the fashion chain".  The spring/summer and fall/winter seasons are both rolled in with showcases known as Fashion Weeks, which feature high-fashion runway looks from Chanel, Prada, Gucci, etc. These events attract fashion buyers, celebrities, marketing, and a lot of attention for the fashion industry. These looks become trendy throughout the media and among celebrities. They trickle down the "fashion-chain" to the lower-tier brands like Zara and Mango, as they use these high fashion runway looks as the inspiration for what they are creating. The only difference is that the process and materials are much cheaper. Essentially, the fast-fashion companies we all shop from are copying high-fashion looks so they can be purchased at affordable prices. Those clothes we all pick up from the mall because everyone else is wearing them do not just get randomly created and selected. Curating lookbooks for each season is an extremely intentional process that requires companies to keep up with their competitors. So the next time you purchase a trendy piece from a fast-fashion brand, check into where the idea originated.