Are Instagram microtrends creating or breaking sustainable fashion?
Like most things, fashion is uncompromisingly tied to the changing social and economic landscape of our modern lives. To arbitrate these ever-changing attitudes, trend forecasting has become the trusted method fashion retailers and consumers have relied on for decades to decide what to invest in, what to produce and what to wear. However, with the increasingly haphazard nature of social media and the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, trends are increasingly difficult to predict. Instead, microtrends have increased, with specific items and styles gaining popularity outside the control of mass corporations and fast fashion sites. In this direction, fashion seasons that were once mainstays of trend forecasting algorithms are coming to an end, to make way for the rapid and independent succession of specific products and styles. While these changes may upend predictions of traditional trends, they could actually encourage a new wave of more ethical and sustainable fashion consumption. Microtrends are smaller, under the radar trends that seem to come out of nowhere, and it can be increasingly difficult to trace their origins. Many microtrends have emerged organically this year, with increasingly diverse social media feeds and the pandemic impacting the sporadic nature of these trends. A recent example of microtrends escaping predicted fashion cycles is the rise in popularity of brands such as Paloma Wool, a Spanish clothing brand. who opts for conscious manufacturing in all his clothes. The popularity of her knitwear quickly skyrocketed in a matter of weeks, with sustainable fashion influencers donning her Signature Psychedelic Mesh Tops. Soon Paloma Wool was forced to resort to waiting lists to keep up with the social media frenzy surrounding her knits. Sunny House, a a self-proclaimed fashion focused on sustainable development London-based company, is another brand that has achieved immense success thanks to very specific micro-trends, with its infamous hockney dress to become a cult classic among celebrities and influencers. The brands success then continued beyond the Hockney dress, with its quirky designs and kitsch aesthetic still popular among consumers. In a sense, microtrends no longer reward half-way attempts fast fashion brands such as Shein, but actively reward the efforts of sustainable businesses. Instead of relying on broad generalized predictions, preferences evolve to become more specific, and therefore more varied, as consumers take on a new awareness of the ethics attached to shopping for clothes. It also demonstrates a distancing from the false-sustainability efforts companies like H&M, showing that consumers are increasingly aware of the issue of greenwashing. For example, Maxine Bdat, director of New standardization institute, a fashion think tank that analyzes sustainability claims, warns that the companies commodify sustainability movement, seeing it as a trend rather than a necessary systematic change. Ive seen decks pass me by where the brand trend teams say, These are the new trends to sell. Its a leopard print, military and durable. Despite the greenwashing, Francesca Munston, vice president of fashion at WGSN, a world leader in trend forecasting, suggests that changes in the nature of trend cycles are here to stay. The change is being fueled by new generations of more ethical consumers, she says. Even before the pandemic, younger generations, especially Generation Z, scrutinized brands based on their behaviors and ethics.   Rather than specific patterns, prints and silhouettes informing sales, ethics and conscious business practices become essential in determining how and why people buy clothing. Microtrends are encouraging consumers to see fashion as clothes first and foremost, detaching items from trends, thus promoting sustainability. Microtrends provide a way for style to continue to evolve organically, and on a more personal and thoughtful basis, with the consumer having autonomy over their own ethical choices. A recent sustained micro-trend that has given consumers this autonomy can be seen in the re-emergence of Aesthetics of the year 2000  from the early 2000s. Instead of buying new, consumers turned to used sellers on sites like Depop to buy vintage items. With people turning to second-hand sites to shop for items based on their personal style, rather than trends dictated by the mass production of fast fashion brands, this encourages a slower, more methodical approach to shopping. of clothing and participation in trends, out of sight. mass societies. However, despite this victory for businesses and sustainable practices, questions remain about the effectiveness of replicating trendy pieces to meet demand. Although consumers actively choose to buy from sustainable companies, the process of rushing to buy trendy parts is still utterly unsustainable and ethically flawed. Many pieces purchased from Paloma Wool or House of Sunny will lose their immediate popularity and may not be worn or reused after this current trending period. Even second-hand sites, including Depop, have come under fire for unsustainable elements of the app, like drop shipping. Ultimately, buying sustainably and making ethical choices about the clothes you wear is a complex issue. However, microtrends prove that consumers are willing to do the job of making sure they have autonomy in the choices they make and the trends they follow.