As Carrie Bradshaw once said, “I like my money where I can see it… hanging in my closet.”
And that’s truer than ever, especially when we see the amount we are all still spending on fashion. Statistics show that the global market value of the fashion industry comes in at 406 billion dollars and it shows no signs of slowing down.
But fashion is certainly changing. From new technology and techno-functional fabrics to awareness about environmental factors and the need for ‘real’ models, here are four predictions about the future of fashion.
Smart Fashion
As technology advances, consumers are expecting more from the fashion world. While we can measure our heart rate, calories and steps through products such as smartwatches, tech-garments might just be the future.
While smart sensors can already be clipped to our clothes, the next step will be embedding them into the fabrics we wear. Experimentation on the catwalk is heralding the start of the ‘wearables‘ trend which will eventually filter down into mainstream fashion; expect to see garments that change colour depending on the environment, scarves that respond to body temperature and coats that have hidden heating technology inside
The Influencers
Research shows that 86% of women scroll through social media apps before making a purchase and the rise of the influencer driving fashion forward is ever increasing. Just look at mega e-tailer Boohoo, who regularly partners with big-name influencers and celebs primarily on Instagram.
While many big brands choose to use high profile celebrities as their influencers, it’s the micro-influencers that will have the biggest impact in the future.
As consumers yearn for a more authentic portrayal when it comes to advertising and marketing campaigns, airbrushing is out and ‘real’ people are in. Body positivity is a trend that will continue to grow and as influencers amass even larger followings, they’ll not only collaborate with designers but also start building their own fashion brands from scratch.
Sustainable Fashion
As we become more aware of the importance of minimizing waste and of the devastating effects of our carbon footprint, fashion and sustainability will go hand in hand. The industry has already made big leaps in the right direction but there is still a long way to go, proven by the EPA which states that in America 25 billion pounds of textile waste goes to landfills every year.
Fast (throwaway) fashion comes at a massive environmental cost and as we move forward, the expectations for designers will be to consistently use sustainable fabrics and design for longevity. The future of sustainable fashion will include the rise of lab-grown diamonds and the use of ethically-sourced wool, recycled fabrics and organic cotton.
Augmented Reality
The fashion industry is also expanding the way we try on clothes and over the next ten years AR mirrors might just be the norm. Brands such as Rebecca Minkoff are already using virtual mirrors in some of their stores, enabling you to see how each item of clothing looks in different lights.
But in the future, we can expect to see that augmented reality experience extend to the creation of 3D models of ourselves. This will give us the option to try on clothes virtually through our phones or even a smart mirror installed in our home which will give us a 3D version of our own body so we can see the exact fit of each garment.
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