TREND SENTIMENT

Growth unrelated to wealth is now choosing navigation via feelings and fairness. What once spoke from a lens of investments is now asking brands to be more mindful towards consumers and the planet. Having said that, won’t it be savage to direct toutesnosfélicitations to the latest trend when there are brands that have dedicated their design story to nature. After all, Alexander Mcqueen said that there is no better designer than nature and the trend seems to agree to it by declaring ‘MADE IN NATURE’ as an adapted language.

Monies is one of the jewelry brands I would like to highlight because itis identified by oversized design yet has mastered the Danish sensibility of what seems to be a non-fussy coherence. My mind goes back to the time of trendless fashion brought about during the era of ‘Anti-fashion fashion’ but I pull myself back into the now because they have managed to be present for over 5 decades irrespective of the storms the fashion conditioning brought about. They work with dubious materials, unconventional design with a very naturesque approach, almost cryptic one would say and they use the materials in their truest form, highlighting its non-traditional approach towards the history of our planet. Their DNA speaks about sourcing everything ethically and processes concerning transportation and packaging have near zero carbon footprint at it isin hope that it minimizes their carbon footprint. Now, doesn't the language sound too Millennial & Gen Z? (not that I am trying to place both the generations hand in hand, like, come on, even I know that. LOL)

Let’s take another spin at this, shall we? Look at ‘nature’ of humans from a personality lens during the Acne Studios F/W 2020 campaign. The identities were fluid yet the communication the owners have with the dogs somehow makes you think of the Boomers who are using the pet as their chosen off-spring. Don’t we notice a similar choice being made by our Millennials?. Fashion wise, both these generations have high regard towards comfort, sneaker with everything and drop culture. Drop culture as we already know has been pioneered by the world of streetwear and add in repurposed material with archival motifs and voila, you have the product and the target market ready. Jonny Johansson, creative director of Acne Studios, decided to use the leftover materials and fabrics to create something new starting from something that already existed. Functionality and detachable everything agrees with both the generations who belong to a completely different time than one another.

Little did Iris Apfel know that she would be accidentally adding a twist to the ‘nature’ of style at any age and honoring her tag of being the ‘Accidental fashion icon’ the world has ever seen from the Boomer generation. Making Boomers’ accessible to Millennials and Gen Z is Ari Seth Cohen. Advanced style became the talk on Instagram but before that, it made its mark via blogging. On becoming the ambassador of the older generation, #advancedstyle helped in liberating the mindset of the brands to be inclusive of not only style, but domestic and traditional practices that the wise followed, creating an opportunity for the generation today to start with open ended questions to allow more practice around it. The consumers responded to Jacky O'Shaughnessy for American Apparel, Iris herself on the cover of Dazed in the spirit which was considered bold during the time of Jean Paul Gaultier in the 90s. It was called theatrics then…a sign to show ‘punk has arrived’.

Speaking away from Punk and looking at home proud approach, Inde Wild is one of the recent skin and haircare brands wherein DiipaKhosla has made Ayurvedistry accessible to her global consumers and simultaneously educates them with the history and science of the ingredients. Her recent launch included the oil where her mother, Dr. Sanghita Khosla’s voice is the focus answering the benefits of superfoods and its combinations to the consumers.

To say that the definition of growth is away from wealth is to say that ‘made in nature’ and ‘boomerleinnials’ , in every way of life, have joined hands in order to provide you with products that will sustain in our habitat. It further combines itself to actions, big gestures, routines, wellness, transparency, joy and aims towards the betterment of our value system supported by the products. It is safe to say that a trend invariably acts as a rebirth of generations only this time the mega driver is emotion.

Akanksha Rohra

Creative director & Trend forecaster

Picture/video credits - Pinterest , Ari Seth, Monies, Acne studios, Diipa Khosla, Inde Wild