Top Trends of Summer 2020
Four major trends on our radar since lockdown began.
‘Fashion is a mirror of the times — you can define an era by the clothes’, rightly put by Anna Sui, stays true in the extraordinary circumstance that we are living in today. Whether it’s the pandemic or socio-political movements around the globe, fashion acts as a canvas mediating trends in every situation.
Here we look at the four major trends that have emerged since lockdown.
Taking it slow.
The pandemic has accelerated the sustainability movement in fashion - slow seems to be taking over from fast. The lockdown has given us time to pause and reflect on our consumption cycles. With limited places to go shop, coupled with job losses and pay-cuts, shoppers are finally looking to invest in durable and timeless pieces.
The search term ‘ethical brands’ has seen an increase on the Google Trends graph since Q1 2020.
Farfetch introduced new categories: ‘Conscious’ which includes products by Stella McCartney, Marine Serre and Matteau, as well as ‘Pre-Owned’ which showcases a collection of pre-owned designer pieces from brands like Chanel, Balenciaga and Fendi. You can read more about their mission called ‘Climate Conscious Delivery’ here.
As seen with the huge spike in Depop usership, themes of revival and nostalgia seemed like a natural response. This season, with added time on our hands, we can see a two-way street to the vintage clothing industry. One where job layoffs have made selling our vintage pieces online an easy way to earn those extra pounds, and the other where environmentally conscious shoppers have been the early drivers of interest in buying resold items.
With ample time to spend, consumers are also digging into (and organising) their closets to find their cherished pieces while experimentally dressing up at home for Zoom meetings. Check out how Alexa Chung wears her treasured vintage piece.
#WFHfits
Comfort wear trends like athleisure & activewear have gained popularity during the pandemic. With nowhere to go, consumers want to be comfortable below webcam, yet stylish above the waist.
These trends are favoured at the moment also due to the fact that workouts have become virtual and can be completed during the day, whilst working from your home. Comfort is key.
Whether you’re looking for sweatsuits or yoga pants, your most favoured brands are selling them! Here’s how Chiara Ferragni and Leandra Cohen are mixing up styles to show us how athleisure can be worn this season.
D-I-Tie-Dye
Tie-dye has replaced florals this summer! Spending more time at home than ever before has brought out the creative side amongst fashion lovers who like to experiment. Whether it’s an old t-shirt or a sweatshirt, a tie-dye pattern on them will make you look effortlessly trendy.
Platforms like Highsnobiety posting tutorials on how to tie-dye showed us how easy it is to create something colourful during these dystopian times!
‘Tie-dye’ saw a hockey stick curve and a spike this summer on Google Trends.
Here’s how Leandra Cohen and Chiara Ferragni are making the most of the colourful trend!
Back to basics
Since being quarantined for what feels like years, walking is our new favourite pastime as it gets warmer and avoiding public transport is deemed to be safer. What’s better than pairing denim with a t-shirt and sneakers to walk around all day in? Pull out your most comfortable pair of jeans and a light coloured T-shirt matched with chunky sneakers and you’re good to go this summer. Oh, and don’t forget your mask!
Here’s how Leonie Hanne and Kicki Yang Zhang don this look.
