Future Trends Hand Out
most trends happen in...
cycles, spurts, and curvilinear waves
Although no one can predict the futuretwo things are clear:
(1) changes in society and people's lives are bound to occur, and (2) dress will reflect those changes in some way
TREND 2: INCREASED AGING POPULATION (Adaptive Dress)
-Adaptive dress is fashionable clothing that can be worn by anyone but is easier to put on/take off. Adaptive dress is cut for easier mobility and is designed for comfort. For instance, pants can be cut with voluminous bottoms for long periods of sitting or may have extra padding in the elbows for when a person is resting their elbows on wheelchair arms -Because people are living longer, this suggests that mobility issues will become more of an issue, along with the fact that more people are dressing to look younger -almost 21 million Americans lived with an ambulatory disability in 2013 -Izzy Camilleri worked in high-end fashion before starting an adaptive dress clothing line, IZ Adaptive, where designs were fashionable and designed for the physically impaired (Maclellan, 2015). However, IZ Adaptive closed in 2016 because of financial struggles suggesting that this need is not yet fully implemented
TREND 3: CLIMATE CHANGE'S EFFECT ON FASHION (Unpredictable weather patterns will lead to the reduced ability to plan clothing needs/trends early)
-As it becomes harder to predict weather patterns, customers and designers alike will be unable to plan for clothing needs/trends far in advance -Customers will embrace a "buy it now" mentality, purchasing clothing as they need it instead of ahead of time -The fashion industry will need to produce, order, and ship things in season, instead of ahead of season
TREND 3: CLIMATE CHANGE'S EFFECT ON FASHION (Companies may need to cater to the unpredictable weather and "buy now" mentality of offering smaller runs of clothing that can be available quickly)
-Companies with short lead times and limited runs might be better for adapting to changing or unexpected weather -Smaller collections with more frequent releases of new clothing will thrive in the "buy now" market
TREND 2: INCREASED AGING POPULATION (consumer growth in the 60+ age category)
-Currently the fastest growing group of consumers is over the age of 60 years old -By the year 2050, the global population that is 60 years of age and older is expected to be around 2 billion as compared to 800 million currently and the 600 million that existed in just 2000 -In the U.S. 80% of financial assets are controlled by Baby Boomers and 60% of consumer spending is done by these individuals -In 2011, women over the age of 75 were shopping more frequently than women between the ages of 16-34 in 1961 -The projected spending on consumer goods is expected to grow from $8 trillion in 2010 to $15 trillion in 2020
TREND 4: THE FUTURE OF APPEARANCE AND BEAUTY IDEALS (Scenario 1: In the Future, realistic and "natural beauty" is valued)
-Experts in the fields of beauty and appearance management have previously called for more a more diverse and realistic standard of beauty -Canvas8, working with the Dove for Real Beauty campaign, predicted that by 2024 many changes in the social norms and ideals of beauty will have occurred: o Beauty ideals will be more diverse and democratic. The elite few, including celebrities and the media, will no longer dictate what is beautiful. The larger population will drive what is considered beautiful (Brazilian, 2015; Canvas8, 2014). o Expressive Beauty: new technologies will break barriers on what is possible in terms of expressing ourselves through our outward appearance (Canvas8, 2014). o Visible values: inner beauty will become more important. Personal values and substance will become key in what makes someone beautiful (Canvas8, 2014). o Unedited me: a backlash against Photoshop and virtual beauty will result in less editing and unedited images of beauty in the media (Canvas8, 2014).
TREND 2: INCREASED AGING POPULATION (Senior Models and Targeting to Older Populations)
-Future forecasters predict that advances in biotechnology will allow us to "turn off" the genes that promote aging and diseases -Advances in Western medicine and technology will allow people to live longer. We will be facing a much longer life expectancy in the future -There has been a rise of older models in ad campaigns. Though not the first, there was a surge of ad campaigns in spring 2015 that included Joan Didion for Celine, Joni Mitchell for YSL, and Iris Apfel for Kate Spade -There is certainly a level of novelty in using 60+ models after using 20 something models for so long. It is inevitable that these brands will not continue to usie 60+ models exclusively, but it is projected that "savvy" brands will keep consistently appealing to this age demographic (Kate Spade and L'Oréal are two brands committed to keeping with appealing to multiple generations ) -Jenny Darroch, professor of marketing at Claremont University, predicts that the trend to appeal to an older population will increase in the future, especially if women continue to increase their professional roles and to gain further economic success
TREND 3: CLIMATE CHANGE'S EFFECT ON FASHION (Decreased seasonality and warmer temperatures will reduce the need for winder and outdoor clothing)
-In early 2016, Macy's cut more than 4,500 jobs. They blamed low sales for the cuts, citing that 80% of the revenue shortcomings were due to "cold-weather goods like jackets, hats and scarves not selling" -If decreased seasonality continues, we may be wearing the same clothing all year, instead of needing winter and summer clothing -If temperatures continue to rise, winter and outdoor clothing will be the most affected apparel products -Winter clothing may arrive in stores later in the year. The practice of introducing winter clothing in later summer or early fall will no longer take place -Medium weight fabrics may be the most popular, as they will be appropriate for more versatile weather
TREND 4: THE FUTURE OF APPEARANCE AND BEAUTY IDEALS
-Standards of attractiveness should diversify as our ethnic diversity increases because of a wider variety of facial features and skin colors in models and celebrities -Appreciation of greater variety in body shapes may begin to become evident as diversity in racial characteristics is appreciated -The internet and cheaper film making technology allow anyone to make and post videos online. The media and trends in beauty ideals will no longer be controlled by the elite. The general population will have a voice in taste making through online media platforms
It is impossible to predict...
specific and detailed future trends, so we look at a few present-day trends and consider several directions in which those trends might go in the future
TREND 1: CHANGES IN RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERISTY
-by the year 2065 the population of the U.S. is projected to increase by 117 million people and there will be no racial or ethnic majority -To remain a viable and livable part of society and stay successful, any community and any person looking for career options must successfully interact with diversity -As the minority population grows and becomes more affluent the mass media will likely evolve to portray a more diverse image of beauty. The internet will reach the poorest and most isolated parts/people in the world, which will further globalize beauty -As the rates of interracial marriages increase, the norms surrounding beauty as it relates to race will change -America is moving in a direction where there will not be an ethnic majority
TREND 3: CLIMATE CHANGE'S EFFECT ON FASHION (Changes in availability of textiles derived from plant materials)
Climate change will negatively impact the plants grown for textiles. Designers and clothing companies may need to transition away from these natural materials, such as cotton
TREND 4: THE FUTURE OF APPEARANCE AND BEAUTY IDEALS (Scenario 2: In the Future, more unrealistic beauty, or beauty enhanced by technology is valued)
Future forecasters have predicted a future where technology is increasingly used to alter the body and personal appearances. Tal (2016) reports that this will lead to a future where unrealistic beauty is valued and cosmetic technology will allow anyone to change his/her body to the current ideal. The predictions for these types of technology include: o Makeup combined with holographic technology (Tal, 2016). o Cosmetic surgery: Invasive and non-invasive cosmetic surgery will become less expensive, with shorter recovery times and will be more universally used (Tal, 2016). o Biotechnology and gene therapy will allow us to genetically edit "designer babies" or redesign ourselves (Tal, 2016). This may include the ability to 'turn off' genes that direct fat cells to hold onto excess fat (Kurweil, n.d. as cited by Wilms, 2014). o Genetic Engineering: Biology will no longer control evolution or beauty. That's why beauty norms matter. What we find attractive will inform our choices when it becomes possible to genetically engineer our children (and even re-engineer ourselves). What physical qualities will you emphasize over others? Will your child be a certain colour? Race? Or gender? Will they have super strength? A towering intellect? Will you breed aggression out of their natural personality?
TREND 5: WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY (haptics)
Wearables are expected to be a $19 billion industry by 2018, according to Juniper Research o Haptics is technology that communicates with the skin by 'tapping' or 'nudging' (Charara, 2015). o We:eX is a company that uses haptics in their wearable experiments. Their ultimate goal is to create wearable technology that decreases the use of screens (Charara, 2015). o We:eX experiments (Charara, 2015): o Fundawear that allowed another person to set off vibrations o A fashion forward Navigate jacket that nudges wearer in the direction they need to go—they have designed these for specific cities (at the time of the article: New York, Paris, Sydney) o Alert Shirt that uses haptics to allow sports fans to feel intensity as the game progresses o Teamed up with Oakley to make the Big Air flying jacket with wind turbines to use the wind force and trajectory from a half-pipe jump to accelerate a snowboarder
future technology in clothing may...
allow for total control of the "personal thermal management to provide heating or cooling only to the human body" without worrying about controlling the thermal environment in an entire building
Forecasting
estimations of probable occurrences based on present and past information
technological, population, and social trends that most likely will affect our lives during the next 20 years
o Changes in racial and ethnic diversity o Increased aging population o Climate change's effect on fashion o The future of appearance management o Wearable technology o Other technological innovations
TREND 5: WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY (The internet of things (IoT) and the internet of clothing)
o The Internet of Things is a system of objects that are interconnected and able to share data over a network without requiring human interaction. o The Internet of Clothing is the term used to describe internet compatible clothing that will connect with other clothing and everyday objects via the internet. o Consumer's attitudes toward data sharing are shifting and people are becoming more open to technology touching every point of their lives. People are becoming more willing to incorporate technology into their everyday lives (Milnes, 2016). o It appears that wearable technology (such as wrist worn devices) will evolve into miniature devices that are embedded directly into clothing (Bain, 2016). o Avery Dennison and EVRYTHNG have partnered to begin "switching on clothing" and connecting them to the internet. It is predicted that this partnership will grow to include many high end and everyday clothing brands. Eventually, clothing will be connected to the internet, providing unique functions by sharing data with other clothing, devices, and everyday objects (Arthur, 2016; Bain, 2016; Milnes, 2016). The technology for this currently exists, but its use will become ubiquitous and accessible to everyone (Bain, 2016). o It is predicted that internet-connected clothing will look familiar to us at first. It should look exactly like the clothing we already know at least for the first few years. As time goes on, it might be more acceptable for clothing to look "futuristic" (Curry, 2016). o The clothing's connection to the internet is set to provide benefits for the customer that may include: o Use of GPS to locate missing or stolen clothing (Arthur, 2016; Milnes, 2016). o Easy access to more information about the garment including care and wash practices (Arthur, 2016). Others have predicted that the IoC will allow clothing to communicate directly with your washer and dryer (Bain, 2016). o Access to other information about the garment, including where/ ow it was made, where the supplies were sourced, and product reviews (Bain, 2016; Milnes, 2016). o In store connection to loyalty program, personal pricing, etc. (Arthur, 2016). o It is also set to provide benefits to the manufacturer and designers such as: o Use of data analytics collected through internet-connected clothing to improve product design, efficiency, and supply chain management (Arthur, 2016). o Easy identification of counterfeited goods (Arthur, 2016). o Access to music playlists developed by the brand (Bain, 2016). o Example: Project Jacquard o Levi and Google partnered to incorporate conductive thread into the Levi denim weave structure. This innovation may be used to transform clothing and furniture into interactive, internet connected surfaces (Google ATAP, 2016). o The concept video shows what could be possible with technology being developed. This includes a garment that can send messages to the user, respond to gestures, and interact with the other devices (smart phone, headphones) around it (Google ATAP, 2016).
TREND 6: OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS
o Virtual and augmented reality: -Home and hardware retailers are embracing virtual and augmented reality. In some cases, the customer wears a headset to see what certain finishes (i.e., paint colors, tile, cabinets) would look like in 3-D. Home Depot is using augmented reality where a customer can upload an image of his/her home and change things like paint and wood stain colors (Associated Press, 2017). -A clothing company, CES, plans to create a virtual reality shopping experience where a person can try on jeans virtually (Associated Press, 2017). -Computer displays will be fully integrated with reality. "In these virtual realities, you can be a different person with a different body for each occasion" (Wilms, 2014, para 4). o Interactive mirrors: -Neiman Marcus has installed mirrors in 20 stores (as of the beginning on 2017) that give 360 views of outfits, give side-by-side comparisons without the shopper trying on the outfit, and gives the shopper the capability to send video to a friend (Associated Press, 2017). -Rent the Runway plans to roll out a mirror that will recommend items that will go with what a person is wearing (Associated Press, 2017). o Smart shelves: -Smart shelves are shelves that would direct customers to products they would like based on their history (collected data) (Associated Press, 2017). -For example, for a shopper who prefers gluten-free products, the price tags could light up in the aisle where all the gluten-free options are housed (Associated Press, 2017). o Robots: -In CA, Lowes is experimenting with robots in stores that can help guide shoppers to products (Associated Press, 2017). -Japanese tech company, SoftBank, is experimenting with robots who connect more deeply with customers by recognizing age and gender through facial recognition. SoftBank Robotics says it is working with clothing retailers to help suggest outfits to shoppers (Associated Press, 2017). o 3D printing: -Improvement in 3D printing that allows for fast and low cost clothing. Customers may download clothing files from a designer and print them at home (Howard, 2015). -3D printed makeup that could be printed at home (Tal, 2016). o Color changing: -Clothes that digitally change color (Arthur, 2015, Fumo, 2015). -Nail polish that can change color with the use of your smartphone (Tal, 2016). o Charging: -Solar Cells more fully integrated into clothing to charge devices (Arthur, 2015). o Temperature control: -Technology in clothing that allows automatic body temperature controls to respond to skin temperature (Arthur, 2015; Neil Blumenthal via Fumo, 2015). o Customization: -Styles that shift including sleeves that shorten or lengthen and clothes that change silhouettes using theoretical technology and fiber sciences (Arthur, 2015). -Increased use of co-design and customization. (Fumo, 2015). o Invisibility: -Invisibility cloak developed from current science that is allowing researchers to make cells invisible (Preetha, 2016).
AN OVERVIEW OF THE GLOBAL 2017 CONSUMER
o Wants to shop faster, securely, and more swiftly o Want authenticity in what they buy o Want personalization, even in mass production o The "beyond average" (e.g., size, diet) want their needs better met o They expect their relationship with the brand to continue after their purchase o Consumers 50+ make up almost a quarter of the people on the planet (record number) o They are demanding consumers and their consumption needs have been labelled "longevity economy" o They are receptive of new technology development o This demographic is continually being expected to look younger