Who decides what is in, and how it reaches your wardrobe.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 2 November 2026
How do fashion trends start?
Trends usually appear in several places at once: on the runways, in street style and subcultures, on celebrities and on social media. Forecasting agencies such as WGSN study these signals and sell predictions to brands, which helps similar ideas reach many stores in the same season.
What is the difference between trickle-down and bubble-up trends?
In the trickle-down model, described by the sociologist Georg Simmel, styles start with the elite and are copied by everyone else, as with couture copied by department stores. In the bubble-up model, styles start on the street or in subcultures, such as punk, hip-hop or skate, and are taken up by luxury designers.
What is the fashion trend cycle?
Trends rise, peak, decline and become obsolete, often returning decades later. A common rule of thumb is a roughly 20-year cycle, but social media has created fast “micro-trends” that can peak and fade within weeks.
What are the fashion trends for 2027?
See the Ayerhs guides below, which cover the Spring/Summer 2027 runways and forecasts for colour, menswear, shoes, bags and bridal.
Read on Ayerhs: Fashion Trends 2027: The Complete Guide · 2027 Fashion Predictions · Fashion Trends That Are Out in 2027 · Street style · Subcultures