Is the fall of the microtrend upon us?
Microtrends of the past. Simorra FW23, Ralph Lauren SS23, and Vivetta FW24. Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight Tomato-girl summer. Coastal cowgirl. Coquette. Blokette. These words may not, at this moment, mean much to you, but at one point their grasp on the fashion industry was palpable. So much so that they had retailers in a scramble to update their collections, just to keep up with the hype. Their influence was short-lived, however. One day, content creators are telling followers to ‘Barbie’ up their wardrobes in baby pink get-ups; the next, they are channelling The Godfathers’ Kay Corleone in leopard fur coats and big sunglasses. What we are referring to are none-other than microtrends, a social media-induced trend type that has changed the way fashion ticks. These fleeting trends have often been cited as the cause for the toppling of everything from individualistic style to the traditional trend cycle to the once rigid seasonal calendar, and have forced many brands to rethink or even dramatically speed up their operations. Microtrends of the past. Luisa Spagnoli SS22, Aknvas FW25 and Dolce&Gabbana SS19. Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight Yet, such fast movement has not come without criticism, particularly in the way of their environmental impact, with these short cycles increasingly deemed to be wasteful. Their existence relies entirely on the ability of shoppers to chop and change their wardrobe, conflicting with the heightened awareness of environmental impact. Not only this, but spending shifts have seen consumers increasingly unable to keep up with these sometimes weekly ‘core’ aesthetics. So, akin to their own lifespan, could microtrends be making their own quick exit? Analysts at WGSN seem to think so. What is a microtrend? Think of your standard trend… then scale down its lifespan three-fold. The microtrend has essentially all the inner workings of a typical trend–an association with present culture, a widespread appeal, a hierarchy of adopters–but with a much faster rotation. While this form of fashion fad may rise to popularity at breakneck speed, they leave the trend cycle just as quickly. Their influence is fleeting, and sees items once prevalent, like trendy football jerseys, cowboy hats and Barbie-esque mini dresses, seemingly disappear almost overnight–or alternatively end up in the discount racks once demand drastically dips. Read about 2024’s top microtrends here: Mob wives, brats and cowboys, oh my: The year in microtrends A saturated market pushes consumers towards individualism Speaking on the once prevalent social media-induced trends, Jessica Seddon, senior strategist for buying at WGSN, said: “They were too saturated in the market between 2023 and 2024 and it wasn’t sustainable, in terms of the environment but also personal spending. Consumers’ spending power isn’t strong enough to keep up with all the changing trends so it has driven them to return to personal style and more considered consumption.” While last year, it was possible to deduce a specific microtrend almost on a monthly basis–Brat Summer dominated September, while Mob Wives kicked off the year in January–already in 2025 it has become more difficult to pin down the trending ‘aesthetic’ of the moment. Instead, attention has seemed to fall less on an overall look, and more on definitive products that have, in a sense, gone “viral”. Colourful retro sneakers, for example, have captured the hearts of fashion fanatics, as have statement ties and tiny shorts. According to WGSN, consumers are considering a more practical approach to purchasing, posing the questions of ‘what’ and ‘where’ on items before they buy. It is something that the trend forecasting site explored in one of its AW25 trends, ‘Nu Eclecticism’, which suggested that consumers were craving individuality amid a rejection of standardisation. As such, they are considering how key items could be styled instead of limiting them to a specific aesthetic. The 'new' Poet Blouse. Max Mara Pre-Fall 25, Kallmeyer FW25, Valentino Pre-Fall 25. Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight The platform used the Poet Blouse, a loose-fitted blouse sometimes adorned with large frills that had found its place among microtrends like Coquette or Cottagecore, as an example of this shift. The silhouette has been transformed within more recent designer collections, breaking free from the constraints of TikTok-esque aesthetics to adhere to differing themes. In Max Mara’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection, for example, it can instead be seen styled among sleeker looks for the city dweller. So, how can retailers and brands benefit from this change? When it comes to really communicating with consumers under this new form of shopping, captivating storytelling is at the crux of where efforts should fall, WGSN suggests. This also requires a nose for sussing out the trending aesthetics that have either a short or long-term potential, thus deducing their pivotal influences. The trend pla
Tomato-girl summer. Coastal cowgirl. Coquette. Blokette. These words may not, at this moment, mean much to you, but at one point their grasp on the fashion industry was palpable. So much so that they had retailers in a scramble to update their collections, just to keep up with the hype. Their influence was short-lived, however. One day, content creators are telling followers to ‘Barbie’ up their wardrobes in baby pink get-ups; the next, they are channelling The Godfathers’ Kay Corleone in leopard fur coats and big sunglasses.
What we are referring to are none-other than microtrends, a social media-induced trend type that has changed the way fashion ticks. These fleeting trends have often been cited as the cause for the toppling of everything from individualistic style to the traditional trend cycle to the once rigid seasonal calendar, and have forced many brands to rethink or even dramatically speed up their operations.
Yet, such fast movement has not come without criticism, particularly in the way of their environmental impact, with these short cycles increasingly deemed to be wasteful. Their existence relies entirely on the ability of shoppers to chop and change their wardrobe, conflicting with the heightened awareness of environmental impact. Not only this, but spending shifts have seen consumers increasingly unable to keep up with these sometimes weekly ‘core’ aesthetics. So, akin to their own lifespan, could microtrends be making their own quick exit? Analysts at WGSN seem to think so.
Think of your standard trend… then scale down its lifespan three-fold. The microtrend has essentially all the inner workings of a typical trend–an association with present culture, a widespread appeal, a hierarchy of adopters–but with a much faster rotation. While this form of fashion fad may rise to popularity at breakneck speed, they leave the trend cycle just as quickly. Their influence is fleeting, and sees items once prevalent, like trendy football jerseys, cowboy hats and Barbie-esque mini dresses, seemingly disappear almost overnight–or alternatively end up in the discount racks once demand drastically dips.
Read about 2024’s top microtrends here: Mob wives, brats and cowboys, oh my: The year in microtrends
A saturated market pushes consumers towards individualism
Speaking on the once prevalent social media-induced trends, Jessica Seddon, senior strategist for buying at WGSN, said: “They were too saturated in the market between 2023 and 2024 and it wasn’t sustainable, in terms of the environment but also personal spending. Consumers’ spending power isn’t strong enough to keep up with all the changing trends so it has driven them to return to personal style and more considered consumption.”
While last year, it was possible to deduce a specific microtrend almost on a monthly basis–Brat Summer dominated September, while Mob Wives kicked off the year in January–already in 2025 it has become more difficult to pin down the trending ‘aesthetic’ of the moment. Instead, attention has seemed to fall less on an overall look, and more on definitive products that have, in a sense, gone “viral”. Colourful retro sneakers, for example, have captured the hearts of fashion fanatics, as have statement ties and tiny shorts.
According to WGSN, consumers are considering a more practical approach to purchasing, posing the questions of ‘what’ and ‘where’ on items before they buy. It is something that the trend forecasting site explored in one of its AW25 trends, ‘Nu Eclecticism’, which suggested that consumers were craving individuality amid a rejection of standardisation. As such, they are considering how key items could be styled instead of limiting them to a specific aesthetic.
The platform used the Poet Blouse, a loose-fitted blouse sometimes adorned with large frills that had found its place among microtrends like Coquette or Cottagecore, as an example of this shift. The silhouette has been transformed within more recent designer collections, breaking free from the constraints of TikTok-esque aesthetics to adhere to differing themes. In Max Mara’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection, for example, it can instead be seen styled among sleeker looks for the city dweller.
So, how can retailers and brands benefit from this change?
When it comes to really communicating with consumers under this new form of shopping, captivating storytelling is at the crux of where efforts should fall, WGSN suggests. This also requires a nose for sussing out the trending aesthetics that have either a short or long-term potential, thus deducing their pivotal influences. The trend platform then underlines the increased importance of authenticity, particularly as shoppers turn more towards making purchases based on lifestyle and personal taste over aesthetics.
If anything, this only highlights that a brand’s values must remain consistent throughout all aspects of its outer image, including in cross-category merchandising, which WGSN says provides ample opportunity for brands to expand on their ethos while staying true to their core. In the insights shared with FashionUnited, Clare Scullion, strategist, WGSN retail and buying, said: “Retailers are increasingly embracing cross-category merchandising which creates stories that speak to these lifestyles and offers versatility to respond in-season. This will continue to provide plenty of opportunities to drive upselling in future seasons.”
This pertains to working with organisations and other fashion brands that fall within the realm of existing consumer interests. Nike’s partnership with Apple for the Apple Watch Nike+ is a good example of a successful partnership, offering the sportswear giant’s consumers a technological product that paired well with their fitness goals. Nike was less successful in its cooperation with jeweller Tiffany & Co., with the duo’s collaborative footwear falling short of the interests of respective clientele from both brands; one side, Nike’s, hesitating on price, the other on style–Tiffany’s consumer having little interest in streetwear.
This only underlines a need for brands to hone in on the true interests of their consumer, still paying mind to trending cultural influences, but with the goal of cutting through the noise of overstimulation in a saturated product market. WGSN concluded that “differentiation will be crucial for maintaining consumer interest” in this environment, putting to the wayside mass microtrends, and instead placing importance on the long-term appeal of personal styling.
