People’s behavior and lifestyle preferences have changed dramatically during the pandemic. There is a greater reliance on technology, a greater willingness to engage in digital experiences, and a new approach to fashion and jewelry as a way of expressing oneself. A report by trend forecasting agency WGSN, commissioned by Chinese tech company Honor, explores the trends connecting the fashion and tech industries. The report concludes that people are “hungry for products and experiences that bring extravagance into everyday life.”
The Style, Smartphones and Self Expression report shows that people are moving away from the neutral hues that have accompanied them during lockdowns, explains WGSN, in favor of “distinct colors that address themes of unrepentant enthusiasm and radical self-expression”. .
Everyday extravagance and self-expression
People want to live their lives and rewrite their motto for a better future by escaping the ordinary and searching for captivating moments that will increase their optimism about the future and rekindle their zest for life.
This change in behavior is described in the report as “everyday extravagance”. People are choosing statement clothing as a way of expressing themselves, both online and offline, which they then share on social media using the hashtag #dressup to “impress in everyday life”.
Self-expression content is also on the rise, the report found, with smartphones playing a key role. They help people to express their lifestyle, values and status. They’re adopting a new, “unfiltered” way of showing their style and emotions. This is aided by advances in smartphone camera technology as everyone is now able to create content and share their stories with the rest of the world.
Growing demand for monograms
In line with a new attitude of entitlement, and as a reminder of ’90s nostalgia, monogram looks are on the rise in the fashion world, according to WGSN, with people seeking new ways to express their style and fashion identity through bold, statement looks underline.
Adrien Mollet, Senior Advisor at WGSN, explains: “In 2018, a number of major fashion houses, including Dior and Fendi, relaunched their iconic monograms in response to the ‘Logomania’ trend sweeping the industry.”
“We are currently witnessing a new era in monogrammed fashion, with the launch of cross-brand collaborations such as Versace and Fendi, or those between Gucci and The North Face or Balenciaga – two much-discussed partnerships that have featured the brands’ well-known monograms. These brands have turned to monograms to elevate their logo and image to a higher level, creating greater appeal for consumers looking for new ways to express their style.”
Monograms offer a fresh look that acts as a timeless yet contemporary indicator of sophistication, according to WGSN. Small, repeating patterns can offer freshness, while subtle monogram prints in tonal colors convey a modern approach.
Not only does fashion rely on monograms, technology also takes part. The Honor 50 smartphone has its own monogram color scheme. Commenting on the use of a monogram, Yuan Ze, chief designer at Honor, said: “This eye-catching design is unique in the smartphone industry, inspired by the latest fashion trends and marks a step away from the classic black tones and muted colors offered by other smartphone brands will.”
Mood-enhancing colors
As the world adjusts to longer days, WGSN notes that people are feeling a renewed sense of optimism. This leads them to choose colors that evoke a sense of hope and balance. This has already been observed on the Fall/Winter 2021 catwalks, where pastel colors have increased by 55 percent compared to last year.
Sarah Housley, director of consumer technology at WGSN, added, “As people seek a new balance, soft colors, textures and lighting effects that make them feel more comfortable are becoming more popular.”
Post-pandemic jewelry boom
The jewelry market may have declined 18 percent from 2019/2020, according to Euromonitor, but demi-fine brands are seeing double-digit growth. According to data from WGSN, research for jewelry inspiration and jewelry-related content is up 8 percent, posting steady year-on-year growth for 12 straight months.
This jewelry boom follows people’s need to enhance their on-screen look, and now jewelry is functioning as the new “collectible” for younger generations and design savvy people who want to show their individuality through heirlooms. That’s why Honor took jewelry design as a guide for its latest model.
Business of Fashion and McKinsey predicted in their 2021 State of Fashion: Watches and Jewelery Report that the fine jewelery market will recover from the Covid-19 pandemic by 2025 and grow at a rate of three to four percent per year worldwide.
“E-teraction”
The pandemic created a growing need to connect with others, and screens became a gateway to everything one can do: communicate, learn, shop, work, and be entertained. This has led to an even greater merging of the physical and digital worlds. People are placing more emphasis on creating and consuming digital content as an expression of their personality, from unboxing videos to style videos.
WGSN adds to its report that tech-savvy consumers are looking for like-minded people to discover new products and trends via livestream events from real people who are genuinely excited about products, not just promoting them. This new world of e-teraction is one in which content creators offer real-life advice and perspectives.
This demand, in turn, has led to a boom in live streaming and a rise in the creator economy. TechCrunch’s App Annie Report estimates that people will have spent $6.78 billion on social apps in 2021, which is projected to grow to $17.2 billion annually by 2025.
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ