Which fashion items sold the most in the past year and what does this say about women’s, men’s and children’s fashion in 2023? The data analysis company Edited has listed the most important trends.
Women’s fashion: grunge
Overall, the number of garments labeled ‘grunge’ increased by 28 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year. Fueled by the Y2K ‘Indie Sleaze’ trend, creatives looked back to the 1990s, leading to a revival of the grunge aesthetic. At Bottega Veneta, the flannel shirt was revived, while Blumarine and Givenchy opted for worn denim.
Developments in the music industry are also taking advantage of this trend. Or is it the other way around? Blink-182, My Chemical Romance and Paramore are all kicking off their world tour in Spring 2023. Either way, events like these serve as trend accelerators. Edited therefore recommends focusing on collections with a grunge theme during this period.
Men’s fashion: post-apocalyptic
The post-apocalyptic aesthetic featured in Balenciaga’s SS23 ‘Mud Show’ is a reaction to a grim year of war and crisis. Protective clothing retains its relevance in this theme (buoyed by the post-pandemic ‘survival’ fashion trend) but is refreshed in 2023 with military and workwear influences.
Reinforced elements made of heavier materials such as leather with additional knee and shoulder pads are relevant and tie in with the current popularity of motorcycle clothing and the grunge theme. Leather therefore had a prominent presence on the SS23 catwalks. In the market, the share of leather (including synthetic leather) in apparel increased by 14 percent year-on-year. The use of leather grew particularly strongly in t-shirts and trousers. More functional items like cargo pants often have a softer color palette with beige and earth tones. A military vibe is created with camouflage, bomber jackets and vests.
Children’s fashion: the meta generation
Edited refers to Generation Alpha (children born after 2010) as the ‘beta testers’ of the Metaverse. The importance of the Metaverse is said to be huge to them and retailers are starting to see the potential. For example, Claire’s Accessories recently opened her own town in Roblox: ShimmerVille. With a mall, coffee shop and currency of their own, customers can outfit their avatars with Claire’s jewelry and accessories that they can also buy in real life.
A good move, according to Edited, which advises retailers not to shy away from the chance of relevancy with this generation via the metaverse. Roblox would be a useful access tool in this regard, but collaborating with other digital (gaming) platforms is also worth considering. Incidentally, an unregulated online community is not suitable for the younger Gen Alpha. For them, Edited recommends hyper-physical in-store strategies that encourage store visits and foster an interactive experience.
This article was similarly published on FashionUnited.nl. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ