Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management

Volume 1 Number 1, October 2021

e-ISSN 2808-4993 p-ISSN 2808-4985
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58982/jadam.v1i1.101
https://ejournal.catuspata.com/index.php/jadam

TREND CYCLE ANALYSIS ON FAST FASHION PRODUCTS

Ni Kadek Yuni Diantari

Fashion Design, Art and Design Faculty, Indonesian Institute of The Art Denpasar, Indonesia
E-mail: diantariyuni@isi-dps.ac.id

Received on Revised on Accepted on

2 October 2021 13 October 2021 20 October 2021

Abstract
Purpose: trend cycles need to be understood to know the developments and changes in trends
in fast fashion as well as consumer considerations in consuming fast fashion products.
Research methods: Trend changes in such a short time need to be analyzed further through
trend stages, trend cycles, and trend differentiation that occurs in fast fashion. To analyze the
trend in fast fashion products, a qualitative descriptive method was conducted in which the
research process consisted of collecting and compiling data, analyzing and interpreting
phenomena.
Findings: Trends provide trends in fast fashion products such as colors, styles, themes, motifs,
and cuts/silhouettes. In general, fashion trends generally only recognize two seasons, including
spring/summer (spring/summer) and autumn/cold (fall and winter). Fast fashion has 52 trends in
a year or about once a week. In fast fashion, trend changes are influenced by the stages of the
fashion cycle, fashion flows, trend differentiation, and trend adopters.
Implications: Fast fashion is a design, manufacturing and marketing method that focuses on
producing large quantities of clothing quickly and at affordable prices. Fast fashion products are
always influenced by trends.

Keywords : trend cycle, fast fashion, trend stage, trend differentiation.

INTRODUCTION
Fashion that develops in a global society is inseparable from trends. Fashion
designers in designing their fashion collections always consider trends. A
"trend" is defined as the general direction in which something develops or
changes, and when applying a trend to the fashion industry it describes the
popularity of a particular type of style or clothing [1]. The popularity of the style
of dress as well as in the fashion products offered by this trend attracts the
attention of consumers who always want to follow and update their dress style.

Fashion trends in the last few decades usually begin and develop through
fashion shows of well-known fashion brands and then published through online
and offline fashion magazines to reach consumers [2]. The latest fashion trends
are displayed by designers in fashion shows of well-known fashion brands in
limited quantities, quality, and high prices. Then the fashion retailers will
produce ready-to-wear clothing in bulk and briefly which is inspired by fashion
shows of well-known brands with affordable prices and poor quality. This
clothing is then known as fast fashion clothing. Fast fashion products are an
option for consumers who want to get the latest fashion trends at affordable
prices in a short time.

©2021 The Author(s). Published by Yayasan Sinergi Widya Nusantara. This

is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-SA license.
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 25

In general, the trend in the world fashion industry recognizes two seasons,
namely spring/summer and autumn/winter. Each collection shows the
atmosphere of the season. Trends affect the elements in the product, namely
color, style, theme, motif, and cut/silhouette of clothing [3]. The designers will
prepare for months to launch fashion products according to the trend of
spring/summer and fall/winter. However, in the fast fashion industry, the two
trend seasons are developed again to become 52 trends in a year or about
once a week fast fashion brands can produce one collection [4].

Changes in trends in such a short time need to be reviewed further to find out
the cycle of fashion trends and the stages of trends that occur in fast fashion
products. Trends in fashion also have differentiation that affects the acceleration
of change. The acceleration of trend change provides an overview of the
estimated continuation of the trend over a certain period. Thus, fast-fashion
retailers can predict the period for the popularity of the product being launched.
Meanwhile, consumers can consider the consumption of popular fast fashion
products related to the trend cycles that occur in the fast fashion industry.

RESEARCH METHODS
This study uses a qualitative descriptive method whose research process is in
the form of collecting and compiling data, analyzing and interpreting
phenomena. According to Sugiyono, qualitative research views the object as
something dynamic, the result of the construction of thoughts and
interpretations of the observed phenomena, and whole (holistic) because every
aspect of the object has a unity that cannot be separated [5]. Descriptive
research is presented in the form of a description of the phenomena that are
captured, then analyzed and explained qualitatively with the rules of scientific
thinking that are applied systematically.

FINDINGS
1. Fast Fashion
Fast fashion is a design, manufactured, and marketing method that focuses on
producing large quantities of clothing quickly. Garment production uses trend
replication and low-quality materials to present inexpensive styles to the public.
These cheaply made trendy items have resulted in an industry-wide movement
towards extraordinary amounts of consumption. However, this has harmful
effects on the environment, garment workers, and ultimately consumer finance
[4].

The whole concept of fast fashion is to bring the latest trends to consumers as
quickly as possible. It's called fast fashion because everything about the
process revolves around speed. The time from design to production, production
to shop, and shop to consumer all occur in few weeks [6]. Retailers in fast
fashion can meet consumer demand with the ability to provide offers every
week, which drives the purchase intention of consumers of all income levels [7].

Consumers become addicted to visiting fast fashion stores, such as H&M and
Zara, with their frequent collections. The brands make available on a weekly or
even daily basis to their stores. Fast fashion retailers introduce new lines at a
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 26

very fast pace and low prices, which maximize their sales through impulse
buying [9]. Thus, consumers demand constant changes in the store which
means that new product items must be offered frequently. Due to very little
stock, or no availability at all, together with rapidly changing merchandise
selections, fast fashion brands empower consumers to visit their stores more
often and throw away their clothes more often [10].

Figure 1. Fast Fashion outlets

[Source : Singh [8]

In addition to having an impact on consumers, fast fashion products also have

an impact on the environment. The problem arises because the fast fashion
industry always follows the development of trends in the world which continues
to produce large quantities of fashion products. They then market their products
to consumers so that they buy and use these fashion products. Many fashion
products are eventually discarded and end up as non-biodegradable waste that
can be toxic to the environment. Every time fashion trends change, every store
and consumer will change their fashion collection so that more clothes become
waste [11].

2. Fashion Trend Cycle

The fashion trend cycle is a natural cycle in which a fashion trend is introduced,
rises to mainstream popularity, declines, and is finally rejected at an obsolete
stage. Here is a breakdown of the five stages in the standard fashion trend
cycle:
a. Introduction: The introduction stage is when a new style first enters the
fashion world. This introduction is part of a new haute couture fashion
design at fashion week, an outfit worn by a famous figure, or a calculated
effort by both marketing and fashion manufacturers. Styles in this
introduction stage are usually only available in small quantities from a
handful of different designers or fashion retailers and are often marketed
at high prices.
b. Rise: The upgraded stage (also known as the "fashion acceptance"
stage) is when a new fashion style begins to gain momentum and
traction in the fashion industry and officially receives the coveted "trend"
label. During the renaissance stage, more fashion-leaders and
trendsetters are wearing clothes that incorporate ideas, from social
media influencers and celebrities to increase consumer demand. This
stage of acceptance is responded to by fashion influencers so that more
retail stores will start to be carried away by the current trend.
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 27

c. Peak : At the peak stage, the trend has reached full saturation in the
general public, and many consumers in their daily life are starting to use
the trend. Most retailers have identified and replicated the trend so that it
will be available through mass production at various price levels,
especially at lower prices.
d. Decline: In the downward stage, the trend will become oversaturated in
the market. During this period, the trend's intense popularity will begin to
turn off consumers who want their clothes to feel fashionable and unique
rather than mainstream.
e. Obsolescence: Once a trend reaches the end of the fashion cycle, it is
considered out of date and out of date by mainstream fashion wearers,
who have switched to newer trends in the recognition or upgrade stage.
Reaching the obsolescence stage does not mean the rejected trend will
never re-enter the cycle. These cycles are in a constant state of
repetition, bringing back the "old fads" to send them through the motions
of the mode. For example, the life cycle of waistline jeans: high-waisted
jeans peaked in popularity during the 1940s, late 1970s and early 1980s,
and 2010s, while low-waisted jeans reached their peak of popularity
during these years, in 1960. -an and end 1990s to early 2000s [12].

Figure 2. Fashion Trend Cycle

[Source : Savla [13]

These five stages of the fashion cycle occur in fast fashion products, where the
peak stage lasts for a short period. This is because consumers are bored with
their old clothes that look outdated in design and have low quality. Fast fashion,
which launches the latest designs almost once a week, causes fast products
that have been previously owned by consumers to become obsolete in terms of
design or can be said to be out of trend.

Therefore, consumers are triggered to update their cloth to look trendy and
accepted by their environment. The obsolescence manipulated consumers to
constantly update their fashion products when the product was out of trend. The
obsolescence of the fast-fashion product can be categorized as perceived
obsolescence.

Perceived obsolescence is part of planned obsolescence which refers to

"desire". In other words, an object can continue to function but is no longer
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 28

considered to be called stylish or appropriate, so it is considered obsolete by

perception, not by function [14]. Through perceived obsolescence, trends are
changing rapidly and making old styles obsolete, encouraging unnecessary
consumption. Fast fashion brands such as H&M or Zara issue between 12 and
24 collections annually, at least double the industry standard [15].

3. The Flow of Fashion

Fashion distribution has been described as a movement, flow, or flow from one
element of society to another. This fashion flow explains the process of the
emergence of the latest fashion trend innovations and the process of spreading
fashion trends. Trend currents are not something simple. Fashion changes
reflected the changes in social, cultural, economic, and technological factors in
a society [16].

The current fashion flow consists of three theories, namely trickle-down, trickle-
cross, or trickle-up theories. These three theories developed during the
twentieth century, each theory has been revised to reflect current social and
market conditions.
a. Trickle down: The sociologist Georg Simmel (1904), influenced by
Veblen's ideas, identified the two main forces of fashion change as
differentiation and imitation [16]. The upper class differentiated itself
from the lower class by adopting a new style. The style was imitated
by the lower class, then the upper class began to choose a new style
to maintain its class distinction and advantage. The trickle-down
theory is useful for predicting fashion changes in a society where the
upper and lower classes are easily identified.
b. Trickle cross: Proponents of the trickle-cross theory claim that the
new style flows horizontally within the social classes rather than
vertically across the social classes. In the trickle-cross model, there is
a time lag between adoption from one group to another. Evidence for
this theory occurs when designers show a simultaneous view on
prices ranging from high-end to low-end ready-to-wear [17]. In
modern society, consumers in various social classes are affected by
various fashion sources through mass media and the Internet.
Fashion companies are also introducing new fashions in various price
ranges through mass production, allowing consumers in diverse
social classes to access new styles at once. The diffusion of new
styles is accelerated by fast-fashion retailers (Zara, Forever 21, eg)
by introducing the imitated high-fashion design products at lower
prices in just a few weeks after being presented at fashion shows.
c. Trickle up: This theory suggests that the upper classes imitate the
fashions of the lower classes; a new style or status symbol floats up
rather than flowing down to the lower class. Subcultures create their
unique style to differentiate themselves from other subcultures and
the mainstream. The style of the subculture has become a great
source of inspiration for today's designers and other fashion
professionals. This innovation theory starts from the streets and is
adopted from low-income groups. Innovation eventually flows to high-
income groups; So the movement is from bottom to top [17].
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 29

Figure 3. The Flow of Fashion

[Source : Kim et al. [16]

Among the three currents of fashion, products from fast fashion are trickle
across because fast-fashion products offer ready-to-wear products that are
mass-produced for various levels of class, both lower, middle, and upper class.
The process of adopting fast-fashion trends is quite short/ The latest trends in a
product are launched and then promoted by fast-fashion retailers, the consumer
can easily find out and obtain these products offline through fast fashion outlets
or online through the web or social media, websites, and e-commerce.

4. Trend Differentiation
A fashion trend is a direction or trend in fashion (style, cut, color, model,
material) for a certain period and changes from time to time [18]. There are
many definitions of a trend, which can be confusing, but a good meaning of a
trend is something that satisfies the wants, needs, or values of the majority
group. The definition of a trend is important because there are four different
types of fashion trends:

a. Megatrend
Mega Trends are trends triggered by major changes or events that
occur over a longer period and that we can believe in and affect all
aspects of life. Megatrends include shifts in economic power,
resource security, technological breakthroughs, social change, and
rapid urbanization. Since this is a major change or event, there is no
time frame for the duration of the megatrend [19].
b. Macro Trend
A macro trend is an offshoot of a megatrend and can last from 5 to 10
years. If a megatrend covers a large area, it focus on a specific part
of the bigger picture. Macro trends are smaller major trend
movements that are assigned to each mega-trend, they represent
developments that are supported by real innovations [20].
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 30

c. Micro Trend
Micro-trends are an offshoot of Macro-trends. A micro-trend is a trend
that is rapidly rising in popularity and falling even faster [1].
Microtrends usually last 3 to 5 years [19]. Microtrends are the most
active, diverse and emerge very quickly after the other. The list of
microtrends is the longest and most varied, and that's because they
are "solutions" that go directly to consumers [20].
d. Fade
A fashion is something that quickly gains popularity and can fade
quickly [19]. The easiest way to categorize fad is one word: short-
lived. Typically, fads last for a total of one season, but these fads can
also last less than a month. While engaging in fashion can be fun, it is
often not worth the expense and time spent [21].

Fast fashion products, if categorized through trend differentiation, can be

categorized in fad. This is because the period of popularity of fast fashion
products lasts no more than a month. Fast fashion products always update with
the latest trends almost once a week. Fast fashion that offers new trends
quickly is an advantage for consumers. However, too quickly the fast fashion
trend fades triggers consumptive behavior. Consumers will continuously update
their cloth in a short period without consideration in owning fashion products.
This has a negative impact on increasing the amount of fashion waste
generated by fast fashion consumers and the fast fashion industry.

5. Factors that affect the rate of trend adoption: consumer category of

adopters
Fashion analysts also seek to understand and predict short-term cycles,
focusing on variations among consumers, rather than style differences. This
approach examines the impact of human acceptance on the adoption and
spread of fashion trends. People adopt innovations or fashion trends, at
different rates. More importantly, adoption rates can be used in different
categories. According to Rogers, and people in that category show the same
behavior and tendencies [22]. Rogers segmented the adopters of innovation
into five fundamentals :

a. Innovators are the first individuals to adopt an innovation. They can even
be the creators of innovation when a trend starts on the streets. They
constitute only a small percentage (2.5%) of all people who adopt a new
product. These consumers are motivated not only by the need for novelty
and uniqueness but also by the pleasure they derive from evaluating
information, finding facts, and examining product attributes. Innovators
frequently are young and educated, have financial resources that easily
absorb financial losses, are very social, are closely related to sources of
product innovation, and interact with other innovators [16].
b. Early Adopters – following behind the innovators in the adoption
hierarchy, holding the highest degree of trust among all those who
consider innovation adoption, the early adopters represent 13.5 percent of
the population and are located between one and two standard deviations
from the mean. Not as rash as the innovators, the consideration is given
to the adoption of innovation by early adopters makes them ‘the
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 31

individuals to check with’ before the larger majority steps up to adopt an

innovation [23].
c. Early Majority – choosing to adopt an innovation a little quicker than the
average member of a population, the early majority show more deliberate
caution than the previous category, early adopters, and are located
between the mean and one standard deviation. A large 34 percent portion
of the population, the early majority do not resist innovation; however,
they exhibit initial caution which prohibits them from being considered
leaders in the adoption process [22].
d. Late Majority – also representing a considerable 34 percent portion of the
population, the late majority are located between the mean and a
standard deviation away towards the later adoption direction. These
individuals will adopt innovation mostly because they feel they have to. By
the time the late majority adopter has made a move, half the population
has preceded them, resulting in peer and marketplace pressure that will
be considerable, which often pushes them to adopt a fashion innovation
despite their skeptical natures [22].
e. Laggards – comprising 16 percent of the population and located beyond
one standard deviation from the mean in the right-hand portion of the
normal curve, laggards are the very last to adopt a new innovation. By
Rogers’ description, ‘laggards tend to be suspicious of innovations’ and
those who precede them in the adoption process [23].
f. Non-adoptors – these individuals are outside Rogers’ statistical analysis
because they do not ever adopt the innovation in question, consequently
they are not evident in the diffusion curve or its statistics. In sum, there
are those individuals that for social, psychological, or economic reasons
will not adapt to innovations [22].

Based on the relatively short fast fashion cycle, fast fashion consumers are
categorized as The first three consumer adoption groups, which are innovators,
early adopters, and early majority [24]. The emergence of the latest trends in a
short period is the main reason fast fashion consumers are in this
segmentation.

CONCLUSION
The development of fast fashion in the fashion industry is influenced by trend
cycles, so it is important to understand the trend cycle. Consumers are faced all
the time with many new styles or new trends created by fast-fashion retailers.
Some trends are rejected by buyers immediately, but other trends are accepted
within a certain period. This acceptance is shown by buying and using products
that are trending (popular).

The impact that is felt indirectly by consumers from the stages of the trend cycle
is obsolescence. Perceived obsolescence raises the perception that the old
clothes you have are no longer suitable for use when new products with the
latest fast fashion trends are launched. Although perceived obsolescence
provides benefits for fast fashion retailers because more products are sold, the
opposite impact is felt by consumers. The perception of obsolescence caused
consumptive, impulsive, and addictive behavior, when consumers continuously
buy fast fashion products with the latest trends.
 Journal of Aesthetics, Design, and Art Management | 32

Fast fashion, which markets ready-to-wear fashion products, targets all levels of
social class, thereby allowing trickle-cross flows. The trickle cross in fast fashion
products flows horizontally due to very practical product marketing media,
namely through online media (web, e-commerce, social media). Various grade
levels can easily get the latest fast fashion trends or their products through fast
fashion product marketing media. The trickle across flow in the fast fashion
industry obscures the level of social class in society due to fast fashion products
that offer the latest trends at affordable prices for the lower, middle, and upper-
class levels.

Fast fashion which is categorized into fad shows the trend cycle that occurs in
fast fashion takes place in a short time, which is less than a month. In short, the
popularity of a trend in fast fashion illustrates how quickly the trend fades. But it
is possible that the trend will repeat itself. The speed of the emergence of
trends in the fast fashion industry is an advantage. On the other hand, the
fading trend in less than a month triggers consumers' desire to upgrade their
clothing collections with the latest trends.

Therefore, to be in fads, consumers spend more energy, time, and materials. In

addition, changes in trends in a short time encourage fast fashion consumers to
be in the three initial segments of trend adoption, namely innovators, early
adopters, and the early majority. This needs to be considered by consumers
when consuming fast fashion products so that consumers become more careful
and wise in consuming fashion products to reduce the negative impact of
consuming fast fashion products.

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