Fashion has always been cyclical.
For years, we’ve seen trends emerge, fade and then resurface, sometimes decades after their debut.
These trends include the rise of patterns, accessories, shoe styles, clothing shapes, the aesthetics of certain cultural subsections and beyond.
From ‘70s-inspired bellbottoms and the Y2K aesthetic to contemporary athleisure and the resurgence of cheetah print, today’s fashion feels like a collage of different eras, where trends blend into a diverse mix.
But what’s different about trends today is they’re greater in numbers, faster, and shorter-lived than ever before.
Due to the growth of social media, the development of fast fashion models and the birth of phenomena like microtrends, clothing is more accessible than ever. This has complicated the trend cycle, making it much more rapid that a particular style rises to the top and just as rapidly fades away.
Content showcasing popular fashion items, patterns and athleisure are distributed to millions of people instantaneously, and the speed of clothing manufacturing and distribution has drastically changed the concept of a trend.
In fact, we think new fashion trends might be dead.
In the place of what was previously a top trend or two at a time is now a compilation of decades of fashion. Every era, every aesthetic and every style is happening simultaneously all across the physical and digital world.
As self-expression is encouraged more than ever before, we think anything can be considered fashionable. Fashion is subjective, and who’s to say one thing is “more fashionable” than another?
We’re witnessing the rise of personalized fashion, where everyone is curating their own aesthetic rather than conforming to what they see others wearing, drawing from the past and mixing it up with the present.
Historically, fashion trends were distinct, signaling clear shifts in culture and style.
The 1920s’ flapper dress symbolized women’s newfound liberation.
The 1970s’ bohemian look reflected a carefree spirit.
The early 2000s — with its low-rise jeans and hyper-feminine silhouettes — signaled a new era of pop culture dominance, largely driven by the rise of the influence of media.
But today, the lines between fashion trends have blurred. We’re not bound by strict rules of what’s “in” or “out” anymore.
The criteria for a fashion “trend” seems to be less about the patterns, textures or styles themselves and more about the timing the trend appears, the culture surrounding it and the emotions it invokes.
Cheetah print, a large presence in today’s fashion, is a perfect example of this phenomenon.
The pattern first emerged in the mid-20th century, particularly during the 1940s and 1950s, though its roots in fashion also date even earlier. It was initially associated with luxury.
Cheetah print has returned again and again, transforming each time to fit the perspective era.
In the ’60s and ’70s, cheetah print had a rebellious edge, worn by rock stars.
By the ‘90s, it became more commercial as it was embraced by fashion-forward figures and celebrities.
Now, in the 2020s, cheetah print is back and emerging everywhere from sneakers to mini skirts. This is made possible by the abundance of retail outlets — from web pioneers like Amazon to fast fashion giants like Shein to newer models like TikTok Shop — that can get your order to your door in a matter of a few days.
But as time passes and fashion has become more about remixing past styles than creating something entirely new, we think we’re nearing the point where nothing is original anymore.
We’ve recycled the same ideas and reiterations of those ideas so many times over that, today, almost nothing in fashion hasn’t already been in style before, further complicating the concept of a trend as we know it.
This speaks to fashion’s cyclical nature, as fashion trends often return because they offer nostalgia and the ability to reimagine the past through a new lens.
In a world where personal style reigns supreme, fashion is no longer about adhering to strict trends but about embracing freedom of choice.
And maybe that’s the real essence of today’s fashion landscape: the blend of old and new, of personal expression and collective memory, of timeless styles like cheetah print, reborn with each generation.
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