Youth Culture
Youth Color Forecast
A part of WGSN’s Forecast series, the S/S 23 Colour Forecast encapsulates key directions for youth apparel, accessories and denim.
This report highlights:
- The impact of COVID-19 and its complex after-effects that are resulting in contrasting feelings as outlined in WGSN’s Emotional Plurality Index
- The shift toward soft sunny glows, mood-boosting brights and an exploration of phygital worlds to execute both online and offline appeal
- Report features 10 mood and colour usage pages along with 2 edited colour palettes that feature 30 seasonal and 10 core colour callouts in both Pantone and Coloro
Image Credit: Double Rainbouu
Craftcore
Viral DIY trends on TikTok and emerging designers are driving youth's interest in handmade home and fashion goods, resulting in a Craftcore movement in youth culture-based communities and fashion aesthetics
Image Credit: Rachel Antonoff
Beach to Festival
The highly anticipated return of summer festivals along with youth’s emerging appetite for beachy getaways and poolside hangouts are creating a consumer desire for playful day-to-night, beach-to-festival dressing
Image Credit: Bershka
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Women's – NAM
Travel and brunch-to-party lifestyles uplift youth culture to allow for heightened emerging themes, from the influencer economy to the commercial market. WGSN identifies the tastemakers driving directions in trends such as retro optimism, pop-punk revival and mid-2000s fashion.
Image Credit: Caroline Ricke
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Men's – NAM
Nostalgia and #vintagefits continue to underpin key themes and items across influencer fashion. WGSN identifies the tastemakers driving trends such as the pop-punk revival, #Y2K style and 1990s-inspired #youthessentials.
Image Credit: @trentxmadison
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Women's – APAC
The desire for curated Instagram and TikTok #OOTD is driving fashion and style forward across APAC influencers, especially as an optimism for post-pandemic life develops.
Image Credit: @j876my
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Women's – NAM
While mass TikTok stars such as Addison Rae have reached commercial fame with music and Netflix deals, emerging influencers are driving newness. This is evident across Gen Z's appetite for vintage fits and up-cycled fashion thats driving a separates-focused dressing forward.
Image Credits: @thatcurlytop
#Noughtiesnostalgia
North American pop culture and 2000s style are pulsating through the global youth and fashion scene. The recent MTV VMAs, NYFW, social media and appetite for #vintagefits cement this as a trend to track. Gen Z looks beyond Y2K fashion to explore a pop-inspired #noughtiesnostalgia – a top WGSN Feed Tag trend – as 1990s music and early 2000s films and TV shows such as Lizzie McGuire are explored on social media.
Image Credit: The Ragged Priest
Pop-Punk Revival
TikTok trends, pop culture and emerging influencer style are renewing youth interest in pop-punk aesthetics, which are trickling down to have commercial appeal for a mass audience. The revival of pop-punk and punk rock music and the evolution of online aesthetics such as e-boy, #90sgrunge and #gothlite are coming together to create a perfect storm in youth fashion.
Image Credit: Fucking Young! Magazine
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Women's – APAC
APAC influencer style, and the SEA region in particular is delivering newness in high summer fashion with their tropical climates, an appetite for TikTok content and city-to-shore nightlife setting the cultural scene for noteworthy youth fashion. WGSN identifies youth tastemakers to outline key directions in trends alongside key items and colours to watch.
Image Credit: @kammtatpicha.s
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Men's – APAC
Outdoors gear, goth and grunge styling and 19990s jeans-and-T-shirt looks are some of the most prominent trends among young male influencers across APAC. This report outlines the key influencers to note, and was presented to clients with data that supports opportunities for the luxury market amongst gaming enthusiasts.
Image Credit: @tukie.stylie
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Women's – NAM
A closer look at influencers from Instagram to TikTok who are making their mark in high-fashion, cultivating youth subcultures and aesthetic trends
Image Credit: @emmachamberlain
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Women's – APAC
APAC influencers are spearheading global trends within their distinct regional markets, as youth culture becomes decentralized with social media.
Image Credit: @chopluem
Back to School: Joyful Expression
A vintage-inspired playful style rejuvenates youth fashion, with nods to TikTok DIY trends and bold beauty looks
Image Credit: @pleasemagazine
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Men's – APAC
A fashion-first approach to fit-pics sets APAC influencers apart, as they prioritize eye-catching colour and trend-focused outfitting for visibility in a stylized and curated manner.
Image Credit: @jamyjamess
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Men's – NAM
Virtual hangouts, Instagram fit pics and TikTok challenges spark renewed creativity and individual style across the influencer space. Key youth tastemakers are identified to signal emerging aesthetics such as a neo-grunge, simple sartorial basics and vintage-inspired gentle retro.
Image Credit: @itscamsworld
Gen-Z Influencer Style: Young Men's – NAM
Vaccination efforts, along with the saturation of TikTok aesthetics are driving a renewed optimism and joyful outlook for dressing up. From New Prep to Goth Lite, we identify the tastemakers and themes to note for the upcoming S/S 21 season and beyond.
Image Credit: @pjcooltomasi
Prom Night
Key youth personas are identified and adhered to with occasionwear product narratives that directly cater to their aesthetics
Image Credit: Interview Magazine
Back to Campus
Update back-to-school essentials with nods to the New Prep look emerging in menswear and vintage-inspired retro references in knitwear and color
Image Credit: WSJ Mag
Youth Graphics
A closer look at emerging trends in youth graphics, merch style and cut-and-sew separates that center around party brights and spirited graphic art
Image Credit: @misbhv
Festival Streetwear
Electric graphics, high-fi color and cyber-moto details drive newness in festival streetwear
Image Credit: @sitabellan
Festival Starter Pack
Essential guide to festival culture and style, with a focus on Gen-Z as an emerging market with their own distinct consumer sensibilities
Image Credit: Vogue Brazil
Prom Ready
Key youth personas are identified and catered to with distinct style narratives and outfitting to suit each unique perspective
Image Credit: Wonderland
Back to Campus
Collegiate dressing evolves with utilitarian workwear and crafted knitwear, with the hi-lo styling of both core to a new type of casual
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Image Credit: Cool Pretty Cool
Cosy Cool
A breakdown on the latest craze around teddy fleece and bouclé outerwear as the ultimate way to achieve a plush, winter cozy
Image Credit: @alia.husin
Underground Rave
The Y2K trend heightens with direct references to The Matrix and the darker side of 2000s fashion
Image Credit: @dazed
Y2K Rave
Move over 1990s: designers are shifting their gaze toward the club culture of the 2000s for a bolder, subversive approach to day-to-night dressing
Image Credit: POP Magazine
Prom Ready
From the modern muse to the traditionally feminine girl, we develop prom styles that directly reflect youth fashion personas
Image Credit: Vogue
The Vintage Look
Contemporary minimalism evolves with a growing interest in vintage clothing, and emerging re-sell platforms and storefront accounts on social media
Image Credit: Summerwinter Homme
Young Valentine
A romantic print-based concept of red roses and cherries come to the fore as a key way to rejuvenate flirty, feminine pieces
Image Credit: @joannakuchta
It Girls: Selfie Made
An emerging group of fashion-forward, business-savvy young women utilize social media to reach their audience and customer
Image Credit: @vanellimelli
Campus Collection
A more polished take on collegiate dressing with a luxury streetwear-meets-Ivy League approach updates back-to-school this season
Image Credit: Dazed & Confused
New Prep
Unisex streetwear evolves with the impact of Alessandro Michele’s Gucci, and his play on classic collegiate prep
Image Credit: Jalouse
It Girls & It Campaigns
High-fashion embraces emerging faces to connect with the Gen-Z market, highlighting influencers across fashion, Hollywood and pop culture
Image Credit: Dolce & Gabbana
It Girls: All American Darlings
Key influencers to watch emerging in music, film, fashion and activism in the US
Image Credit: Yara Shahidi x ASOS
It Girls: The Next Wave
The next round of emerging young faces in celebrity and pop culture are profiled on their off-duty style and anticipated career
Image Credit: POP Magazine
Desert Dystopia
Inspired by Vivienne Westwood’s recent art show, this capsule draws from the current state of ‘re-activism’ and an eerie dystopian mood
Image Credit: i-D
Downtown Sport
A comprehensive guide to the rise of streetwear in the commercial market at a global scale, and across both luxury and mass market levels
Image Credit: Stüssy
