Trend forecasting is an art. Scanning politics, policy, pop culture, technology, transportation and more can lead to color, fashion, & beauty predictions. Often these trends have not popped up out of nowhere, but have evolved over time to take on a new form or understanding. For example, feminism or women's issues are nothing new, but may be new to the younger class who will soon make it their own. It isn't enough to say feminism or technology is going to be a trend in 2019 because they have always been trending but what new shapes, ideas, or backlash to technology will take place this year. Check out my 2019 macro and micro trends. Let's check back next year to see how I did.
Cheers, A. Bernadette
How to read key. MACRO TREND Micro Trend Trend Breakdown
TECHNOLOGY Take me Away - If Black Mirrors latest release is any indication, technology will find new ways this year to take us out of our current malaise and into alternate realities and fantasies. Giving more choice to the viewer is on the mark in the current chaotic rapidly changing culture. Check to see how new VR and AR will change the way you shop too.
FEMINISM Tits Up - Hand Out - Competing with your fellow female is out the door. No man, job, or accolade is worth tearing down another woman. Women will focus on grooming other females to take their place as they work their way up the corporate chain. What are you doing to help further women will be a question for any true feminist in 2019.
FASHION Anti-Fashion - Quick history lesson. Fashion is cheap because of NAFTA, WTO, and rapid globalization in the early 1990's. Quotas used to limit goods coming into the US driving prices up. T-shirts have become disposable because the price continued to fall. New taxes or tariffs are pilling up as the trade war with China continues. Many more items we love to consume will appear on the list in early 2019. Stay tuned for higher prices in 2019 causing brief hysteria to those consume-aholics but perhaps could do wonders for the environment.
BEAUTY Genderfree Luxury - Is it luxurious to be gender-free? It will be in 2019. Grab your genderless luxury perfume because who doesn't want a scent that is powerful like a man but sensual like a woman.
POLITICS Who Cares? Burn it Down. - If you said 2016 then 2017 and now 2018 has been the worst year ever, close your eyes and keep the molly on tap. Our love of zombies, apocalypse's, and other doomsday scenarios will be center of mind as institutes we once relied on continue down a path of instability. Those who wished to burn down our current systems may not regret their choices but others might join them thinking we can't go back but must move forward.
GENDER Role Reversal - If I hear another male talking about his depression openly, on the street, one more time to an unsuspecting first date I'm gonna (fill in the blank). Who's more depressed, hates their job, or binged the most Netflix will be an unexpected competition with no winners. Men and women will march closer together as they share insecurities, vulnerabilities, and dreams lost or stolen. The transition won't be easy. Dating apps should put emotional scales or psychiatric quizzes in their profile algorithms.
RETAIL Buy Bye Bye - Instead of buy buy buy, consumers will say goodbye to many brands they know and love. Whether from the always rising rent or because of the rising China trade war or the rising anti-American sentiments which have significant impacts on tourism, retailers will feel the struggle. Those who will succeed will not pack their stores with endless merchandise but have an even mix of services, public space, in a social media worth setting.
RACE The Hunt - Lights, camera, action - we are all waiting for the next racist video to emerge. We are ready to socially shame anyone and everyone. Shame for being too white or too black or trying to be something you are not. Ideas have yet to catch up to all the words we throw around regarding race. Who knows, maybe in 2019 we'll classify racism as a disorder and stop treating it like a crime. Accepting solutions - rejecting excuses.