How will Hollywood’s standstill affect trend cycles? – Procurement journal

Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar box office success launched Barbiecore onto the runway. Emily in Paris woke online shoppers out of their pandemic-related loungewear habits. And Gen Z’s blueprint for ’90s style is a copy and paste image of Rachel Green from Friends.

“Historically, mainstream media, including Hollywood productions, has been a significant force in shaping fashion trends,” said Marshal Davis, managing partner at Ascendly Marketing. “Movies and TV shows often serve as a mirror of society, reflecting and even dictating what is ‘in’ and what is ‘out’.”

Considering the ongoing strikes at SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the resulting delays in major films such as Challengers, a tennis drama debuting at the Venice Film Festival and starring Zendaya, and the much-anticipated “Problemista” by Saturday Night Live writer Julio Torres is widening the gap in this influential space.

“We’re bound to see a slowdown in Hollywood content for some time,” said Kendall Becker, director of fashion and editorial strategy at Trendalytics. “I wouldn’t say Hollywood is known for setting trends, but I think it’s a powerful vehicle for the trends that are already in place to reach the masses.”

So who will fill the void in the forward-looking space?

If the 2007 WGA strike is any indication, reality stars will return to the fold of fashion inspiration. However, with the spread of reality TV shows, which are up around 1,163 percent since the last strike, according to data from Statista, no one is likely to view Netflix’s ‘Love Is Blind’ with the same covetable eyes as MTV’s teenage saga ‘The Hills”.

Regardless, the Hollywood freeze will result in a boon for user-generated content, Davis said. The question is who will make it – and will it have the same impact?

“Influencers are not just an adjunct to the trend setting process; They’re central now,” Davis continued. “Their reach, particularly among younger demographics, is undeniable. [Now] They are ready to play an even more important role than before.”

Reprise of the influencer

Just when you thought the influencer was dead, she’s back.

“The idea of ​​the ‘influencer’ is certainly difficult,” said Becker. “But the power of influence is not.”

According to a recent report by En Tribe, a SaaS marketing platform, the $16.4 billion price tag associated with influencer marketing remains evolving and relevant — even though 81 percent of consumers surveyed said influencers either don’t use them or don’t use them had a negative impact on their business, with only 12 percent of respondents saying they would be inclined to buy a product promoted by an influencer.

“While Hollywood and big influencers often cater to mass markets, there’s a growing trend for micro-influencers to shape fashion in niche communities,” Davis said. “These influencers may not have the millions of followers, but their word is gospel in their specific circles. The Hollywood strike could prompt brands to more aggressively explore these untapped markets as they realize that influence isn’t always about mass reach, it’s about targeted impact.”

Where these niche communities have found the most success is on TikTok, the platform that highlighted the trends that ruled the summer, including quiet luxury and mermaidcore.

“TikTok moves much faster than previous current platforms and allows for easier conversation and commenting; As a result, trends can rise much faster – and they can also die out faster due to the fatigue caused by such dramatic interest rate spikes,” said Becker.

Not everyone is convinced that influencers create trends in the first place, instead they give them the impetus they need to become culturally relevant.

“Mainstream media used to dictate fashion trends, but today’s culture relies on influencers,” said Quynh Mai, founder and CEO of Qulture, a digital-native creative agency. “Since the rise of Instagram, influencers have played the role of driving trends rather than inventing them; Few are true creators. Influencers drive fashion trends more than models or celebrities because their looks are relatable and wearable in the real world.”

Mai goes on to say that even after the strike is over, influencers may still be in control and dictating trends.

“Few fashion trends come out of TV or film these days because shooting is done a year or two in advance,” she said. “Trends emerge faster on TikTok and disappear just as quickly.”