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TikTok fashion forecasters on 2023: Sustainability, androgyny and dopamine dressing will be reimagined

Posted by Caroline Edwards in Trends

1 year ago

Fashion influencers have huge sway over style trends and TikTokers in particular love to share predictions about what’s going to be hot next season.

UK fashion TikToker Benji Park (FashionBoy) told CORQ: “The impact of influencers is completely undeniable in terms of affecting trends.” As a fashion forecaster breaking down trends and educating the masses, Park said ideology is also key to decision-making.

TikTok’s fashion experts such as Park  are becoming the go-to authority on trends and are defining the agenda, as well as addressing issues surrounding gatekeeping in fashion.#Fashiontrends2022 has surpassed 250 million views while #trendprediction has more than  9.5 million views.

Case in point: US-based trend forecaster Coco Mocoe told CORQ that she first began creating TikTok content about astrology. In August 2022, she posted  a video about the revival of the Tumblr aesthetic, which blew up – it now has 4.7 million views. Following this, she built her audience by using her media background to create deep dives on creators and pop culture, as well as trend predictions.

TikTok fashion trends move at an alarming rate with micro trends only being popular for a couple of weeks, and forecasters certainly aren’t telling viewers to hop on every micro aesthetic.

CORQ spoke to three TikTok fashion forecasters about what’s coming in 2023.

Upcoming trends

Mocoe believes two major trends will be sustainability and androgyny, noting the latter is the future of fashion, with social media increasing its popularity.

“If [a person] sees someone else doing it, then they are given the green light,” she said. “This applies to how consumers see fashion. Instead of strict boxes, it is more of a Venn diagram now.” This past year, examples include actor Brad Pitt wearing a skirt on the red carpet and UK creators such as Jordan Hames and Joshua Moore styling skirts.

In terms of eco-friendly fashion, Mocoe said it will come down to a creator romanticising re-wearing clothes rather than purchasing new clothing for a video. She explained: “I can see that influencing fashion because brands will launch products and campaigns to fit into that re-wear narrative.” Reduce, re-wear, recycle.

For Park, an emerging micro trend is “acceptance of the pursuit of personal style” including  dopamine dressing and considered consumption, as pioneered by New York-based TikToker Clara Perlmutter (Tiny Jewish Girl). Park also believes  sustainability will be a key focus, with  TikTokers being increasingly environmentally conscious. Brands have taken note to keep up with Gen Z, such as Coach’s Tomorrow’s Vintage pop-up that offers repair services and Bottega’s lifetime warranty. Coach even partnered with influencers such as Mira Al-Momani and Lara Adkins to promote its pop-up in London.

@glowupu

2023 trend predictions #trendpredictions #2023fashionprediction #fashion #fashiontrends #fashiontrends2023 #style #trendy #fashioninspo #fashiontok #2023fashion #fashionprediction #stylish #emmachamberlain #kendalljenner

♬ Juless Edits – Shou

In addition to this, Park said dopamine dressing is returning stronger than ever after it became a trend post Covid-19 in 2021 – but rather than vibrant colours, this time it will be more holistic, calming colours like soft beige-y greens.

US-based fashion TikToker and trend predictor Cat Ward (Glow Up U) thinks tube dresses, panniers, asymmetric skirts, bows and gauzy fabrics will dominate, as well as newsboy caps, hotpants and neckties. Meanwhile, Park said full skirts (seen in Molly Goddard and Chopova Lowena’s collections), shirting – specifically subversive shirt-ing (seen at JW Anderson) and sheer, shimmery dresses ( seen at 16Arlington and Simone Rocha) will be popular next year.

Brands on the rise

Park and Mocoe both said Acne Studios is a brand to watch due to its latest collection and naming singer Rosalía brand ambassador – a  smart move for the Swedish luxury fashion brand.

It’s important to note consumers are increasingly wanting luxury fashion, which is why Acne Studios’ new collection is poignant. “There’s more of a demand for [luxury] and I think that obviously has a huge impact because there’s just an ever-growing market [who ] are concerned about wearing luxury fashion,” Park said.

@chopovalowena

Chopova Lowena SS23 ~ behind the scenes ~

♬ original sound – corm

He argued this desire for luxury could be due to influencers, explaining: “There’s a much more personal narrative so I feel much more persuaded to buy into that fantasy [of a product] than I do to buy into the fantasy of the airbrushed campaign.”

Another designer to keep an eye on is Chopova Lowena, because the brand is moving away from focusing on the pleated skirts beloved by influencers such as forecaster Mandy Lee. Meanwhile, Ward’s brands to watch are Nensi Dojaka, Mirror Palais and Chet Lo.

Creators to watch

Outside of what’s coming from the runway, it’s no secret influencers and celebrities are the ones setting the trends on TikTok. The major players? Model Bella Hadid and Swedish influencer Matilda Djerf.  Ward said:  “They have fashion TikTok in a chokehold, and I don’t think that’s stopping any time soon.” Park said Hadid’s influence is incalculable and, according to a report by Karla Otto, Hadid’s presence increases a brand’s earned media value by 29%. A true it girl.

@hal.baddie

♬ original sound – Devin Halbal

Ward also shared singer Lizzo is underrated and doesn’t get enough credit for starting trends. Mocoe’s favourite creators are US creators Wisdom Kaye, due to his androgynous outfits, and Davin Halbal, who she predicts will soon be the face of a luxury campaign. Ward hopes to see more from Nashville-based fashion creator April Lockhart, Montreal-based fashion Instagrammer Grece Ghanem and London-based fashion creator Violet Ezedimora.

By Caroline Edwards, news and features writer.