The influence of celebrity style on fashion trends

Fashion trends made big by celebrities

It has been seen several times that big fashion trends have been started or at least greatly boosted by celebrities. We see them on the red carpet, at events, in films, at concerts, in magazines and we get inspired, but which trends were started by celebrities - and why do we get so worked up about it? These are some of the things we are going to take a look at today.

The low-rise jeans

Of course, we can't review all the looks or clothing items that have been made big by celebrities, but we'll take some of the latest and some of the big ones, and one of the really big ones that has also been making a comeback as a recurring trend this year is the low-waisted jeans. Although they had been seen before, by Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger, among others, it was in 1994 that they really spread throughout the world. It was fashion designer Alexander McQueen who, after showing them on the runway, had Madonna bring them to the stage in the form of an advertisement that became the start of a real fashion trend, because who doesn't remember the low-waisted jeans in the second half of the 90s and the beginning of the 00s? The low-waisted jeans also became part of a legendary look, where they were paired with a crop top, which with the help of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears in music videos became a huge trend.

The latest trends

Some analyses suggest that celebrities have less influence on fashion now than they once did, which can be explained by the fact that celebrities rarely have the same signature looks as before, but dress more to sell a product or expression. However, statistics do not lie, and some evidence shows that celebrities still help create the fashion trends we otherwise see in society. Studies show that model, Bella Hadid, caused a 2000% increase in searches for things she had worn, and is a big reason why Adidas Samba sneakers, teddy boots and cargo pants have been as big this year as they are. And it's not a typo that should be 2000%, just think about it.
And it's not just Bella Hadid who can drive searches - during the launch and promotion of the Barbie movie, searches for the word "pink" increased by 416%, as a trend of wearing pink was just starting, especially when going to the cinema to see the movie. It was also made clear how celebrities were influencing fashion trends, as Valentino's Fall 2022 collection, the Ultra Pink Collection, reached almost 80 million views on TikTok after being boosted by Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and Lizzo.
Other new trends started by celebrities include Doja Cat's glass bag, which achieved 8 billion views on TikTok, helped along a bit by Kylie Jenner, who also showed off the trend on Instagram. We've also seen a trend towards oversizing with the rise of Billie Eilish, and with Rihanna's recent appearance, stockings in stilettos have started to trend.

Which celebrities create fashion trends?

Above we have seen that there are many examples of how celebrities influence fashion trends, and that is only a microscopic sample, because the examples are countless. What is interesting, however, is what connects the celebrities who create fashion trends, and the answer is quite simple, that there are two different types of celebrities: Those who follow fashion and those who create it. So it is not the celebrities who follow the existing way that influence fashion trends the most, but those who go in and do something new. For example, it would not have a huge impact on our fashion trends if Bella Hadid showed up in a striped sweater , because it is already a fashion trend this season, but if she wore something that would not otherwise be a trend, it is a completely different matter. Therefore, it is the celebrities who come up with something new or dare to resume an old trend that really create and influence our fashion trends.

Why do celebrities influence fashion?

And now for the big question: Why is fashion actually influenced by celebrities? Why does it even matter to us what celebrities are wearing? And there is both an obvious and a more surprising answer, both of which serve as an explanation.
The first explanation is very obvious: we want to be like them. We look up to celebrities a lot, and something in most of us wants to live their lives - probably because we don't know much about the other side of the coin. Nevertheless, it makes us feel the need to own the same things as them in order to feel what it's like to be them. It becomes a ticket for us into their lives and their world.
Another explanation is that the brain remembers a celebrity in the same way it remembers a friend. The same areas and processes are at play, and therefore following the same trend as a celebrity you are a fan of will feel like getting advice from or being acknowledged by a valued friend.