Fashion Snoops discusses trends in sustainable fashion

Sustainability is an important influence on trends, according to Lilly Berelovich co-founder and president of trend forecasting agency Fashion Snoops. As a forecaster, Fashion Snoops observes the ways in which cultural and societal influences impact fashion trends. Speaking to the Fashion United team at Inexmoda’s Colombiatex trade show in Colombia, Berelovich explained the most prominent trends in sustainability.

Trends come from an analysis of the consumer: understanding how they live, what they want, what they find interesting and what things are important to them. Forecasters look into everything happening in society, not just the fashion landscape, as trends stem from what is happening in the world, and which issues are most pertinent to the overall consumer.

“We started talking about sustainability about 15 years ago and at that time people did not care much about what was happening and now it has become something of importance for the industry,” she said.

While brands are realizing their responsibility in sustainable action, consumers value fashion with a conscious more than ever. They’re increasingly interested in understanding the history of an item, where it came from, how it was made and how its production affected both its producers and the planet.

Plus, with resale companies like Rebag, ThredUp and The RealReal gaining speed, consumers care more about fashion items that already exist, considering more closely what not to throw away and how to reuse products.

Berelovich noted that the story a consumer is told about an item makes an impact on their perception of the item, even if it requires more effort on the part of the brand. “It is something that has substance and meaning,” she said.

According to Berelovich, we can expect to see innovative materials gaining speed on the sustainability front. She cited creative technology allowing mushrooms and pineapples to become an alternative to leather. “Sustainable situations don’t mean that we aren’t doing something [in particular], it can mean that we are doing something more beautiful than using synthetics or something that hurts,” she said.

Photo: Inexmoda