As our world continues on its slow journey to a restoration of “normal,” last week’s New York Fashion Week offered a glimpse of what that looks like in a post-covid world. Designers showcased their new collections throughout this week of exhibition. According to a Vogue article, written by Steff Yotka, the purpose of a fashion shows is “to help luxury brands communicate and to continue to make that brand’s audience dream.” In other words, designers worldwide collectively come to a conclusion on what direction the next season’s collections will go. Given that designers are at the top of the fashion chain, it is expected for trends to follow suit soon after a show, or in this case, after an entire week of shows. This is what yields room for trickle-down fashion. Trickle-down fashion happens when trends are first accepted by people at the top of the social class pyramid. Over time, those fashion trends are accepted by people of the lower class.
Often to achieve full representation between social classes, companies select influencers that they deem a good fit to advertise their products. This happens on Instagram with bloggers, but primarily on TikTok. Social stars like Deànna Giulietti, Remi Bader and Kennedy Eurich were among the many TikTokers invited to NYFW. The fashion industry is continuing on its path of growth and inclusivity due to the abundance of new faces seen within the past week. In an article written for the New York Post, journalist Brooke Kato examines how after years of inviting A-list guests with reserved front row seating, “guest lists are changing to include social media influencers.” As traditional as it is, the world of fashion has resisted this evolution for as long as possible. Their main goal, as always, is to sell. So, by all means, that is what they do.
Influencer Eli Rallo, pictured above, says, “if you’re actually a part of the industry and you understand marketing at its simplest level, you know that this is like the new wave, and this is how brands are going to gain notoriety. We can provide something for them that’s really valuable.” Over many years, fashion week has expanded its reach to more than merely the top-of-the-line luxury brands. This opens a door for influencers to ‘model’ the products, creating a beeline for stores like Forever 21 to make a cheap copycat version. For example, once the obnoxiously mini Jacquemus purses made their debut, it did not take Princess Polly long to sell their own miniature purse. Thus, the “trickle” effect is set into motion.
