The future is looking bright—literally. Retail data and analytics firm Edited is forecasting sparkles, pastels and gender-fluid, eco-friendly styles in 2020.
The rise of Generation Z, coupled with pop culture influences like ’00s nostalgia and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is a recipe for rainbow palettes and eclectic styles. These are the four trends they’re expecting to transform women’s wear, men’s wear, teens and beauty this year.
1. Women’s wear: the Y2K bug
Fashion is always finding inspiration from the past, and in 2020, the decade du jour is expected to be the ’00s. Edited called out several pop culture moments that glorify the decade, including a slew of ’00s movie and TV show reboots, as well as a sartorial reboot of the infamous jungle dress worn by Jennifer Lopez at Versace’s Spring/Summer 2020 show.
The upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics will also influence fashion and reintroduce pastel colorways such as pink, blue and lilac—the latter of which has already seen 25 percent growth year-over-year for Fall/Winter 2019.
2. Men’s wear: casual workwear
Men will see a different kind of suit in 2020, as workplaces continue to become more casual. Edited expects strategic swaps, like bomber jackets in place of blazers, smart joggers in place of slacks, and sneakers in place of loafers. The casualization of workwear is also a reflection of the Spring/Summer 2020 runway, which featured Fendi’s and Dior’s loose fit-tailoring and unstructured looks.
Meanwhile, young fashion icons like Harry Styles and Timothée Chalmalet are also pushing gender boundaries in style. As a result, ruffles, bows and jewelry are bound to make an appearance in men’s wear in the new decade.
3. Teens: eco-conscious
Fashion has undergone an extreme sustainability makeover in recent years—and much of it is thanks to younger generations. Greta Thunberg’s Person of the Year award from Time magazine, as well as the rise in eco-conscious VSCO boys and girls, have redefined how people consume fashion. Edited predicts that it will even redefine what fashion looks like. Spring/Summer 2020 collections are rife with nods to Mother Earth, including floral and tropical prints and Earth graphics.
4. Beauty: HBO’s Euphoria
Though it followed the lives of teens, HBO’s “Euphoria” served as beauty inspiration for viewers of all demographics. Its diverse characters, who consisted of cis, transgender and queer high schoolers, were often seen in bold makeup reminiscent of drag culture—think: glittery, bright colors and campy excess.
The show’s immediate cult following, coupled with similar beauty palettes on the spring fashion runways, underscored the growing popularity of sparkly makeup. Edited forecasts 2020 to be just as bright, with an emphasis on eco-friendly glitter in anticipation for the show’s second season.