How are trends created? How do they die? Let's have a look at the lifecycle of a typical trend.

Birth
As with all forms of evolution, developments begin with mutations. The potential for a trend begins when someone wears, tries, says, or does something differently.

Recognition
A fledgling trend will fizzle out and die if it is not recognized and adopted. A potential trend must have some sort of value or compelling trait that makes it conducive to replication.

Spread
The point at which a trend gains real potential is the point at which it comes into contact with a trend setter: someone with a significant amount of social clout who comes into contact with a high volume of people. By adopting the mutation in concern, a trend setter will expose the development to a high volume of people who are likely to adopt it and evangelize it themselves.

Hitting the Big Time
If a trend is adopted and spread by a trend setter, it can fairly be called a trend, however when a trend is helped by means unattainable by mere humans, it becomes something truly significant.

This happens when trends are adopted and promoted by celebrities, featured in magazines and media outlets, and worked into books, movies, and television shows. At this point, a trend is exposed to a huge amount of people who, depending on the nature of the source, are very likely to adopt it- or at least spread it (thereby aiding further adoption).

Selling Out
Once a trend gains considerable significance, people will inevitably begin to monetize it. This may happen after its initial spread, but will be even more pronounced should the trend make it into major media outlets.

At this point, the trend has a presence in stores and is used as a crutch to sell magazines and pitch television shows. Trend setters and most of the trend’s early adopters are not likely to be involved with the trend at all any more- the only adherents at this point are latecomers and the trend's original, hardcore adherents.

Death
A trend dies once everyone, even out-of-the-loop latecomers, see it as old news. Though components of the trend may now be a part of mainstream society, they are by no means new, cool, or exciting, and are likely to be seen as outdated.

Zombie Stage
Some dead trends enjoy a short resurgence in popularity after their death as nostalgia, satire, or irony brings them back into vogue. Such revivals are typically short lived.

Rebirth
After a trend has been completely obliterated, it may be reborn in a new form a long time after its last cycle. Those adopting this reborn trend are not likely to have ever come into contact with the trend in its previous incarnation.

At this point, the trend begins its lifecycle anew, and may continue to do so for an infinite number of cycles. As they say, history is destined to repeat itself.

The fun in this, of course, is that coolhunters will always have something new to search for. Happy hunting!

by Simone Smith http://www.harukosama.com/