The Message Archangel: 2025 Is Both Dissociative and Rebel Year for Macrotrends.
Greetings to 2025, the year of dissociation and rebellion. Congratulations if you made it so far!
The things are going to get… dreamy?
There is a term that is used a lot in fashion research called Zeitgeist, a German term for the “sign of the times.” With this term, we researchers usually study eras and periods to say that one decade is antagonistic to another. One event is antagonistic to another.
For this reason, we experienced a slight progressivism in the 2010s and in the 2020s, we are seeing a return to conservatism (where everyone is turning to facism? Well, if you won't admit it, I'm here to take the hidden words out of your mouths.) In a Eastern point of view, a year that begins with the 47th president of United States of America pulling the new version of Jim Crow laws, evoking the oligarchy system - which is too close of Feudalism with technology and algorithms to keep the eyes down to the cellular screen - with far right politics taking body on Europe, specially in Italy, economic crisis, health crisis and the rumours of the world war number three, all of this will take society to a collective dissociation... and a collective rebellion.
WGSN predicted in 2020 that the age of dissociation would last for at least 2 or 3 years, with the start in the year 2025. Here we are. The platform also predicted the rise of rebellion, new versions of subcultures and predicted that well, the market would be warmed, with exponential growth, but this could lead to an economic crisis.
In chaotic times, society tends to escape. Escapism is a very human behavior. An example for that is the Baroque and Rococo in the XVIII century. The XVIII century is marked by dense transformations; such as the French revolution, the Haitian revolution, the American revolution, the first industrial revolution, the Enlightenment, wars over European and Asian territory, the exacerbated slave trade, invasions of African and Asian territories and religious persecution. All these events led the societies of that time to escape, many escaped through addictions, religion, knowledge, consumerism, violence, and the vast majority escaped through art. Baroque and Rococo gave way to golden and silver dreams painted on canvases and represented in architecture all over the world. Another example is the Harlem Renaissance in 1930’s in the XX century and the Charleston dance appeal, the Art Deco movement during the pre-great depression and post-pandemic in the 1920s. All in all, history does not repeat itself, but it rhymes itself.
Well, it was a long introduction. Let's go see the trends.
This great, delicate and dreamy aesthetic will reign through clothing, events, decorative items and make-up. Gen Z and boomers will highly tend to adopt the aesthetic at their social circle, activities as much as in the colors, which are soft and mostly pastel palettes.
Beyond the cherry-on-the-top, this tiny but cute fruit will be an important aesthetic throughout the year. Their reign, that started at the very beginning of 2024 will endure through 2025. We all can expect the fruit in prints, the colors in accessories, in make-up, shoes, decor items and inevitably, with a retro vibe.
What if everything that’s real came from the craziest dream? twisted forms, geometry, third eyes, heroes mixed with villains, melting clocks and landscapes will take over the clothing and decor items, as well as the social media content. This macrotrend might appear in social events, might be mainly led by GenZ and GenX.
The manifestation of the self-aura mixed with the itch for the divine will be present among the macrotrends of 2025. GenZ and Boomers will guide this trend with quirky colors and ethereal effects. This is a trend that will be buyable as much as behavioral. Some pieces might come with calming properties and that exercise faith and comfort.One great point to be looking closer is that Millennials will have a significant feature on this trend transforming accessories, clothing, decor items with all the imaginarium or religious references we already have right now. We also might see a significant growth in religious and exoteric practices.
As I said, 2025 is the year of dissociation and rebellion. This trend will be led by the majority of the alt-people from GenZ. But that does not mean that Boomers and GenX would not be included, they will be looking for more sustainable ways of living in 2025. And they will go far beyond recycling waste, bringing ideas related to fashion and city life, such as community spaces and self-sufficient gardens. From a market point of view, consumption of more eco-responsible brands is expected to grow, as well as the increase of second hand consumption. From a behavioral point of view, it is expected that by 2025 the number of peaceful protests about climate change will increase.
As the rebel trends increase with the social dissociation, you can also expect the rebel elements to be mixed with cute garments. That's what the Rebel-coquette trend means. In 2025, Gen Z and the Boomers will show that a look is never just a look, it's also a lifestyle. Also, we might experience the return of the pastel-goth aesthetic, as much as the soft goth.
The line between games and fashion will mix like never before, and people from Gene Z and Gen X will look for creative and fun ways to customize their virtual profiles - including haircuts and accessories.This trend might be experienced as well in real life, outside de meta-universe through utilitarianism and tech wear.
Peter Pan is on his way for the hype as global youth is redefining the marks of the traditional life. The permacrisis has caused many young people to postpone adulthood, making it start after the age of 30. Interestingly, according to WGSN, the youth populations of Africa and Asia are on the rise, driving a “youthquake” that promises to shape global trends and cultures for years to come. Replacing adult fatigue, we see a renaissance of cultural nostalgia, with role-playing groups on the rise, as well as outfits that defy age norms. This also promises a growth in the consumption of a lost childhood by Millennials and GenX. In short, the 20s are the extension of adolescence and the 30s are the new 20s. From 2025 onwards, what counts is the timelessness of the soul. It means that nostalgia, self-care products with anti-aging routines as much as youthful activities will be on the hype for the year.
Thanks to Gen Z and Millennials, it will be time for the magicians and sorcerers to reveal their mysteries - will be widely reproduced in the fields of fashion, beauty and decoration. We might see the Whimsy Goth revival and the new Fairycore as marketables aesthetics.
Melancholic and intriguing, this macro-trend can also be firm and constant. It conveys a sense of mystery and escapism just like the year 2025. This macro-trend will be driven by the desire for emotional experiences, whether digital or real, by the need for impressive products that bring new sensory experiences. will be widely used in beauty, home and decoration products, as well as in new social networks.
written & reviewed by ArchangelMag.
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