The Samsung Fashion Institute has announced the selection of ‘WINDUP’ as the defining keyword for the fashion market in the upcoming year.
(Image courtesy of Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The Samsung Fashion Institute has announced the selection of ‘WINDUP’ as the defining keyword for the fashion market in the upcoming year.
On September 19, Im Ji-yeon, the head of the institute, elaborated on the multi-faceted significance of this term for 2024, emphasizing the need to “wind up” or conclude the gloomy situations prevalent in the current times.
This concept draws a parallel to a baseball pitcher’s final preparatory motion before the conclusive pitch in a game, symbolizing a significant and decisive action.
The acronym ‘WINDUP’ encapsulates various aspects of the evolving fashion landscape.
‘W’ stands for the intersection of Wellness and Fashion, indicating a shift in the business perspective where fashion trends are increasingly expanding into the wellness domain. This reflects a lifestyle change where dressing well is part of leading a wholesome life, leading to a more integrated concept of wellness in fashion.
‘I’ represents the need to ‘Ignore Benchmarking’ from a brand perspective. The institute suggests that relying solely on benchmarking strategies is no longer a viable way to maintain competitiveness. Instead, focus should shift towards unique storytelling and original content.
‘N’ highlights the ‘Notable Rich Generation X,’ urging a consumer-focused attention towards Generation X, historically one of the wealthiest demographics.
‘D’ stands for ‘Daring 90′s Minimalism,’ a style perspective pointing towards the resurgence of bold minimalist trends from the 1990s.
The acronym ‘WINDUP’ encapsulates various aspects of the evolving fashion landscape. (Image courtesy of Samsung Fashion Institute)
The institute further explains the significance of acknowledging Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980), which constitutes approximately one-third of the global population and total expenditure.
With Millennial and Gen Z consumers (born early 1980s to early 2000s) finding it challenging to surpass the wealth of their parents’ generation, the institute suggests a shift in consumer focus to Generation X, a demographic that is currently experiencing a revival of minimalist styles from their heyday in the 90s.
Additionally, ‘U’ in WINDUP stands for the ‘Untapped Potential of Fashion GenAI,’ signifying the emerging role of generative AI as a new frontier in fashion potential. ‘P’ represents the ‘Profit Priority Strategy,’ underlining the need for profitability improvements to overcome economic downturns.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
