l of this particular decade, why seasonless dressing is so hard and how trends take off to begin with.   Inside Retail: The latest spending data from Afterpay suggests ‘90s fashion is still going strong. What do you think is driving that particular trend? Shakaila Forbes-Bell: While designers had been referencing the ‘90s since 2012, it can be argued that the trend has reemerged due to the psychological benefits of nostalgia. Studies have shown that when people experience negative psychological states like loneliness, they become more nostalgic. So, it’s no surprise that during this difficult period people are embracing 90s fashion. Similarly, when people engage in nostalgia-inducing activities, like wearing old-school clothing styles, they have been found to experience higher self-esteem, are more optimistic, feel less lonely and more socially connected, so it’s clear why fashion trends continue to be so circular.  IR: We can already see that Covid has changed consumer buying behaviour. With your background in psychology, what are your thoughts on the impact of Covid on fashion trends?  SFB: Covid-19 has changed the way we shop and never before in our lifetime have we experienced something which has shaped behaviour across the globe in near-identical fashion. Although we’re physically apart, in many ways we’re closer than ever, so naturally, it’s expected that we’ll also see similarities in the way we shop, which has been reflected in the data.  Due to global lockdowns, Covid-19 has also changed the relationship we once had with our clothes and our motivations for purchasing them. Pre-Covid, our purchases were very event-focused and these shopping practices focused on aesthetics: how an outfit looks or how we wanted to look at a future event. Now, with the current restrictions, consumers’ attention has shifted more so towards how clothes make us feel. Dealing with this tumultuous climate has increased our desire to feel comfortable, to feel like ourselves and even engage in escapism. Naturally, we will gravitate towards fashion and beauty products that help us achieve that level of comfort rather than ones that simply look good.  IR: There’s been a lot of talk within the fashion industry about the need to adopt a seasonless approach for environmental reasons, and yet, it strikes me that there might be a subconscious reason why customers are drawn to buying and wearing florals in spring, bright colours in summer, plaids and knits in fall. Do you have any insights on this, and what it means for the future of seasonless fashion?  SFB: Seasonal fashion has a lot to do with our responsiveness to the environment. We wear darker colours in fall because darker colours absorb more light and consequently more heat, making us feel warmer, whereas the opposite is true for brighter colours, which we tend to wear in warmer climates. We are products of our environment, so florals in spring and earthy-toned knits in fall is the way we mirror our surroundings, which is why seasonless fashion can be a challenge for many. I think the future of seasonless fashion needs to focus on layering in a range of patterns and colour palettes. These layered pieces will help consumers curate sustainable wardrobes that will allow them to easily transition from one season to another.  IR: When it comes to fashion, is the psychology of the consumer driving trends, or the psychology of designers and brands driving consumer purchases?  SFB: It’s impossible to separate the two, both designers and consumers are responsible for driving trends. Designers do not exist in a silo, they are shaped by their environments, socio-political movements, culture, music and so forth, which are themselves shaped by consumer experiences. If something resonates with a group of consumers, that will, in turn, be picked up by brands who are looking to recreate that excitement/sales, etc. It’s a feedback loop, we are all constantly shaping and moulding each other.