ANOBA, SHEENA MAE A.
GRADE 12 HUMSS- DIAMOND
HUMSS 7
ESSAY
The concept of interconnectedness is an essential one to understand when discussing the
development of trends and fads, as well as innovation. Through a better understanding and
appreciation of how these things are intricately connected, it becomes easier to identify
revolutionising advancements and capitalise on them.Trends and fads some with a transient
quality, meaning they’re more often than not seen as popular and in fashion for a short period
of time before being seen as obsolete (or ‘yesterday’s news’ as they can sometimes be called).
This is because they typically emerge with the intention to rejuvenate a particular concept. For
example, tie-dye clothes has recently seen a resurgence after being out of fashion for a number
of years. What is important to note is that within this trend lies certain amounts of ingenuity. The
fashion industry caused the trend to linger within a high sense of popularity, making what was
once seen as a ‘trendy’ pattern into a staple one of current fashion based on its increasing
normalisation within design ideas.
This process can be seen to be much the same when talking about innovation; it follows a cycle
where the focus is shifted from trends and fads, to the advancement and development of new
ideas. It is only from here that the soundest, most revolutionary ideas can break through, into a
mainstream position. Examples of modern day innovation that have seen the same cycle emerge
are those of ridesharing services such as Uber and Airbnb. The two were seen as a trend and
then a fad in the early days of development, with many not taking them seriously in terms of
being a long-term commodity. However, through the fad phase, these ridesharing services
developed into something entirely more revolutionary – introducing a much-needed
convenience to the market, and providing users with a safe and cost-efficient way of travel and
accommodation.
Not only this, but from this development of trends, fads and successful innovation, modern
culture and how it is viewed today has also seen a shift. Social values, in particular, have been
highly impacted by any notable trends and fads in modern times, making that area of society
highly unpredictable. For instance, social values in regards to the ‘status quo’ have been entirely
upended due to the success of particular fashion trends such as gender blurring and gender
non-binary dressing. Processes such as these have seen gender roles, stereotypes and traditional
clothing conceptions become extremely malleable. To summarise, it’s important to understand
the interconnected nature of trends, fads and innovation when it comes to the appreciation and
development of modern society. Through the cyclical process of the three, certain unique,
revolutionary and popular trends can be observed to emerge and progress. Furthermore,
considering the malleability of such trends to social values, it has seen a significant shift in how
society is viewed and interpreted.