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2024 left us with algorithmic whiplash and a closet full of regrets — but from the ashes of hyper-specific micro-trends, a new force has emerged: the vibe.
It was arguably kick-started by Brat summer — a movement that blended music, fashion and attitude into a cohesive lifestyle. As EDITED’s senior retail analyst Kayla Marci notes, its power wasn’t in the clothes alone: “It offered both escapism and relatability, marking a clear departure from the rigid specificity of ‘cores’.”
Sure, certain items became synonymous with Brat summer — a red wine-stained tank top, oversized sunglasses and anything in ‘Brat green’. But the movement’s real power was in its broader, ineffable ethos. It wasn’t just a look — it was a world you could step into. It lived in the details: unbrushed hair, cigarettes for breakfast and even cultural wildcards like former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Now, fashion is about a vibe, which is not just an aesthetic, but a whole mood,” wrote journalist Jess Cartner-Morley in The Guardian. “The thrill of a vibe is that it leads with emotion, not with spending power. It feels like playing hooky from a world where we are kettled by capitalism,” she continued, emphasising the shift towards truly living your life rather than simply purchasing a lifestyle through trending products.
“In the fashion industry, the shift from trends to vibes is in part about the way the clock that fashion ticks on has changed,” continues Cartner-Morley, speaking to Vogue Business. “The new schedule doesn’t have set seasons, but is both endlessly changing and incremental, and that’s how vibes work. A vibe sparks, swells, grows, fades away. That could take a week, or it could take two years.”
“A vibe communicates without direct signalling, whereas a trend often relies on explicit markers. Trends are mainstream and product-driven; vibes are niche, personal and culturally expressive,” says fashion journalist Ashantéa Austin on the new aesthetic landscape. “They are immersive and encompass everything from behaviours and music to food and hobbies.”
So, what vibes will define 2025? And how will brands align with them in ways that feel authentic? Welcome to the vibe economy, where IRL resonance is everything.
How micro-trends lost their power
From ‘cottagecore’ to ‘goblin mode’, micro-trends thrived in the algorithmic Wild West, where spectacle trumped substance and aesthetics had the shelf life of a TikTok sound. It didn’t take long for the sheen of hyper-specific ‘cores’ to wear off. When the ‘mob wife’ trend was accused of being an industry plant to tie in with the re-release of The Sopranos at the start of last year, user scepticism set in.
In recent months, the fashion discourse on TikTok has shifted, with personal style emerging as a counter to algorithm-driven, micro-trend-enforced uniformity. “The hype around dressing within a certain ‘core’ has died out. Key indicators have included fewer niche subcultures emerging from TikTok and the growing discourse around the homogeneity of fashion and cores stifling personal style,” says Marci, who recently authored a report titled ‘Are Micro Trends Over?’. Here, EDITED tapped into its market data to break down once-viral aesthetics and gimmicky styles such as mob wife and sambas, highlighting their decline.
“Micro-trends gained momentum during the pandemic when we were confined to our homes and lacked real-life experiences,” says Austin. “We turned to the internet for connection and entertainment, congregating around these trends.” But now, experts agree, there’s collective fatigue. “People realise that buying a single item won’t unlock a new lifestyle. The fallacy has been exposed. People are tired of chasing idealised versions of themselves online — they just want to live,” she says.
It’s a sentiment many have shared online. “I’m tired of living my life through TikTok and Pinterest. I consume content from my dream life all day without actually living it because I stay in my room all day doing nothing,” said creator Luna Lya in a viral TikTok. Others, meanwhile, have pivoted towards ‘deinfluencing’, encouraging people to prioritise meaningful connection and fulfilling experiences over material possessions.
“Dressing in a way that reflects online micro-trends is increasingly viewed as a low-status trait — it makes people feel like cosplayers instead of individuals dressing for their real lives,” says brand strategy consultant Eugene Healey. In lieu, IRL has become a new status symbol, marking a rejection of trends that are detached from reality or are part of a “chronically online discourse”, he says. This shift has sparked the rise of aesthetic vibes that align with societal attitudes and collective behavioural change, adds Healey.
For example, in the case of Brat summer, the shift reflected wider socioeconomic factors. Or as journalist Tariro Makoni wrote in her self-titled Substack: “Isn’t being Brat way cheaper than being Sofia Richie [Grainge]? It’s brilliant economics. If you’re 22 and want to optimise fun with the least capital, are you going to idolise summers in Saint-Tropez or embrace drug store makeup, cheap(ish) vices and disposable cameras?”
Other vibes, like the enduring Y2K revival, also reflect deeper cultural undercurrents. “It wasn’t just trending — it became a trend because it tapped into Gen Z’s nostalgia and a desire for a less optimised, more chaotic internet era,” says Healey. This resurgence goes beyond fashion to include Y2K-inspired beauty trends like skinny eyebrows, frosted eyeshadow and glossy lips. IRL, the trend is also seen in the resurgence of retro tech such as iPods, Razr phones and lo-fi video cameras. These throwback items hark back to the noughties, a time when technology felt more personal and less pervasive, mirroring Gen Z’s desire for a break from the hyper-curated, always-connected aesthetic of today’s digital age.
The era’s love for personalisation is also being reinterpreted via chaotic customisation, a defining trend of 2025 as identified by trend forecasting agency WGSN, where Gen Z is taking individual expression to new heights. Trending TikTok hashtags such as #Crafting further highlight this movement, as young people resist the hyper-commercialised, algorithm-dominated tech world via hands-on creativity and self-expression.
So what else is on the cards this year?
Wide-reaching lifestyle trends like sports will continue to have an impact on fashion. However, as niche sports aesthetics are becoming increasingly lifestyle and subculture-driven, they will feel less like sartorial cosplay and more like true personal style identities, says Katie Devlin, fashion trends editor at trend forecaster Stylus. It ties into the wider proliferation of niche sports, underscores by last year’s Paris Olympics, which saw unprecedented online buzz around activities like surfing, BMX-ing and pistol shooting.
Whether it’s Elf Beauty sponsoring a women’s wrestling tournament or the newly launched Japanese wrestling league Sukeban, which has already collaborated with Aries and Pat McGrath Labs, brands are finding innovative ways to align themselves with these emerging subculture-driven aesthetics through real-world activations. Run clubs, like those utilised by brands such as Represent 247, are also having a moment. By cultivating dedicated networks of fans through alignment with fitness communities and events like Hyrox — a functional fitness and running competition that has become a global phenomenon — as well as strategic endorsement of their own ambassadors and community heroes, sales at the Manchester-based performance wear brand have risen 60 per cent annually for the last two years.
The pink Pilates princess, meanwhile, is a vibe that endures due to its connection to broader wellness culture and low-impact sports like Pilates. Yes, there’s trending products within the vibe, like the Alo set and the Stanley tumbler, but it goes deeper, reflecting a collective aspiration for balance, longevity and health becoming the ultimate flex.
Brands have embraced the pink Pilates princess aesthetic by aligning themselves with the lifestyle it promotes — one that blends wellness, fashion and aspirational yet accessible routines. Companies like Alo and Lululemon have tapped into the movement by creating experiences that cater to its ethos. Alo’s LA wellness centre, for example, has become a hotspot for creators like Jake Shane, whose reformer Pilates videos alongside celebrities such as Tate McRae and Alix Earle have amassed millions of views on TikTok. Erewhon and other premium grocery stores have also emerged as winners amid the luxury slowdown, with Gen Z redirecting their discretionary income towards their exclusive, influencer-endorsed smoothies and meticulously curated selection of organic and speciality items that double as status symbols for pink Pilates princesses.
Another vibe gaining traction is the Ivy League prep aesthetic, which indexes into a sense of nostalgia, academic sophistication (as propelled by #BookTok) and a yearning for structure in uncertain times. Labels like Abercrombie Fitch are leaning into this trend by connecting directly with college audiences through activations and collaborations. From sponsoring events such as advance movie screenings on college campuses to their ‘Learning Lab’ store concept designed to provide exclusive campus-focused perks, the brand is heavily investing in building authentic connections with this demographic. These efforts go beyond just product, creating immersive experiences that align with the values and aspirations of their target audience.
“The word ‘basic’ transforms from an insult to a badge of honour this year, as many strip back their sartorial tastes to start their personal style discovery at square one. In that way, a move back towards minimalism, as well as enduring vibes like ‘normcore 2.0’ will remain important visual touchstones,” says Devlin. It’s why we’re seeing a broad move towards wearability as consumers increasingly seek out pieces with longevity, versatility and value for money. At the same time, they are consciously steering away from overly hyped items that can tie them too closely to one visual aesthetic, she says.
“What is coming down the pipeline this 2025 is an amalgamation of the quiet luxury look we all know at the high street and this shifting of priorities at the luxury level,” wrote Vogue Runway’s José Criales-Unzueta on luxury’s next big idea. While acknowledging that the term ‘quiet luxury’ has lost some momentum due to overexposure, Criales-Unzueta also predicts that minimalism — rooted in craftsmanship, historical references and exceptional quality — will take centre stage, reflecting a refined, thoughtful approach to fashion to counter the algorithmic dressing.
How can brands navigate the vibe economy?
There was a time when every micro-trend sparked an avalanche of brand mailers, with curated edits tailored to the aesthetic du jour. Tomato girl summer? Cue the crochet dresses and linen shirts. The strategy worked for a while — brands frequently reported sell-out items that rode the wave of the latest micro-trend.
But as vibes replace fleeting fashions, the question now becomes: how can brands capture a vibe without falling into the same prescriptive traps? In the vibe economy, taste and perspective are the ultimate differentiators. “The key for brands is to move away from the cosplay-ification of fashion,” Healey asserts. Instead of chasing transient trends, brands must focus on solving real cultural tensions and fostering genuine connections.
“Platforms dominated by Big Tech have turned the digital landscape into a hostile, unpleasant environment,” says Healey. As a result, people are increasingly reluctant to spend time there. One effective solution is to create authentic offline experiences that tap into the human desire for real-life connection. “Run clubs, book clubs, or events that bring people together around shared interests are perfect examples,” he continues. “These initiatives create proximity to influence and allow brands to participate in cultural conversations without relying solely on online content.”
Luxury brands like Miu Miu have already mastered this space. The ‘Miu Miu girl’ persona transcends age brackets and mediums, embodying aspiration online and offline. From pop-ups that gifted customers silver, branded disposable cameras to document their summers to literary clubs celebrating female authors, Miu Miu creates a multi-touchpoint vibe that feels authentic and lasting, not just a flash-in-the-pan, says EDITED’s Marci.
Healey also predicts the rise of “niche at scale”. Brands will operate multiple niche social media accounts, each targeting a specific subculture with authentic voices. “These accounts would be run by people who are authentic members of those subcultures, acting as gatekeepers. This gatekeeping model reflects the idea of ‘if you know, you know’, and builds credibility within smaller communities,” he says.
Brands like Palace are already paving the way. By funding content creators and offering them creative freedom, they’ve turned their social media presence into a gallery for their community. This model allows brands to authentically align with subcultures without overtly steering the conversation.
However, navigating the so-called vibe economy requires more than creativity; it demands intentionality. “Brands may want to participate in cultural moments to prove relevance, but when every business joins the same conversation, the vibe — and the brand’s identity — can become diluted,” warns Marci, as was the case with last year’s Brat summer. “It’s crucial to align with movements that genuinely reflect the retailer’s values and target audience.”
Healey underscores the importance of thoughtful adaptation over superficial reactions. “If consumers are seeking authenticity and community, brands need to demonstrate those values — not just mimic them for profit,” he notes.
As vibes replace micro-trends, the industry is learning to prioritise subtlety and sincerity. The future lies in real-life resonance, where its individuality, community and cultural authenticity over online noise.
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