On Trend

Abstract

This chapter defines trends and provides a primer on the trend industry. Many readers will already be familiar with the word “trend” as a general term for cultural shifts. This chapter seeks to defamiliarize that understanding and propose that trends are not just the natural result of changes over time but also an industrialized product manufactured by professionals who work to understand, predict, and strategically control the future of culture. The chapter also provides an overview of the remainder of the book.