It’s no secret that fashion is continuously evolving. Interestingly, stylistic choices in television both take inspiration from on-trend looks as well as helping to influence future outfit designs. Over the years, British productions have been at the heart of displaying the latest fashion trends to the masses, with revolutionary concepts regularly being brought to the forefront. So, let’s consider how much of an impact British TV has had on high-street fashion trends.
The Influence of On-Screen Stars
Fundamentally, one of the main reasons that television can inspire watchers is through the casting of world-renowned actors and actresses. For long periods of time, celebrities have long shaped and influenced fashion trends, with those getting more on-screen time better able to showcase their favourite looks. At present, this is clear from Jodie Comer’s award-winning character in Killing Eve, Villanelle. Because of Comer’s on-screen style, Harper’s Bazaar report that there has since been a 1,060 per cent increase in year-on-year searches concerning her outfit selections. Moreover, searches for Rosie Assoulin pieces – which have featured in the show on numerous occasions – rose by 49 per cent between April and May in 2019.
More often than not, in seeking to replicate the appearance of their favourite television characters, viewers are trying to mould themselves into the fictional character, as opposed to the person playing them. As such, it’s understandable as to why post-Edwardian styles – such as those in Downtown Abbey – have come back into fashion following the show’s conclusion. Although the exact outfits pictured in the program aren’t fashionable in the 21st century, their designs provide the foundations for an aristocratic-inspired wardrobe.
A Forward-Thinking Sector
Aside from on-screen styles, British television is also moving in a direction where it’s actively seeking to encourage the next generation of fashion designs. After their success in the 1980s and 1990s, fashion-inspired shows have recently made a return to our TV screens. In June 2020, the BBC launched its first makeover program in 15 years with Rylan Clark-Neal’s You Are What You Wear. Furthermore, this theme has also crossed over onto both Amazon Prime and Netflix with Making The Cut and Next In Fashion, respectively.
Furthermore, the combination of the fame of on-screen stars and the desire to drive the fashion industry forward has seen the resurgence of various accessory trends, most notably glasses. For many years, Chris Evans, a British television presenter, wore spectacles and experimented with a whole host of different frames. Because of this, the perception around glasses has changed, with several digital platforms emerging to provide prospective buyers with a route to the latest styles. At GlassesUSA, you can shop now across the organisation’s latest prescription glasses, filtering your search by brand, colour, frame shape, lens type, and much more. In this sense, technology has made it easier to find the best glasses suited to your needs while keeping up with modern fashion trends.
Pivotal to Sparking Change
Given that fashion is an ever-changing sector, television is tasked with keeping its finger on the pulse. While, of course, every outfit is unlikely to enjoy similar levels of popularity, the statistics relating to Killing Eve and Jodie Comer highlight the undeniable significance of TV in displaying the latest trends.
As such, the relationship between both industries will only likely grow stronger over the coming years