Category
Fashion
Aromatic Utility
Trend cluster
Category
Downsizing
Play
Designers opt for cheaper vintage fun over pricey modern innovations.
4.6
Trend score
Trend
What is the Downsizing Play trend?
Downsizing Play: The global financial crisis has many consumers feeling less comfortable spending money on entertainment. The worlds of gaming, fashion and business are seeing the effects of the decision to downsize enjoyment; instead, people are longing for vintage favorites and a return to more simplistic fun.
Trend themes
Themes within the Downsizing Play trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Vintage/retro gaming
The trend of vintage and retro gaming is growing, with consumers opting for the more simplistic forms of entertainment rather than modern gaming innovations.
02
Geek culture
Geek culture and its associated references are dominating the fashion, design and entertainment industries, changing the face of what is considered 'cool'.
03
Nostalgia-inducing products
Consumers embrace products or services that give them a sense of nostalgia by incorporating aged trends into them, appealing to mature generations of consumers.
Industry implications
What the Downsizing Play trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Fashion
Geek chic is dominating fashion, with designers opting for cheaper vintage fun over pricey modern innovations.
For
Gaming
Vintage and retro gaming is a growing trend due to consumers longing for more simplistic forms of entertainment.
For
Advertising
Companies can find disruptive innovation opportunities in utilizing graphic or shocking images and text in marketing campaigns to appeal to their target demographics.
Trend signals
Trend signals for Downsizing Play
Trend score 4.6 out of 10, from popularity 69%, activity 61%, freshness 8%.
Popularity69%
Activity61%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha (not a primary audience)
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Evidence
Examples of the Downsizing Play trend
6 featured examples from Mar 27 to Jun 9, 2009CategoryFashion
Cartoons Behaving Badly
'Magic Mushroom' Shirt Reveals the Truth About Mario & Luigi
Potential for apparel companies to create unconventional products that cater to customers seeking edgy and satirical designs.
CategoryTech
Cartoon Corsets
Vintage Doctors Show Super Mario Brothers' Style
Innovative and collaborative opportunities between the fashion and gaming industries to create new products and experiences.
CategoryTech
Retro Gaming Tees
Tetris Skyline T-Shirt Celebrates 25th Anniversary
The fashion industry can capitalize on the trend of nostalgia by creating retro-inspired clothing and accessories that appeal to consumers seeking a trip down memory lane.
CategoryNaughty
Cheeky Pacman Headgear
Geeky Girls in i-D Magazine's 'Everywhere Kiss Me' Editorial
Exploring disruptive innovation opportunities in creating attention-grabbing campaigns.
CategoryTech
Renaissance-Inspired T-Shirts
Kevin Tong's Super Mario Shirt is Sketched Da Vinci-Style
Opportunity for fashion retailers to offer unique and artistic clothing options.
CategoryFashion
Geektastic Tees
TeeFury T-Shirt Combines Star Wars, Terminator, Lord of the Rings
Fashion brands can tap into the geek chic trend and incorporate geek culture references into their clothing and accessories.
