“The future has arrived and it’s all about dreaming of the past.” During much of the 20th century, collections from different fashion houses often showed a consistent seasonal aesthetic. But by 2000, such cohesion had ceased to exist and individualism was stressed all the more. With nothing ever truly out of style, garments and accessories that once would have been considered seasonal or easily dated were soon absorbed into the realm of “seasonless fashion basics.” The public fascination with the fashion industry grew even further, as fashion-oriented television programs turned fashion terms – such as “red carpet,” “couture,” and “make it work” – into vernacular expressions.

Many established designers expanded their lower-priced lines; several venerable houses and brands were updated; and a number of young designers emerged. A defining strategy was the proliferation of “fast fashion/high fashion” partnerships fashion. The expansion of designers’ diffusion brands, “pre-season” showings, and the concept of “demi-couture” all contributed to the atmosphere of constant activity and increased accessibility.

Eclecticism, choice, and variety characterized fashion. The defining silhouette, fabrics, and color palette of the season, as dictated by designers of the past, were replaced by a multiplicity of trends suggested by retailers, modeled by celebrities, and driven by developments in technology, further enhanced by fashion’s wider geographic reach. As Western fashion became global fashion, by the end of the decade billions of people felt they had a stake in fashion, whether through purchasing their own wardrobes or “visually consuming” clothes created by their favorite designers or worn by celebrities.

Despite a global outlook, regional styles and preferences still affect fashion. Even in an era that privileges individual choice, fashion still depends on the cycle of desire and disdain, or else “fashion” will cease to exist.