Trademart reveals the origins of trends with new trend report: From Forecast to For You Page

From street style to social media: how hypes grow into fashion and lifestyle trends that really influence Belgian consumers

Yesterday at Trademart, the future of trends was already a hot topic during a lively panel discussion; today, Europe's largest B2B purchasing centre officially launches its first trend report: "From Forecast to For You Page". The report examines how societal shifts, consumer behaviour, and creative impulses combine to create trends and how these ultimately resonate with Belgian consumers.

The report was compiled with three leading voices from the field: Dominique Nzeyimana (Style & Culture Editor at ELLE Belgium), Jordy Arthur Vaesen (designer and digital creative) and Dimitri Valckaert (CEO of Twins Distribution). Their insights reveal a fashion and retail world in full transition, driven by speed, experience and meaning. The panel discussion that took place yesterday was moderated by renowned fashion journalist Veerle Windels, who had just returned from Paris Fashion Week and brought her fresh insights to the meeting. The report can be downloaded here.

From the left: Jordy Arthur Vaesen, Dominique Nzeyimana, Veerle Windels, Dimitri Valckaert

How trends form

Trends don't form in a vacuum. They evolve from the street scene, culture and social change, but equally from social media. Belgium will have almost 9 million social media users in 2025. 63% of young people discover brands through Instagram, 43% through TikTok, and 29% of Belgians make purchases based on the recommendation of an influencer (SMI Barometer 2025). However, a viral click is not enough: only when consumers experience something for themselves and their community finds it valuable does a trend gain lasting power.

According to Nzeyimana, content creators and social media have completely reshaped the speed of the trend landscape. "They've taken over some of the role of classical media, because they're closer to their audiences," she says. But those who only chase hype lose authenticity. During the panel discussion, designer Jordy Vaesen emphasises that he never creates something "because it's trendy, but because it feels right." Trends may provide direction, he says, but never determine the core of a brand.

From fun factor to foundations

The report and panel discussion show how today's consumers balance between pleasure and awareness. Fashion can be light and playful again; "life is intense enough as it is," says Vaesen but at the same time, it remains a mirror of identity and hope. Nzeyimana explained how fashion opened doors for her personally, even within Belgium, a small country. "It proves how creativity can liberate people," she says. "Fashion can, in its own way, change the world."

Offline remains irreplaceable

Despite the growth of e-commerce, Belgian bricks-and-mortar stores capture around 97% of total consumer spending, ensuring offline remains relevant. At the same time, the online landscape remains challenging: only 44% of e-commerce spending goes to Belgian webshops (FPS Economy).

Vaesen consciously chooses not to buy online sometimes. "I'd rather drive to a physical store to feel the vibe and turn it into a day out. It makes shopping special again." Nzeyimana added that a shopping trip "should be a bit like at the hairdresser's," referring to the social and personal aspect that online shopping can't replace, and emphasising that the social side also becomes practical: "The postman no longer comes by personally, and everything also needs to be faster at the checkout."

Local is the new luxury

The Belgian story also runs like a theme through the report and panel discussion. Nzeyimana emphasises that the power of our creative sector is often underestimated. "The fact that we're not dependent on Paris or London, but give local talent opportunities here, makes us unique." For Valckaert, Belgian remains synonymous with quality: "Customers sense that immediately. The first thing they do is touch the product, and if it's good, they buy it."

About Trademart

With more than 1,500 brands in fashion, home & living and baby & kids, Trademart is Europe's largest B2B purchasing centre. Since its incorporation in 1975, the six-floor building in Brussels has grown from a traditional purchasing site into a hybrid platform that combines showrooms with digital tools and strategic partnerships.

Here, retailers will find not only collections, but also knowledge, inspiration and connections. The combination of tactile experience and digital efficiency elevates the purchasing process, making Trademart a vibrant hub where the future of retail is taking shape.


Practical

The trend report is now available via this link.

For questions, interview requests or comments:

Rani De Volder

PR Manager, MMBSY

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