Author / Yuhong Sheng
Edited by / Yiling Pan
Image source: Vogue
Astrolabes, constellations, tarots... These concepts, once seen as "superstitions," have gradually evolved into part of popular culture. In an era of stress and driven by big data, more and more young people are seeking comfort and guidance through astrology.
The birth of the astrology system can be traced back to Babylonian astrology in the 2nd century BC. As one of the traditional fields, astrology has a long history of development and was once regarded as the only reliable science, and even the 20th-century psychoanalyst Carl Jung said that he would understand academic issues from the perspective of astrology.
But with the development of the times and science, people's views on astrology have changed, viewing it as a cultural phenomenon rather than a science. But Los Angeles astrologer Chani Nicholas said that astrology, which was originally only on the back page of the magazine for entertainment, has taken on an avant-garde nature in recent years, and the acceptance of Generation Z has also made astrology related to this era, which has not been seen in decades.
Lucie Greene, former global director at JWT, said in a 2018 study that her team, while studying Gen Z and teens, saw a huge space in the astrological market, with a growing interest in intangible, spiritual things, as well as the occult.
When young people are obsessed with mysterious disciplines such as astrology, how can the fashion industry seize this huge potential market?
Generation Z and teenagers are generally fascinated by intangible, spiritual things. Image source: Vogue
Astrology has become a psychological comfort for contemporary young people
Social media may have been one of the key drivers of the astrology boom, and has even become a social tool for young people.
The BBC once pointed out in a report that the meme culture of social platforms such as Instagram and Twitter has made astrology viral on the Internet. Similar to memes, memes are created with satire, black humor, and funny content. Instagram account @notallgeminis uploads content based on sharing astrological memes, and its operator, Courtney Perkins, has said that it is her meme creation that makes the account currently have nearly 600,000 followers, and her fans have also turned from memes to astrology enthusiasts.
Ceo Ross Clark, whose 2019-launched astrology program Sanctuary has attracted nearly 1.5 million followers on Instagram, said the platform did notice the widespread interest in astrology among Gen Z consumers.
Astrology should have the program Sanctuary. Image credit: The Cut
Astrology is developing with the help of the Internet, but it is also being changed by the latter. The BBC notes that humor and irony in memes dilute the serious nature of astrology, lower the barrier to entry to astrology, and spark the curiosity of Gen Z. In liking, retweeting, and recreating, Gen Z turns to exploring more astrology-related content.
On the Little Red Book platform, there are more than 100,000 notes related to astrology, divination and tarot cards. In an interview with Vogue Business, Summer Su, a printer, said that the Internet has led to the fragmentation of astrological knowledge, such as simply labeling the constellations with a certain personality label, which makes it easier for people to understand and is more conducive to the wide dissemination of astrological information.
Instagram account @notallgeminis Share horoscope meme
The fermentation of anxiety and insecurity among adolescents has also further popularized astrological culture. According to research by Jean M Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, Gen Z is more likely to feel lonely and anxious than previous generations. As this emotion spreads, Gen Z turns to inner health.
According to a 2019 survey released by the American Psychological Association, 27 percent of Gen Z are more concerned about mental health, compared with 15 percent of millennials and 13 percent of Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980). Summer Su also believes that when people encounter psychological problems, more people will first seek the help of astrologers than psychological counseling, and the large number of free astrology channels on the Internet also attract more teenagers.
The impact of the epidemic on society has made young people eager to find a space to escape, and provide psychological comfort for people with a better future for those who have crises in their lives. Astrologer Leslie McGuirk says that astrology can give people a sense of control when they are not directed. Elena Touroni, a psychologist in London, also said that the epidemic has caused people to be uncertain about the future, and when life is out of control, more people will seek divination help. Frank Clifford, dean of the London School of Astrology, also tells us that young people want to explore inward through astrology and seek their true inner selves.
Google Trends data shows that searches for "Natal Disk" and "Astrology" peaked in five years in 2020. Statistics from the research institute IBISWorld show that during the epidemic, compared with other service industries, the revenue of psychological services in the United States, including divination and tarot reading, has declined more slowly, more and more consumers are seeking divination services from time to time, and more people are turning to online for divination services.
Astrology became the fashion industry
Part of storytelling
In fact, the retro trend that has emerged in Generation Z is not only in the fashion space. Astrology has become a representative of popular culture along with hippie culture during the New Age Movement of the 1960s and 1970s. As with the retro fads of the fashion world, brands draw inspiration from archives, and Gen Z digs out astrology from the past. When the Paisley print and high-rise flared jeans returned, it seemed logical that the resurgence of astrology would also be a natural one.
I-D magazine editor Austen Leah Rosenfeld believes that astrology and fashion have something in common, with fashion changing according to the seasons and constellations changing according to the movement of the planets, which makes both fields cyclical. To a certain extent, the prediction of future popular elements has also made fashion and astrology have some connection.
The extensive use of symbols in astrology also coincides with the logo and design elements of fashion brands, from the 12 constellations to the planetary signs, astrological symbols bring countless inspirations to fashion brands, and designers have also given different interpretations to symbols, whether it is fast fashion or luxury goods, astrology-related items have been launched.
Whether it is fast fashion or luxury goods, there have been astrology-related items. Image credit: Van Cleef & Arpels
Luxury jewellery brand Van Cleef & Arpels, for example, has been introducing its first astrology-themed collections since the 1950s, and ascent has been the brand's reserved collection since the 21st century. Chanel has always emphasized Leo's influence on founder Coco Chanel in his storytelling. Gucci also launched the "Gucci Monthly Horoscope" column in its WeChat public account.
Dior Zodiac Print。 Image credit: Purse Blog
Dior is a representative of the combination of fashion and astrology. According to Vogue France, Dior founder Christian Dior trusts his astrologer, Mrs. Delahaye, and even the date of the Launch of the Dior Fashion House has been calculated by Mrs. Delahaye, and she has consulted on major decisions at the House since then.
His belief in mysticism led Christian Dior to name his work "Bonne étoile", "Horoscope" and "Cartomancienne". Successive Dior creative directors such as John Galliano and Maria Grazia Chiuri have paid homage to astrology in their designs.
Dolls Kill Constellation Series Written In The Starz. Image credit: Dolls Kill
In fast fashion, Dolls Kill has launched an entire constellation collection, Written In The Starz, each of which is related to a different constellation. In 2018, UNIQLO launched Uniqlo Q, a digital shopping assistant in Japan, to recommend products based on consumers' horoscopes.
Astrology and fashion consumers overlap highly, bringing the two industries closer together. Co-Star is a mobile phone program that analyzes astrolabes based on AI algorithms and NASA data, and its users are 80% female, with an average age of 24 years old. Summer Su's customer base is dominated by women aged 18-35, accounting for about 85% of all customers, and most of the consumers are located in economically strong areas such as Shanghai and Guangzhou.
In addition, in the cultural context of different astrological fields, it is also important to pay attention to the role that specific jewelry accessories will bring to the wearer. Summer Su emphasizes that jewelry, an item that can be truly touched, will give consumers more substantial comfort, which is why some astrologers, including her, have launched jewelry brands.
Image credit: Van Cleef & Arpels
How can the fashion industry seize the opportunity?
Image source: Vogue India
As can be seen, astrology is rapidly growing into a huge market. According to a 2019 ibisWorld report, the U.S. psychological services industry, which includes divination and tarot reading programs, has reached $2.2 billion in size and has risen during the pandemic, and is one of the few non-essential industries that can withstand the recession with relatively small declines.
Astrology also has great potential in the Chinese market. The New York Times once said in an article that Western astrology became popular through Taiwanese variety shows in the 1990s, and then entered an explosive period in the Internet age. According to the Baidu Index, between 2019 and 2022, astrology searched for Baidu up to 24 times the number of zodiac signs.
Alex's number of fans of astrologers such as Uncle, Uncle Dao, and Tao Baibai also shows this, and their Weibo followers have reached about 17.5 million. Among them, Alex is a big uncle who has worked with a number of luxury brands, including Versace, Chanel, Tiffany and Chloé, to match constellations and pieces to become a tool for brands to close the distance with Generation Z and create voice on social media.
Alex is an uncle in collaboration with the Tiffany brand. Image source: NetEase
Astrology is spawning the rise of more industries, and crystal and gemstone jewelry has gained more consumers during the pandemic. Rebecca Selva, chief creative officer of jewelry trading platform Fred Leighton, pointed out that during the epidemic, more people have begun to look for products such as crystals that symbolize healing power.
Sara Payne Thomeier, head of the Inter-American Jewelry Division at Phillips Auction House, stressed that there is now more interest in the potential therapeutic properties of natural items such as crystals, and the industry is becoming more standardized and mainstreamed. Los Angeles-based senior jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche said sales of crystal-related items from her eponymous brand doubled in the first half of 2020 and have remained stable ever since.
Astrologer Susan Miller Image source: Vogue
Fashion media and astrologers have a long history of cooperation, Susan Miller is a close relationship with the fashion industry astrologer representatives, for fashion magazines including Elle, Vogue Japan and other fashion magazines for a long time to write horoscopes, she created an astrology website that receives more than 6 million monthly visits.
Susan Miller has said that creative people are usually very passionate about astrology and want to know what to expect before the masses. Frank Clifford also tells us that astrologers also advise fashion clients on styles, popular colors and collocations.
Astrology programs with a surge in consumer users are also potential targets for fashion brand collaboration. Lifestyle brand Away partnered with Sanctuary just last year to pair the label's pieces with constellations. In 2021, the various types of brands that have partnered with Sanctuary increased by 140% year-on-year.
When astrology is combined with fashion, astrology becomes one of the tools for people to communicate, from dress to the image created by social media to the interpretation of horoscopes, all of which are means for young people to express their identity.
Image source: British Vogue
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