The popularity of bows has skyrocketed in recent years. What began as a simple hair accessory has evolved to a print dominating the retail industry. From apparel to homeware, you are sure to see bow-related designs on your next shopping trip. But where did this trend begin and what made it so popular?

Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is known for her coquette and Parisian Girl style, a modern take on a vintage look. This manifests in her recent collaboration with Chanel, she is a perfect representation of the brand’s image - chic, feminine and classy. For years, every time Abrams took to the stage she was accompanied by a bow in her hair. It became a part of her stage identity. Fans began to reflect what they were seeing on stage, turning up to her shows with bows in their hair. It became a signifier of community and a symbol to other fans.

During a stay in New York, I passed by Radio City Music Hall whist on my way to dinner and immediately realised that Gracie Abrams must be performing later that evening – not because of any neon signs highlighting her name, but because of the queue of mainly young women all adorning bows of various sizes in their hair and incorporating splashes of pale yellow into their outfits. The Secret of Us, Abrams’ most recent album, features yellow in the title. The fans had taken bows, a symbol of the singer and fan community for such a long time and adapted it into something more relevant for her latest release.

I remember heading to a Gracie Abrams concert in Glasgow in 2023 and being able to distinctly identify who else was attending the concert by the bows in their hair. However, if I were to walk down a high street today, I would see multiple people wearing something bow related, despite the fact Gracie Abrams is not currently touring. Confirmed by a field study in Edinburgh, I saw many bow designs, from hoodies, earrings, handbags, to even the classic bow hair accessory. The bow trend is no longer just for Abrams’ fans, although it still resonates with them.

As Abram’s fame began to grow after supporting Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour, more fans also engaged with the bow trend. During Abrams’ leg of the tour, the coquette aesthetic was already beginning to trend, simultaneously due to the tour, Abrams’ success was beginning to rise. Many people were looking for coquette elements to add to their style and Abrams’ bow accessories were a perfect way for people to get involved.

I’m not suggesting that everyone who now wears something bow related is a Gracie Abrams fan, or that everyone began buying into the bow trend because of Abrams. But rather that the push for demand by Abrams’ fans sparked the beginning of a trend. The more frequently an item is worn, the more people notice it and want to wear it. This continues to snowball until the trend becomes major. Increased visibility is ultimately how a trend grows, not everyone has to understand the meaning behind it, they just want to be involved in something popular.

It is remarkable to see how powerful fans are in creating demand. When brands are not fulfilling this demand, they take initiative to create it for themselves. The fans are always doing it first.