cool hunter
Forecaster of fads
A cool hunter is someone who identifies emerging trends, styles, and cultural shifts before they reach the mainstream.
Typically employed by marketing firms or brands, cool hunters observe youth culture, street fashion, and underground scenes to predict what will become popular.
The practice peaked in the 1990s and early 2000s: The company hired cool hunters to scout skate parks and clubs.
The term now sounds slightly dated, as social media has largely replaced human trend-spotting.
- streetPublic urban roadway
- street styleUrban everyday fashion
- trendsetterOne who initiates styles
- market researchAnalyzing buyer preferences systematically
- underground sceneNon-mainstream artistic community
trend · what's next · early adopter · viral moment · ethnographer · tastemaker · innovator · cutting edge · zeitgeist · futurist · runway · fashion week · anthropologist · pop culture · menswear · subculture · influencer · focus group
- trendsetterstrendsetter, trendsetters, influencer, fashionistas, style icons
- trend analyststrend spotter, futurist
cool hunterlate adopter
Person slow embracing innovations
laggard · follower · conformist · sheep · Johnny-come-lately
cool, cooler, coolest, coolly, coolness, cooling, cooled, hunt, hunter