trendsetter

noun

trend·​set·​ter ˈtren(d)-ˌse-tər 

variants or less commonly trend-setter

plural trendsetters also trend-setters

: one that sets a trend : someone or something that starts or helps to popularize a new fashion, style, movement, etc.

a trendsetter in the fashion industry

Every ten years or so, for a different set of reasons each time, cultural trendsetters rally behind one musician with whom they sense a bond and who then comes to symbolize jazz to the mass media.

—Francis Davis

The county has become a trendsetter in other types of environmental legislation …

—Chemical & Engineering News

Synonyms

• bellwether
• leader
• pacemaker
• pacer
• pacesetter

Examples of trendsetter in a Sentence

a closely watched trendsetter in women's fashions

Recent Examples on the Web

The brand that has been a staple in your dad’s closet is now in the rotation of pretty much every trendsetter on TikTok and beyond. —Kristine Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2024

From navigating parenthood to becoming fashion trendsetters together, here’s everything to know about Paris Hilton's relationship with her sister Nicky Hilton. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above