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

She's been a front row fixture at Fashion Weeks across the globe, a trendsetter in her own right and a muse for a number of designer labels. —Michelle Lee, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025

Its combination of innovation, sustainability, and accessibility solidifies its position as one of the best AI apps for creatives and trendsetters. —Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025

Here, Rivet awards the top 10 denim trendsetters of 2024, from internet icon Addison Rae to global superstar Beyoncé. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 17 Dec. 2024

Now, Barra México - the leading bar and cocktail event in Latin America - marks a decade as a trendsetter in the industry with a debut in Miami's rapidly evolving cocktail scene. —Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above