Somewhere, there is a room full of people who decide what colours we’ll all be wearing in 2011. Or so they think. (They are Pantone – global authority on color and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries). Really? Are they the ones truly influencing us on what colour cocktail dress we select for that see-and-be-seen fundraiser?

What about Anna Wintour, or her long-standing trend seeking sidekick, Andre Leon Talley? What about the gods of fashion like Versace, Gucci and Dolce?

As recently as five years ago it would be safe to say Anna had a hand in your latest investment purchase, or the Pantone people influenced the colour of your handbag.

But now? It’s that US Weekly, the latest episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians (cutout one-piece bathing suit anyone?), or Sienna Miller’s hippie-inspired concoction worn on the beaches of Cannes that we aim to keep up with. In other words – celebrities are the new trend beacons.

Look around. See a Lauren Conrad-inspired mini braid? Check. A young man on the subway with a curtain of bangs sweeping across his forehead à la Zac Efron? Check. A long maxi dress with an arm-full of bangles and long flowing hair, courtesy of Nicole Richie? Check. Visit your former high school’s prom this month and you’re sure to see a short cocktail dress paired with grungy Converse thanks to it-girl-of-the-moment Kristen Stewart and her MTV Movie Awards red carpet selection recently. And…check.

You could argue that top designers seed the trends with the celebrities at their closed-door runway previews, who then bring it to the masses at street level. But doesn’t this mean designers just owe their success today to celebrities? Celebrities choose the items to be translated to the street; the general public catches on, emulating the personalized look of their favourite star – and a trend is born.

Ask an average 19 year-old today…does she know who Anna is? Likely not. She knows who Agyness Deyn and Whitney Port are, and considers them her fashion deities.

With the speed of celebrity weeklies and social media, trends have far surpassed propagation by way of print media. Celebrities are the new mannequin and they do all the work for us – searching through vintage shops, enlisting their stylists on a goose chase for the perfect piece to complete their vision –an outfit of ultimate personal expression soon to be copied by the masses.

Still skeptical that celebrities have this much influence? Consider the swag thrown at stars at every awards show – hybrid cars, electronics, jewelery, miracle skin cream, jeans. Rihanna then picks her favourite pair of Ray-Bans from the star swag lounge… and they’ll be sold out in 24 hours. If she hadn’t have picked them up – would they have seen such success? Likely not. Hervé Léger’s bandage dress? Worn by dozens of female celebs, fast fashion retailers now have racks of Band-Aid inspired fashion. A few complimentary dresses given to Paris and Posh and Hervé’s laughing all the way to the Maldives.

LC braids, Leighton bow bands and Lindsay cut-offs – you are the trends of today. Tomorrow, the new it-girls of fashion will take your place. Anna and Andre – hang up your hats and buy an US Weekly.

by Megan Matthews