Honestly that "shift towards textured perms" seems like just another trend. Straight, sleek hair has a classic, polished look that never really goes away. It works better for a lot of professional settings and can be way easier to manage day to day. Some face shapes are actually softened by smooth hair, and you can always add temporary volume with tools instead of a permanent chemical change.
Isn't it all about what you're used to? I mean, my curly hair is way less work for me now that I know how to handle it, I barely even brush it. Sleek styles always felt like a whole thing to keep up.
But doesn't that depend on your hair type to start with? Like if someone has super straight flat hair, wouldn't a perm just fry it trying to get texture?