to be one of the first to change to a new idea or way of doing something that later becomes generally popular:
In equipping its vehicles with mobile WiFi, the company was ahead of the curve.
He was ahead of the curve in the early 1960s when he started promoting running for health.
in advance of or behind a particular trend 引领／落后于潮流
Our expert advice will help you stay ahead of the curve.
我们的专业建议将有助于你保持引领潮流。
We’ve fallen behind the curve when it comes to developing new digital products.
就开发新的数字产品而论，我们已经落后了。