I admit it. I like a crop top paired with a high waist. They are everywhere. And, how about all that red at the Emmy’s? I started wondering about trends. How do they start? How is it that seemingly every brand from luxury to knock off is sporting similar colors or fabrics or silhouettes? Is there a couture spy network? Is there a secret fashion summit where all the players go and scheme
about the new “it” look? Well, there may very well be a secret club, but for sure there is sophisticated trend forecasting.
Turns out, trend forecasting is a big business. Analysts examine and predict long term and short term fashion trends. Long term trends are those that may exist for 2 years or more. Short term trends are more immediate, and center on sports, entertainment, and pop culture.
Nearly all (or all) major brands, department stores, designers – 75,000 subscribers according to
Forbes, access Worth Global Style Network (WGSN) for sourcing trends. WGSN’s website proclaims: “Trend and color forecasts 2+ years ahead of season.” “The latest market intelligence.”
“Validate your design direction with our future forecasts and detailed analysis.”
(Source: http://www.wgsn.com.)
Hold up. Did I read that right? Validate your design direction? Validate. Meaning, to give official sanction, confirmation, or approval to. This means that a designer creates a look and then logs in for a sanity check of the creation. With so much money invested in a design I can understand why a designer would want a collection to be marketable, but doesn’t that also mean that looks
are cookie cutter? With the slim margins of some fashion designers or brands, who wants to risk economic ruin by putting out collection of fuchsia-colored crepe floral when the herd is out in
minimalist white silk? I can understand the economics. It seems like designing and marketing to trend tends to make us all conformists. Sometimes that’s comforting – just blending in with the landscape.
At least I am starting to understand why jumpsuits and rompers are back in style. I love them! I rocked those looks back in the day! At my current age, I’m better off in a romper than a crop top, although I’m not gonna lie. I wore an awesome high waisted skirt with a crop top to an event
the other day and I felt like a million bucks (even if some folks looked at me and thought I should act my age. Screw them.)
about the new “it” look? Well, there may very well be a secret club, but for sure there is sophisticated trend forecasting.
Turns out, trend forecasting is a big business. Analysts examine and predict long term and short term fashion trends. Long term trends are those that may exist for 2 years or more. Short term trends are more immediate, and center on sports, entertainment, and pop culture.
Nearly all (or all) major brands, department stores, designers – 75,000 subscribers according to
Forbes, access Worth Global Style Network (WGSN) for sourcing trends. WGSN’s website proclaims: “Trend and color forecasts 2+ years ahead of season.” “The latest market intelligence.”
“Validate your design direction with our future forecasts and detailed analysis.”
(Source: http://www.wgsn.com.)
Hold up. Did I read that right? Validate your design direction? Validate. Meaning, to give official sanction, confirmation, or approval to. This means that a designer creates a look and then logs in for a sanity check of the creation. With so much money invested in a design I can understand why a designer would want a collection to be marketable, but doesn’t that also mean that looks
are cookie cutter? With the slim margins of some fashion designers or brands, who wants to risk economic ruin by putting out collection of fuchsia-colored crepe floral when the herd is out in
minimalist white silk? I can understand the economics. It seems like designing and marketing to trend tends to make us all conformists. Sometimes that’s comforting – just blending in with the landscape.
At least I am starting to understand why jumpsuits and rompers are back in style. I love them! I rocked those looks back in the day! At my current age, I’m better off in a romper than a crop top, although I’m not gonna lie. I wore an awesome high waisted skirt with a crop top to an event
the other day and I felt like a million bucks (even if some folks looked at me and thought I should act my age. Screw them.)