Fashion Forecasting

It helps in predicting the future direction of something which would affect the businesses
decisions and buying and sales of an individual. 

Trend forecasting in fashion,

acts as an important tool to decide the upcoming trends which would influence the
brand's business and purchasing power of consumers.

How do trends start?

Fashion trends now start and evolve through five key ways: from the runway, from street style,
through celebrities, through fashion bloggers, and through the different fashion capitals of the
world.

Here are certain tools that can help you predict fashion trends.
1. Read Collezioni magazines.
2. Follow Trend forecasting websites.
3. Be active on Instagram.
4. Check out Google's annual trends report.
5. Explore Pinterest.
6. Look out for Pantone's fashion colour report.

7. Today, we have stepped into a new era of ‘Customisation’. What we mean by

customisation is the alteration of garments as per the customer’s style and
preference. This strategy of personalisation has been adapted by many
designers and has become quite popular.
8. Apart from forecasting the colour, style, etc., understanding customer psychology
also plays an important role in setting future trends. Today, everything is
customer centric. It’s all about word-of-mouth, if your client is pleased with your
designs, you immediately become the talk of the town.

3 basic steps for effective fashion forecasting

To successfully build trend forecasting into your work process, the methodology requires steps. I
have listed three basic steps in chronological order with tangible stopping points. Take the below
workflow, build it into your practice and then shape it as the fashion world’s needs evolve. 

Step 1: Hunt
Trend experts search and document trends as they surface. They use a mixture of intuition and
research. New developments in fashion, design, arts and culture, colour, consumer behaviour,
architecture, materials are monitored, as well as the latest in politics, business, science and
technology.

The method for Step 1:

+ Key messages emerge.

+ Review your key ideas and update them with new findings.

+ Discuss with other key experts/ brainstorm.

+ See what links and patterns are emerging and take initial notes or write key words as you start an
initial mood board.

+ Then start a second round of research where you need more information or feel you are missing
facts.

+ Hit your stopping point for your pre-edit once you feel you have researched your topic or market
full circle.

+ You have reached a place where you are confident you have researched your topic 360 degrees
and can back up your trend forecast with facts and intelligence as well as intuition.

+ You are now ready to streamline your research to the essential messages.

+ What you don’t end up using can be saved for other reports or future season.

Step 2: Identify

The research is edited into key themes. Aesthetic and product trends emerge and are carefully
analysed and discussed. This forms what is called Macro Trends or Micro trends depending on how
far ahead of time the prediction is set. These are the drivers that will influence design businesses
from one to two years in advance, at times more depending on the industry.

The method for Step 2:

+ Content, visuals and facts have been grouped into key concepts.

+ This could also be colour group, product, concept, fabric.

+ These groups are organized coherently and respect your viewpoint and message consistently.

+ And if the results of your findings are very diverse, then explain and back up why.

+ Keep your images and folders organised as trend research compiled means a large amount of
content management.

+ Make sure you have saved the credits of your content and fact check.
+ Keep an extras folder for images you are not certain of.

Step 3: Gather

You have assessed your product direction and matched it to your client’s/ audience’s need and
delivered actionable trend direction.

Once the key trends have been identified, it is time to show how to apply them to design and product
collections specific to womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, sports, accessories and more, with
detailed direction on colour, key items, design details, textiles and graphics.

The method for Step 3:

These are the questions you must have answered:

+ Which key products/ touch points have you addressed?

+ What problem(s) are you solving for your client/ audience?

+What is the seasonal preference or time relevance?

+ Opportunities for differentiation and/or parity

+ What are the key product categories?

+ What are the opportunities for updates for best sellers or core items?

+ What are the opportunities for innovation?

What is color forecasting?

Color forecasting is the practice of predicting the colors and color stories that

consumers will want to purchase in the near future. ... They use color forecasting in
packaging, signage, product design, and more. It informs the way companies talk to
their customers, all without saying a word.

What is WGSN fashion?World”SGLOBAL STYLE NETWORK

The world's #1 fashion trend forecaster. By predicting the trends of tomorrow, WGSN

Fashion helps the world's largest retailers, brands and manufacturers lead with confidence.
 Forecast cycle

 Clothing variation
 Cotton Fabric.
 Silk Fabric.
 Linen Fabric.
 Wool Fabric.
  Leather Fabric.
 Ramie Fabric.
 Hemp Fabric.
 Jute Fabric.

 Product design and development

 At the design stage, you're taking your idea and conceptualizing it, establishing the
direction for both function, quality and esthetic. Market research is key
to design success. ... Product development can be defined as the process of taking an idea
and working through the steps to create something to reality.
Apparel Design: Product Development

 Should have a clear understanding of teamwork and

 Create concepts, usually communication, finding your tribe (whoever you need to

through a mood board create your prototypes) may be a graphic designer, pattern

maker, sample maker, lawyer, and much more

 They understand the

evolution of the customer and  Creating both samples (counter samples and

demonstrate the taste level of the prototypes)

brand through their designs

 Selecting fabrics –

understanding fabric properties,

 Creating both samples (counter samples and
structure, construction type,
prototypes)
composition, content & weight

count, functions etc

 Working with a technical designer to create tech packs

 Selecting garment trims and
(the blueprint and assembly instructions for your design) and
number of styles and colors.
updating them as you make revisions to your design

 Creating a calendar (called a work back schedule) to

keep on the product development process on track (see first

 Create sketches
chapter for info) →Tracking sample status and daily factory

communication.

 Market research- collecting Sourcing fabrics, trims, and factories

target market data (focus groups,

interviews, gathering stags, trade

 publications surveys etc) go to

tradeshows and competitor

analysis- what’s in demand? What

does your target market want or

need?

 Shop the market, and take  Ensure quality standards are upheld and approving and

photos (discreetly), and buy commenting on samples with the factory- constant

samples communication and follow-ups

 Labeling requirements –
 Ensuring your products are created sustainably and
creating artwork for labels and
ethically
prints/embroideries

 Establishing, wholesale,

retail and finalizing target costing

with the factorie(s), sticking to

budgets