Fashion trend forecasting / Gwyneth Holland, Rae Jones.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Fashion trends then and now ― The trend industry ― Trend basics ― Trend research ― Trend development ― Trend presentation ― Trends in practice.

Trend forecasting in the fashion industry is a widely used but little understood skill, which aims to map a path between what consumers are doing and wearing now and what they might want to do and wear in the next few months and years. Fashion forecasting exists to help predict what products brands and retailers should design and sell, minimizing risk and helping to prevent wasted effort and expenditure. It's also a way to keep one or two steps ahead of your target consumer; understanding them so that you can offer them useful and exciting fashion, and thereby gain their loyalty. In this book we will demonstrate how to forecast fashion trends. We will look at how to produce a well-researched trend: taking inspiration, research and a clear and effective flow of information and translating that into a trend. A trend forecaster needs to sense the moment when ideas from the fringes of culture are taken on by the mainstream consumer, then give an indication of where they think that will lead. Forecasters must watch constantly how the zeitgeist is changing and how this might affect their consumer, and therefore the kind of products they will want. We aim to guide you through the processes needed to tap into the zeitgeist and give guidelines for training your instincts and formulating ideas, as well as how to track the evolution of a trend from inspiration to real product.