UNIT B
Evolution and
Movement of
Fashion
2.01
Interpret the process of fashion
forecasting.
Fashion forecasting
Foreseeing fashion trends and predicting
those trends early enough to allow time
for production to meet the consumer
demand.
• Because of the time required for textile design
and development, the textile segment leads in
recognizing fashion directions.
• Textile designers work at least 18 months
ahead of the schedule for products to hit the
market.
Fashion trend
The direction of movement of public
acceptance of color, texture, and
silhouette in fashion.
•What are the newest styles and silhouettes?
•What are the important colors for upcoming
seasons?
•What are the newest developments in the fiber and
fabric markets?
•What is happening to materials and labor prices?
•Where are companies having garments made?
The importance of forecasting
•Accurate forecasting makes it
possible for the fashion industry
segments to prepare for and meet
consumer demand with products
that will be accepted and purchased.
•Keen worldwide competition
increases the importance of accurate
trend identification.
Who is involved in forecasting?
• Fashion staffs employed by textile
producers
• Highly-skilled consultants working for
fashion services
– Fashion services: Resources for fashion
reporting, forecasting, and consulting that
are available for a fee or by subscription.
– Provide market research, feasibility studies,
collection reports, forecasting, consulting,
slides, garments on loan, and/or original
designs.
Who is involved in forecasting?
(cont.)
• Examples of fashion services
– Doneger Creative Services
– Promostyl
– ESP Trend Lab
– Carlin International
– Here and There
– Trend Union
Who is involved in forecasting?
(cont.)
• Fashion designers
• Color services: Fashion and textile
industry professionals who meet twice a
year to pool their knowledge of color
cycles and preferences and to project
color trends for the future.
– Yarn colors or swatches are sent to
designers and merchandisers to plan their
color stories and purchase fabrics.
Who is involved in forecasting?
(cont.)
• Examples of color services
– Standard Color of Textile Dictionnaire
Internationale de la Couleur
– Pantone, Inc.
– International Color Authority
– The Color Box
– The Color Marketing Group
– Concepts in Color
– Huepoint
– Color Portfolio, Inc.
Who is involved in forecasting?
(cont.)
• Fashion merchandisers
• Retail store owners/managers
Activities in fashion forecasting
• Making and reporting predictions
• Coordinating information from fiber,
yarn, and apparel companies, and textile
shows worldwide
• Analyzing the fashion press, visiting the
world’s fashion centers, and observing
fashion leaders
Activities in fashion forecasting
(cont.)
• Conducting marketing research
– Consumer research
• Surveys by telephone or mail to determine
income levels, lifestyles, fashion preferences,
and shopping habits
• Consumer focus groups to discuss the pros and
cons of currently offered merchandise
• In-store informal interviewing to assess what
customers like and dislike
Activities in fashion forecasting
(cont.)
• Conducting marketing research (cont.)
–Market research
• Study of market conditions
• Study consumer lifestyles
• Study of current events, the arts,
and the mood of the public
Activities in fashion forecasting
(cont.)
• Conducting marketing research (cont.)
– Sales research
• Evaluation of previous sales trends
• Rising sales
• Declining sales
• Weak sales
Activities in fashion forecasting
(cont.)
• Conducting marketing research (cont.)
–Comparison shopping
• Current popular designer
collections
• Review of fashion publications,
catalogs, websites
• Observation of “street” fashions
and celebrity wardrobes
Sources of information
• Trade publications
– Magazines, newspapers, and books about and
for a specific industry
– Examples: WWD and DNR
Sources of information
• Consumer publications
• Magazines that provide fashion news for the
consumer
• Examples: Teen, Vogue, Glamour, GQ
• Websites