The trend forecasting process is one that is extremely important to the fashion world, and thus, to the global economy. Trend forecasters, also referred to as fashion forecasters, immerse themselves in global popular culture and trade news to discover emerging trends by becoming ultra-sensitive to directional signals that most others miss. The role of the fashion forecaster is to look for the new, the fresh, and the innovative around the world, analyze the whys behind it, and relay it to an audience of merchants, supply chain manufacturers, and other fashion leaders that reside on every corner of the earth. Many entities benefit from the work accomplished by trend forecasters. Executives use the forecasting as a means of strategic planning. Marketing managers position products in the marketplace using both short- and long-term forecasts produced by trend forecasters. Competitive strategists use the forecasts to look at their positioning in the marketplace as well as market share. Product developers, merchandisers, and production managers use the short-term forecasts of color, textiles, and style direction to shape collections. Trend forecasting is a process that aids many different areas of the fashion business.
Task: Capture living trends as they emerge and evolve across various markets.
Process: I attended various events and scoured trendy shopping scenes throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area in order to locate what I considered to be the trendsetters of the city wearing garments that will within the next year will become the trendiest looks. Upon taking hundreds of photos, I then selected five current trends or themes that I saw repeatedly. I then explained how each trend was selected, where the people were spotted, and why I see the trends continuing further.
