Trend forecasting - shared situation awareness

Fashion does not feed fashion

What is shared situation awareness? 
The teams ability to recognise a pattern in fluid situation and to use this information to anticipate what might happen next. Fashion is extremely fast paced, with trends that are forever changing, it is hard to seek trends which are long lasting. Brands need to be very proactive, constantly researching and observing to be as quick as possible in finding the future trends.

Three steps to the process:
1) observe the raw data- exhibitions, go and see, form your opinion
2)spot patterns to form hypothesis as to how the situation might unfold
3)Test the hypothesis- how do you imagine it will be like

KEY TERMS
Fords & Trafalgars

Fords- something that is easily accessible and can be sold quick. They sell straight aways but as trends they do not last very long at all. e.g. fast fashion
Trafalgars- Slow fashion. Designers will have an idea and they will build and develop it further. This allows consumers understand what they are about and the story they are trying to convey.
e.g. Galliano looking back at the 18th century

Bubble up & trickle down

Bubble up- trends emerged from the street and works its way up the industry e.g Harajuku perfumes by Gwen Stefani 
Trickle down- clothing that is difficult to understand and to interpret. High street and economy have observed high fashion and then simplified the designs to make it accessible for high street consumers that do not have budgets for high fashion. e.g embroidery to print, and also is seen a lot in Zara.

SHARE: