Fashion Forecasting

What are fashion prediction companies? What services do they provide?.

Who are they? Here & There, WGSN, Promostyl, Trend Union, Peclers, Concepts Paris.

How do they work?.

Who are their customers – from designers to retailers, manufacturers, window dressers?.

Employees – designers, graphic designers, freelancers in design and illustration, photographers, weavers, knitters, printers etc.

The need to be first!.

Part 2: The Process.

What is ‘direction’?.

How they find inspiration for a new seasons themes? – instinct, travel, exhibitions, politics, social conditions, libraries etc.

Why ‘colour’ first and what’s involved? Fibre and fabric manufacturers.

Market levels catered for using relevant illustration styles.

How does the ‘look’ emerge?.

Gathering intelligence – freelance reporters, shops, retailers, freelance photographers.

Where trade fairs and international fashion shows fit in.

What is consultancy – working with customers to develop and market product.

Sampling with directional garments.

Part 3: Communicating ideas/Illustration.

As a case study (1-3):.

1. Developing trend information.

2. Generating student’s own intelligence material.

3. Developing design, for example, for three themes.

Up-to-date illustration techniques – intermediate level, using the computer and software such as Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator (raster and vector graphics) to convincingly promote a trend. Instructions on a variety of achievable effects.

Gallery of new generation of styles.

Part 4: Promotion.

Graphic techniques and achievable effects using the aforementioned software and also page layout software such as Quark Xpress/Adobe InDesign.

Simple use of typography, corporate identity, grids?.

Contemporary promotional activities/stencil campaigns, work like Bernie Reid, Lizzie Finn, Julie Verhoeven, Deanne Cheuk, but original variations.

Gallery of new methods of promotion