1. TREND FORECASTING AND FASHION MEDIA
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2. OBJECTIVES: The student will: Identify what fashion trends are
Describe the ways trends originate
Analyze trends using the fashion cycle
Identify factors that accelerate and decelerate fashion movements
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3. FASHION TRENDS
Fashion trends are the direction in which styles, colors, fabrics, and designs are trending to change.
Trends show up on clothes, shoes, bags/purses, jewelry, make-up, hair, etc.
Seasons, political events, films, personalities, dramas, social, and sports events often influence fashion trends.
What are some fashion trends you notice at school?
How long have people been wearing them?
How long do you think they will last?
Class discussion of fashion trends spotted on campus
Teacher: write student observations on the board to go back to later in slideshow
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4. FASHION SEASONS
Trends are forecasted 1 year to 1 ½ years in advance, according to a fashion season
Fashion Seasons are:
Spring/Summer S/S
Autumn/Winter A/W
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5. FASHION DEMOGRAPHIC CATEGORIES
Women's Wear
Men's Wear
Children's Wear
Sub-category:
Juniors
Activewear
Footwear
Evening wear
Bridal
Outerwear
Accessories
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6. WHERE TRENDS COME FROM... Trickle-down theory Trickle-up theory
Fashion forecasting websites
Trickle-up theory
Street style
Trickle-across theory
Fashion media
FASHION FORECASTING WEBSITES - Websites that publish predictions of the colors and styles of apparel and accessories that the majority of people will wan to buy at a given time and place. Designers and professionals in the fashion industry use these websites to view and analyze upcoming fashion trends.
TRICKLE-DOWN THEORY – The world’s oldest and most accepted theory of fashion movement. It assumes the existence of a social hierarchy, and suggests that fashion trends start at the top of a “social ladder” and gradually progress downward through lower levels. Professionals in the fashion industry create and market new trends, display them in runway shows and online…trends are sold in retail…trends follow the fashion cycle to obsolescence.
STREET STYLE - Fashions that originate with or are inspired by clothing worn by individuals, usually young, rather than with the fashion industry
TRICKLE-UP THEORY – Suggests that fashion acceptance begins among the young or lower income groups and moves upward to older or higher income groups.
FASHION MEDIA – Media outlets (such as magazines, websites, blogs, social media, newspapers, and television) that broadcast current and upcoming fashion trends.
TRICKLE-ACROSS THEORY – Claims that fashion moves horizontally through groups at similar social levels. It suggests that each group has its own fashion leaders.
Class discussion question: What are some popular fashion media outlets that publish current or upcoming trends?
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7. FASHION FORECASTING WEBSITES
Websites use data such as previous trends, weather conditions, economic conditions and social attitudes to determine the trends for the upcoming seasons.
Designers, buyers, and others in the fashion industry use such websites to see what is ahead and accurately predict the market.
Teacher: may do a class trend forecasting activity by searching online for a fashion forecasting website. Teacher may share information posted on website through class projector.
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8. STREET STYLE
Fashion trends are captured by photographers, bloggers, and anyone interested in new or unique trends
Pictures of street style may be posted on social networks, blogs, or websites
Many street style trends are categorized by location
Example: Parisian street style, New York Street Style, Los Angeles Street style
Street style trends may be viewed and adapted by those in the industry
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Coco Chanel
Teacher: may do a class trend spotting activity by performing an online search of one of the examples of street style by location
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9. FASHION MEDIA
Outlets such as magazines, websites, television, newspaper, or social media follow and publish fashion trends Media outlets may also publish street-style spotted trends or trends off the runway Fashion media is the most common way that trends are introduced to the mass public
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10. FASHION CYCLE – NEW TRENDS
Peak
Rise
Decline
Introduction
Obsolescence
Teacher: expand on previous learning of the fashion cycle. Explain that new trends go through the fashion cycle at different speeds. The speed of a trend going through the cycle depends on factors such as seasonal change, trend acceptance and popularity. Trend may be a flop, fad, normal trend, or a classic. Examples of trends that have gone through the fashion cycle at different speeds: Ed Hardy brand, toning sneakers, cardigan, scrunchy, little black dress, ironing hair, leisure suits, miniskirt, bermuda shorts
Flop – trend has no acceptance and goes into obsolescence.
Fad – trend has short acceptance before it goes into obsolescence.
Normal fashion cycle – trend has medium acceptance by a large amount of people, remains steadily seen and used for at least one fashion season before it goes into obsolescence.
Classic – trend has strong acceptance for a continuation of seasons or years
Time
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11. FASHION LEADERS AND LAGGARDS
Fashion leaders – the first people to wear new fashions; these people have confidence and credibility to start new trends
Fashion followers – wear fashion looks only after they’ve become firmly accepted
Fashion laggards – the last people to adopt new trends
Examples fashion leaders: celebrities, professionals in the fashion industry
Examples fashion followers: typically high to mid socio-economic income groups that can afford to purchase new fashions as they are produced for the mass public
Examples fashion laggers: typically lower socio-economic income groups that can afford to purchase fashions when they are more available
Fashion leaders and followers can also be viewed on smaller scales. For example, students can consider peers they know that are fashion leaders at their campus.
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12. FACTORS THAT ACCELERATE THE FASHION MOVEMENT
Modern communication and mass media
Good economic conditions
Increased competition
Technological advances
Social and physical mobility
More leisure time
Higher levels of education
Changing roles of women
Seasonal changes
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13. FACTORS THAT DECELERATE THE FASHION MOVEMENT
Bad economic conditions
Cultural customs
Religion
Laws or other government regulations
Disruptive world events
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14. STUDENT ASSIGNMENT
Perform an online search of upcoming trends for a specific season and demographic category/sub-category
Hypothesize if you think each trend will be a flop, fad, normal trend, or a classic based on your own observations. State a supportive claim for each prediction.
Create a trend forecast report using an available fashion media outlet
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