TRENDS INDUSTRY's Geraldine Wharry WGSN
After reading this interview with Geraldine Wharry who is a fashion forecaster for WGSN I understand a bit more about how the Trends industry works and how we as designers or makers can benefit from it.
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/inspiredby/2013/05/a-beginners-guide-to-fashion-trend-forecasting.html
Geraldine describes her 'role as not only to inspire but also enable the right business decisions for companies navigating an extremely competitive and fast changing landscape.' This is because she as a fashion forecaster has to keep other companies open to new creative ideas and taking risks. Despite their job collecting influences from all over the globe, they are required to keep people informed of different cultures dress, textiles, interior and architectural preferences but also merge these with historical and natural inspiration. With such a vast ideas pool it makes it easier for the trends industry to develop and adhere to previous years, that have either never gone out of fashion or that have been given a rebirth for example the fact that everything is vintage inspired at the moment in shops with Victorian collars and 90's crop tops and big overcoats.
'Every trend has its roots somewhere in history. So whilst you're looking forward, you're also taking into account past references. This is something I often do when working on trend reports for key shapes or key details. I research fashion history books, blogs, or interior design for example and it's very interesting to see the commonalities with what's being designed today. You realize it's one big creative loop that is constantly growing and updating itself.
The last point I really wanted to focus on is that everyone is following trends on the internet and curating their own self-image today. I call it "our digital self". So for trend experts forecasters, this is an exciting challenge. Of course we are very inspired by bloggers, street shots and viral phenomena on the internet, but we also have to bring a unique take on trends. I'm encouraging forecasters to take another point of view, one that’s adventurous and exciting and to always think as influencers, not followers.'
I've highlighted these two points she makes as I think they are important to remember and is why the industry continues if the companies who buy into the trends magazines just decided to ignore this and produce the same style products as the years before no consumers would buy new products such as clothing because what they bought the year before will still be wearable and they would not need to adapt into a new look. As humans we thrive on the ability to churn out new ideas and develop what we have already thought of in any line of work therefore it is important that we continue to keep moving forward and 'updating' ourselves as a race. This can include experimental things like 3 Dimensional printing a exciting new technology and new developments in materials such as types of fabric.
I'm also really glad I stumbled upon the site because of the wonderful websites she recommends during the interview such as
http://www.ignant.de/
I just had a look in it and the innovation is just pure genius
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BYAKU BY NAHOKO KOJIMA |
http://www.ignant.de/2013/10/30/byaku-by-nahoko-kojima/#more-74883
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3D PRINTING ARCHITECTURE
There's also a brilliant video showing you the process they go through on the link.
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