Fashion Forecasting: Types, Purpose, Steps and Influence

Introduction:
Every year new fashions come and its predictions are known in advance. Fashion forecasting is mainly done keeping in view the attractiveness of clothes, trends, market demand, climate etc. Which type of fabric, weaving will be accepted as fashion, which fabric qualities, material, color and design changes will be known through this. Fashion experts anticipate and prioritize customer needs. It has an impact on everyone in the fashion world as well as the buyer.

What is Fashion Forecasting?
Predicting what new fashions will come in the future by observing past fashion trends is called fashion forecasting. Through this, it is known what new designs will come in the future. For this reason, this forecasting is done by considering various situations including future trends, people’s demands.

fashion forecasting

Types of Fashion Forecasting:
There are generally two types of fashion forecasting.

  1. Short term Forecasting
  2. Long term Forecasting

1. Short term forecasting:
Short term forecasting is usually done for one or two years. What kind of color will come in fashion, what style will be accepted as fashion is known through this forecasting. It is considered as an internal business matter. Short term forecasting is made based on recent trends.

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2. Long term forecasting:
Long term forecasting is done for a period of 5 years or more. Such forecasting is done in fashion industry direction design, production. In this case, more attention is paid to political, economic and technology.

The Purpose of Fashion Forecasting:

  • Fashion designers do long term and short term forecasting to maintain fashion in the market.
  • Executives use forecasting for planning.
  • Fashion forecasting techniques are used to assess competitors’ market position, market share and develop competitive strategies.
  • Production developers, managers prepare collections using trend forecasts of color, style direction.
  • One of its main objectives is to innovate something new in the future from the past trend.

Steps of Developing Fashion Forecasting:

  1. Past analysis should be done.
  2. Research should be done on the fashion of the past.
  3. Determining the reasons why past fashions changed. For example: finding out the reason why blue color is running even though red color is forecasted.
  4. Determining how closely the forecast matches the past.
  5. Researching how likely fashion will impact the future.
  6. Applying fashion forecasting techniques.
  7. Monitor regularly and check if it recedes.
  8. And lastly revise again and again.

Influence of Fashion Forecasting:
Fashion has become a part of our life now. And along with that another ingredient of fashion is clothes. The fashion forecast says that various changes will be seen in fashion brands around the world. Notable among these are sustainable and recycled clothing. It is expected that many new things will be added to the fashion. People’s interest in eco-friendly, durable and affordable clothes will increase. Since fashion trends are influenced by neighboring countries, designs from eastern countries are also researched during forecasting. People are increasingly interested in clothing made from fabrics that are comfortable to wear. So fashion designers announce new fashion keeping in mind these aspects in forecasting.

In fashion forecasting, it is assumed that the same clothes will be presented in different ways only by changing the dress. Patterned beige clothing will dominate throughout the year. Apart from this, the dominance of print clothes will be seen. Not only this, the top and single kameez will have various cutting variations. The length of kameez and kurta will be slightly reduced. No single color will dominate. Find combinations of multi-colored dresses. A wide range of light denim clothing can be seen throughout the year. The fitted shirt will be there this year as well. Various designs of light work solid and printed contrast kurti for girls, light embroidery and print work can be seen on the tops.

Color is also prioritized in fashion forecasting. Most of the time it is based on specific product and region. It can be in front of a certain season or festival. There are certain colors that are always classic. Which in forecasting sometimes comes back to gray, mid tone or dark tone. For example, organic blue color that will enhance sustainable fashion and traditional design. Again pastel shades of yellow can bring tranquility. Which can be easily mixed with any other color. Going beyond the red-yellow color, people’s interest in pastel color clothes will increase.

Fashion forecasting specialists do this by following a few factors. They research past fashions as well as look at new fashions and compare them. Why did the previous fashion go away, what was lacking, these are also the subject of their thoughts. Besides, they keep an eye on the customer’s demand and how much the product is being sold. Not only that, they do fashion forecasting keeping in mind the aspects of culture and tradition.

Conclusion:
The world of fashion is so vast; stepping into this industry requires some skills and creativity. In that case, fashion forecasting helps provide foresight and increases its importance in the apparel industry and retail business. In addition to this, retailers and designers prepare trendy stock clothing for customers. It predictably provides an uninterrupted growth journey for retailers. Through fashion forecasting one can get ideas about fashion from short to long term. So no one can deny its importance.

References:

  1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_forecasting
  2. https://fashion2apparel.com/development-of-fashion-forecasting/
  3. https://www.textileblog.com/long-term-vs-short-term-fashion-forecasting/
  4. https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/83/fashion-forecasting%3famp=true
  5. https://mx24online.com/fashion-trend-forecasting-types-differences-importance/

Author of This Article:
Nazifa Tabassum
Dept. of Clothing and Textile
Govt. College of Applied Human Science, Dhaka
Email: nazifa.099@gmail.com

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