A Guide to Fashion Forecasting - Fairchild Books

FOWARD
THINKER
David Wolfe—Creative director, Doneger Creative services:
money empire—Change from Creative to financial
The new industry of fashion is one of building a money empire. The
business direction of fashion is the modern direction; therefore, accurate
forecasting relies on retail ties to inform about fi nancial matters. heads of
big business and fi nancial investors are now interested in forecasting, since
many of their portfolios contain companies from the apparel sector. my
clients from the past were usually the creative ones: designers, illustrators,
and apparel manufacturers. but now the clients are from the business
sector: merchandisers, retailers, and the money people.
Fashion forecasters must be intelligent, talented, and able to think
“outside the box.” They need to be able to identify newness when it
arrives and to have a heightened sense of inquisitiveness about all
things.
Forecasters do not just focus on apparel, of course. Among other
things, there are forecasters who specialize in electronics, interior design,
housewares, automobile design, and even packaging.
Some forecasting specialists foresee fabric or color direction. Major
fi ber producers, like Cotton Incorporated, employ staff forecasters whose
focus is specifi c to their company’s needs. At Cotton Incorporated, product
trend analysis services are a key factor in maintaining cotton’s position
as the leading fi ber producer in the world of fashion. Frequent presentations
and dialogue with leading designers and sourcing specialists
highlight the company’s trend research and supplier information, helping
to keep cotton in the minds of those who decide what will be offered to
consumers in future seasons.
Chapter One : Introduction to Fashion Forecasting
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