This is Part 2 of a two part article on fashion and trend forecasting. Part 2 of this series explores colour trend forecasting, how colour trends are determined, and the timelines that trends follow. If you missed the first instalment, you should probably go read that before you read this. Fashion Forecasting Part 1: How Are Trends Forecasted and Should You Follow Them?
This is a sample colour report from Pantone
Colour Forecasting and Timelines Explained:
Colour tends to go like this (in time):
- Couture & high Runway
- lower Runway
- Ready to Wear / Mass Market
- Furniture and Interior Decorating
- Childrenswear
Colours go like this because the couture and high runway client will adopt new trends instantly. They want new things that look rich and unique. They wear the trends before anyone else and they also stop wearing them before anyone else. It is important to know though that they will also reject trends and therefore you can not present them with random new things. New items, ideas and colours must fit into what their current desires and needs are.
It takes time for trendy normal people to become familiar enough with a trend to feel comfortability wearing it themselves. They need to see the clothes in magazines, see pictures, see the colours in ads, etc. Also it often takes a few months longer for the lower priced clothing and fabrics to be produced. The production means the clothing is not ready immediately however if it were ready at the same moment that the high runway stuff was ready people would not buy it because they would not be ready so the timing works well.
