Yesterday Sally Denton came to talk to us about Trend Forecasting. I wasn't sure what to expect, but thought there might a bit dry with too many statistics involved. I was totally wrong, and this was the best talk I have heard through the art school this year.
She described Macro, Transitional and Micro trends citing Ugg boots as the trend that refused to die, and explained the move of Primark from Discount to High Street position and Topshop's recent efforts to move into the Brand category from the High Street, all in an attempt to capture a better and more profitable share of the market. Knowing how the market is spread will be useful for the future, when trying to position myself as a designer; it comes down to the phrase 'Right product, right place, right time'.
People at the moment are looking at and responding to old age, 3D printers, natural resources and the over - sexualisation of women; one day it might be possible to live on the moon, be carbon neutral, not see naked girls sprawled all over the media and treat old people with the respect they perhaps deserve. This was quite an inspirational presentation, and I hope that some of the things discussed become 'trendy' soon.
I'm still not sure if I would feel restricted having to conform to what society deems trendy, but this made me realise that there is enormous scope for working within a trend, and that if you notice what happens more generally in the world around you, you can predict what might come next and be a trend-setter instead of regurgitating someone else's interpretation of, for example, 'winter florals'. From Sally's lecture, I have realised that positioning is the most important thing if I want to become a successful designer.
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