Fashion Forecaster Job Description.
Fashion forecasting is a global career that focuses on upcoming trends. A fashion forecaster predicts the colours, fabrics and styles that will be presented on the runway and in the stores for the upcoming seasons. The concept applies to not one, but all levels of the fashion industry including haute couture, ready-to-wear, mass market, and street wear. Trend forecasting is an overall process that focuses on other industries such as automobiles, medicine, food and beverages, literature, and home furnishings. Fashion forecasters are responsible for attracting consumers and helping retail businesses and designers sell their brands. Today, fashion industry workers rely on the Internet to retrieve information on new looks, hot colours, celebrity wardrobes, and designer collections. (Wikipedia)
Vogue's Fashion Guide for Spring 2014.
Spring 2014 is about transformative clothes. It’s about boiling down everything that was on the runways to the one thing (or 75-plus things) to buy next season that will instantly update a look. And the statements are simple: Try a longer skirt, one that hits midcalf or the upper ankle. Feel the power of flowers, whether they’re rendered as South American embroideries or giant South Pacific hibiscus. Take cues from your favourite gallery and wear something artful. This season, there is fashion for every personality.
Fashion calendar!
Quick example of a fashion calendar for women's wear.
JAN
- Complete sampling
- Selling the range
- Contracting and seeing buyers
- Organising production for Autumn deliveries
Begin sourcing fabrics
- Sales (Europe)
- Production sourcing / finances
FEB
- Sales / exhibitions / marketing
- Production sourced and agreed
- Finances checked
Sample fabrics
Fabrics orders
MAR
- Order book closed
- Fabrics ordered
- Production underway
- Designing begins
- Marketing/promotion discussed
- Budgets set
- Production underway
- Quality control
APR
Production underway & monitored
Collection developed
Orders dispatched
MAY
Production underway & monitored
Collection developed
Collect payment
JUN
Production underway & monitored
Samples and exhibition sales
Collection developed
JUL
Orders dispatched
Production sourced / finances
Sample range finalised
AUG
Collect payment
Fabrics ordered
Sales & marketing begins
Begin fabric sourcing
SEP
Collect payment
Fabrics ordered
Sales & marketing
Fabric sourcing
Fabric sourcing
OCT
- Production underway
- Quality control
- Order books closed
- Fabrics ordered
- Production underway
Designing
- Designing begins
- Marketing and promotion discussed
- Budgets set
NOV
Orders dispatched
Production underway & monitored
Collection developed
Collection developed
DEC
Production underway & monitored
Sales (USA)
Collection developed
Menswear Calendar works two months ahead of a women's wear calendar.
JANUARY
- Complete sampling
- Selling the range
- Meeting buyers
FEBRUARY
- Sales & exhibitions
- Production sourced
- Pre-production technical packs
MARCH
- Order book closed
- Fabrics ordered
- Production confirmed
APRIL
Production underway
MAY
- Production underway & monitored
- Quality control
Collection developed
JUNE
Production dispatched
- Complete sampling
- Selling the range
- Meeting buyers
JULY
Production dispatched
- Sales & exhibitions
- Production sourced
- Pre-production technical packs
AUGUST
- Order books closed
- Fabrics ordered
- Production confirmed
SEPTEMBER
Production underway
OCTOBER
Production underway
NOVEMBER
- Production underway & monitored
- Quality control
DECEMBER
Production dispatched
( information sourced from http://www.designerfactfile.com/content/353/Advice-from-Designers)
Premier Vision is an exhibition in Paris, for anyone in fashion,marketing or trend is a MUST GO! and a non miss under any circumstances. there will also be textile artist and many other merchandisers selling their fabric,the exhibition itself showcases colour,fabrics and current patterns. Its a place for everyone to get together to collect ideas and inspirations to find the must have bag the fabric the colour to make sure you and your company are on current trend of the season.
Other sourcing of information for any fashion company comes from trend books/ catalogues collated by specific companies like Collezioni, Fashion Trend Forecast and promostsl their job role is to predict the; shapes, colour, materials, structure, accessories and themes of upcoming trends (the complete look) and the catalogue/book you receive from the specific company will be directly responsive and related to your company style.
