Fashion Trends

Fashion Trends Where is the best place for fashion designers to conduct trend spotting? Been to Europe lately... How about New York, Hong Kong or Moscow. Is visiting a fashion boutique the best place to find trends? Soho, LA, your local mall... Should you use an online trend service? Some are costly... Maybe I will flip thru a magazine for a few bucks instead... How fast do fashion trends move? I can't seem to catch any... OK, I think that I have asked some fairly important questions. The unfortunate part of this blog is that I do not really plan on giving you the answers to the questions. Yeah, that sort of stinks, but that is the plan. Unfortunately, I intend to leave this blog open ended so that you can come to your own conclusions. Below are a few basic thoughts on the subject, but clearly not concise suggestions. If the garments are "already in a store", isn't the horse already out of the barn (meaning, aren't you already behind the trend). Actually, if you find something interesting in a clothing store, you are not the "first" on the trend. However, it certainly does not mean you have missed the trend. A trend is not dead, until the garments stop flying off the racks... You have time if you catch the frenzy early enough. If you have never seen the concept before, it is very possible that it is new enough for you to get to work on similar concepts (do not steal design ideas; use other ideas as a base and then expand on the concept) Keep in mind, a successful trend is not simply a garment you find in the store that you independently determine to be fantastic. The item has to actually be selling well at retail in order for the trend to have value. Make sure to ask the sales people in the store how the item is selling. They typically know best. Please do not be offended for what I am about to say if you are a fashion designer in the USA. The fact of the matter is that the United States typically lags Europe in regard to fashion trends. Yes, you heard me... Europe is a bit cooler.. You may think you are a top notch designer, but it is very possible that Europe has already been there and done that... Anyway, that really does not matter. Even though the internet has brought the world closer together, Europe is still rather "far" away geographically. Do not be ashamed of traveling to Europe to pick up on the latest trends and bring them back state side.. Be careful not to fall into the Europe Fashion Trend Trap (term I just made up...). The Europe Fashion Trend Trap is thinking that a hot seller in Europe will actually do well in the United States. Just because it is cool in Florence, does not mean it will translate in Miami or Chicago. In addition to investigating clothing stores (domestically and internationally), you can basically view every garment imaginable online. Check out online fashion boutiques, fashion week photos, fashion blogs, trend sites, celebrity spotting sites, etc. There are so many resources online, even I have a small fashion trends section on Apparel Search. You are welcome to check out that forecasting page and make suggestions if you know companies that should be added. Anyway, the moral of the story is that fashion trends are important. Figure out which method of spotting trends is best for you. Good luck. (by the way, I have not personally been to Europe, but I hear it is on trend...) Where do you look for fashion trends? Really, we want to know. Please list your comments below.

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