The True Story About How Fashion Trends Are Born

Early May 2013
A WGSN think tank of global trend experts — people from around the world and from all different backgrounds, including history buffs, cultural anthropologists, sociologists, and consumer marketers — meet in London to present research and discuss discoveries in every facet of culture. "They've been tracking the changes in science, politics, technology, the environment, and economic factors of the world around them, and they know what's happening in art, they understand the music scene, they experience food in different cities," Aimette said. "For us, it's not just what's now but what's next."

Additionally, they analyze street style and festival trends, which round out the design direction for each season. "We have editors documenting street style all over the world every single day," Aimette said. "It's a constant flow of information. In even the best fashion blog, it's a picture here and there. But we are constantly canvasing the streets for emerging trends."

For instance, they might be the ones to spot an Instagram-famous street style star in a captivating look. "It starts popping up more, then it becomes reimagined, then you see it walk down the runway," Aimette said, "and soon, everyone's wearing it."

Late May 2013
Meanwhile, other pros are exploring the latest in finishes, coatings, treatments, and technological developments that will impact emerging raw materials.

Early June 2013
Such an important factor in fashion, a complete color forecast is essential before any major trends are officially set.

September to November 2013
Like a designer's lookbook of stylized garments on models, trendcasters put together lookbooks of their own. Essentially a paint-by-numbers for designers and retailers, the team creates a complete, accessible plan for the season ahead complete with mood images, print and color directions, and fabric recommendations.

In fact, further exploring the materials — from graphics, patterns, and prints to different types of knitwear and textiles — that will be used is a vital final step. Vendors specializing in trims and prints pay close attention here, too, and replicate those pieces that seem particularly directional. "If techno prints are important, that vendor can start creating fabrics with that exact look and feel," Aimette said.

July 2015
Not until Spring 2015 has come and gone (and the trend is nearly yesterday's news) does the team determine whether they officially got it right, often best determined by looking to the sale racks at stores from Barneys to Kohl's. Still, they're never surprised at the outcome. "About 99.9 percent of the time, our mega-trends are always right," Aimette said. "From that first think tank, we know if they are going to happen, and there are so many ways to apply them."