Glendy was once studying politics in college. Today, she uses her unusual background to predict the future of fashion, as a professional Trend Forecaster.
Glendy, how did you get into fashion?
My interest for fashion began in college. I was studying culture and politics and, without knowing it, was intrigued by how fashion and clothing were perceived differently across cultures. My true fashion calling came one fateful day when I attended an event called Maskara, created by, well, you. ☺ Maskara was an fusion of fashion and music, and it opened my eyes to a whole new world and made me realize that you can have a career doing what you love! That same year I decided to transfer to F.I.T to pursue my dream.
My first jobs in the industry included weird internships and crazy bosses, but I came across trend forecasting as an accident two years ago. I went to an interview with a company that needed a fashion researcher and someone who spoke Spanish. I didn’t have any prior forecasting experience.
What is fashion and why do we need it?
Clothing in itself can signify many things – a marital and social status, religion, a profession, personal beliefs. Women of the past (and some today) wore a scarf over their heads to show that they were taken and showcased their social status by wearing fine velvets, rare silks and precious jewelry.
When you choose an outfit every morning, you are sending a message to the world – whether you like it or not. People make assumptions about others by the first impression. For instance, when you see a young woman decked in a Chanel outfit and bag, you will probably assume she is a sophisticated lady and loaded with cash. In contrast, a girl wearing Timberlands, a Baby Phat jacket and jeans, will be perceived as a hip-hop aficionado who probably does not have a high economic status. In reality, these two women may be earning the same income, but we wouldn’t know since we already made assumptions based on their attire.
Some people opt not to follow fashion trends imposed by the runways or designers, and choose to follow styles that emerge in subcultures to oppose the mainstream. Examples of these anti-fashion genres are Goth and Punk. Punk was a movement of music and fashion in the 1970s, expressing the discontent towards politics in England and a rebellion against elite fashion conventions. People who dress in this style use their clothing to express their ideas and beliefs that don’t fit in with the popular culture.
As long as humans continue to express themselves, fashion will always be a part of us.
How does trend forecasting work?
Most companies hire trend forecasting services. WGSN and Stylesight would be a good example of such consulting companies, but there are many more depending on your market focus. Forecasting companies charge a yearly fee, which can be in the neighborhood of $20,000 or more per password. The problem I see with trend forecasting services is that they tend to focus on runways or fast street style trends only, leaving out the socio-economic and political sentiment of the people and the culture. This is something I try to focus on.
What techniques do you use personally, when scouting for trends?
I believe that trend forecasting should be based on the overall culture, not just the fashion. Many people think they will find the hottest new trend on the runway when in reality it may be coming out of Nebraska. Remember grunge? It emerged in Seattle, not Paris, and was a reflection of the early 90’s. We must stay on top of what is culturally and socially relevant to know what people will like to wear.
When trend-scouting, I look at the way people dress in the streets, events, subcultures, and, of course, runways. I also take note of what people are reading, what movies they are watching, as well as general socio-political climate.
Why are certain colors more popular than others?
Color is a science of its own. One key color for next spring is blue (highly unusual for spring) – we have seen cobalt blue, navy blue and bold blues in these past 2 years, and it will continue for the next season. The reason why blue is still relevant is because it evokes calmness & the ocean, and is possibly a reflection of our current financial situation - “feeling blue”. In an experiment to determine how colors affect our moods, a baby was placed in two different rooms: red and blue. The baby was very hyper in the red room while calm in the blue room. This is just a simple example of the psychology of color. Color in relation to humans is very complex, I am currently working on an article examining the color purple – and yes, Prince is involved! ;)
Who is responsible for new trends?
I see trends everywhere, but especially online. Bloggers have changed the spectrum of fashion trends completely and are influencing others – including designers – with their unique and creative style. People are starting to realize they don’t need magazines or runways, and look to regular people for fashion guidance. This is a very interesting time in the history of fashion – consumer has a choice to follow a mainstream trend or wear something entirely different, something that makes them feel great. I do believe, however, that established designers will continue to mold fashion in some way.
Susie of StyleBubble has been known to influence fashion designers
On the other hand, there are many people who are not adapting to the changes in the fashion arena, I see that many retailers and companies are failing to do well because they choose to focus on the wrong things, you cannot reach your customers if you choose to emphasize on pricey designer items, the gloomy worldwide economy has been changing the consuming landscape and looking at trends on wealthy socialites and street trendsetters wearing luxe items and thousand dollar watches is not going to help the rest of the population who cannot afford these products. I have noticed that many designers have created lower priced lines, to remain fashionably relevant at this time, all I can say is that retailers need to give us something to go crazy over, a special, affordable and unique item, something with a meaning rather than quenching a need for opulence.
What was your opinion of this year’s fashion weeks?
Perhaps it is the gloomy economy is to blame, but I felt that instead of making us excited with anticipation for the next season, many designers fell flat. Let’s do a quick re-cap and sum it up for Spring 09’:
New York was the least adventurous. The only designer I found interesting was Marc Jacobs. Most of the designers decided to not take risks and used recycled trends, boho, 80’s. I found it largely disappointing and unmemorable. Italy was, as always, over the top with luxurious skins and exotic prints. London was a bit more fun still clinging to the 80’s. Christopher Kane and Top-Shop Unique were interesting. Paris, oh Paris, Vievienne Westwood used recycled garbage (literally), human hair on Sonya Rykiel’s garments and Maison Margielas’s odd hair show. :shrugs:
However, I did see some inspired things, I did like Hussein Chalayan’s futuristic prints, Balenciaga’s iridescent embellishments and ethnic African accessories and prints; Alexander McQueen had a beautiful show of animals and futuristic yet nature-inspired prints. I also saw vintage-like pieces, as well as an array of surreal and mismatching pieces and prints. Now the question is, how will the runways be adapted for the mainstream consumers this upcoming spring?
Name some of your favorite recent trends. Are there any you wish would disappear forever?
I like the current vintage revival, the retro looks mixing the old & the new. I am absolutely loving the timeless looks rather than passing fads. I love the new belief that you do not need to spend a lot of money when you can re-work your past clothes, search for vintage or find affordable and fashionable designer-inspired items.
Street fashion-wise, I wish Ugg boots and Crocs would go away.
And lastly, the question all my readers are dying to ask: what are the biggest trends of 2009?
2009 is all about accessorizing. In slumpy economy people tend to turn to quick, inexpensive pick-me-ups such as accessories and jewelry. Large statement necklaces for summer and fall, hats and hosiery. Vintage inspired pieces are also strong along with 80’s apparel trends, African and surrealist prints and hair accessories will be more popular than ever.
Chanel Pre-Fall 2009
I must say I loved Chanel’s Pre-fall collection and was blown away by Karl’s Russian inspired pieces! So, for next fall we’ll probably be seeing lots of folk and Russian-inspired pieces, along with real and faux fur, deep red velvet fabrics and gold shimmer hosiery.
I am also expecting a Mad Hatter and surreal fashion frenzy once Alice In Wonderland the movie is released! [2010; Burton/Depp collaboration - Doe Deere]
Alice in Wonderland in Ragazza magazine
Read Glendy’s blog, Style Amor, for more tips on the upcoming trends.
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