THE PROBLEM WITH FASHION TRENDS: why we need to change the fashion forecasting model

Is it time to ditch seasonal trend reports and transition into a new fashion trend insights calendar? Much like the seasonal fashion calendar has been questioned, should we also be re-evaluating the corresponding rhythm and cadence of fashion trend reports?

As future trend forecasters who focus on delivering strategic insights for the fashion industry, how can we face the fact that being a part of a model that delivers ‘newness’ 2 to 4 times a year, often more, is contributing to exhausting our planetary resources?

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DECOLONISING AFRO AESTHETICS IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY

Deep social transformations have re-occurred these past few weeks and months, since the unfortunate murder of George Floyd. Not that police brutality is a new phenomenon. It has happened several times in the past without necessarily being shown or filmed. The violence and injustice towards Black communities existed prior to those events. Today, the question around institutionalised racism has made its return in the public space and it is hard to ignore the social racial issues it brings to light. - OP-ED BY KOURA ROSY-KANE

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FASHION AS THERAPY

Using fashion as a medium to discuss mental health is not a new phenomenon. At the beginning of 2000, Alexander McQueen, tied between addictions, mental disorders and anxiety, used his shows to translate his inner thoughts to the world. His suicide at the end of this decade rattled the industry. This dramatic event shed light on the necessity to talk about mental health in the field. However, we would need to wait until the mid-2010 to deeply tackle this issue and bring it to the mainstream.

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