Trend Report by Marvin Masike

So I went to a fashion seminar held by the fashion expert of course Mrs Marlene Oosthuizen presenting the latest information on various subjects that I’m going to elaborate on today, so without any hesitations let’s dive into it.

So what is a trend report you ask? Good question considering the fact that these days the term is used a lot and the fact that it`s just so complicating. A trend report is different for different organizations that take part in the usage of it, basically it`s feedback reporting on a specific event, garment or a range of a specific designer.

A trend report consists of visual displays plus written text explaining the make-up of it and the subject in matter. I’m certain you have seen these in magazines a lot where they inform you the consumer on the latest things you can buy. You would ask yourself but why would I need to know this, well having to search the latest trends (what`s hot or not)

WHAT you`re doing what we call trend sourcing – analyzing what is currently trending, what are people wearing, the latest run-ways and other events and collecting the information for future use.

Now she also spoke about different fashion terms like what is a fashion cycle, fashion curve, fashion movement and fashion adoption. 

A fashion cycle is a combination of different stages where a trend or a fashionable item goes through from being new (introduction) to being known by the masses (peak) to lastly considering it to be out of fashion (decline). 

A fashion curve is basically the shape or outline at which that fashionable item is represented within the cycle.

Fashion movement is how or the way in which that particular item moves in the cycle, there are factors that contribute to how fashion moves obviously like political and economic factors.

Fashion adoptions are the theories drawn up of how does fashion exactly move or rather say how people acquire fashion. 

Trickle down is the oldest theory where 

the masses emulated 

the elite`s way of dress in order to be perceived fashionable.

Trickle up is where fashion comes or is inspired 

from sub-cultures or say the streets then adopted 

by designers to be showcased in the latest runways.

Trickle across is the mass production of a trend element or 

item to every retail store, the fashionable item may come from either trickle down or up, recognised by 

what we call gatekeepers (journalists, bloggers and the media) signalled to be okay then marketed and produced to the masses.

The theories are a bit confusing because in the fashion industry today the success of a product takes a combination of two or all the theories as a fashion innovator it is important that you realize this, as it was highlighted during the seminar. To finish off the day Mrs Oosthuizen explained the different consumers in a fashion aspect. We have what we call a fashion leader – this is an individual who part-takes in the adoption of fashionable items earlier than other people, there are two individuals 1st a victim and 2nd a motivator. 

A fashion victim is the individual who participates in the adoption of fashionable items because he/she is the first to choose that item and is not influenced by anything, such as Lady gaga she is usually the first to go for items that no one would or even didn't think of wearing.

A fashion motivator is the individual who adopts fashionable trends because he/she was influenced by something, a group or movement of association.    

Fashion leaders purchase high fashions that are expensive and exclusive as these create an individual need and want, they want to be trend setters.

Then there are fashion followers, these individuals at most will adopt fashionable items when the trend(s) are already recognized by the masses, the will wear something because they've seen it somewhere.
They buy mass fashion as this might be because they are affordable or rather they`d rather be sure that what they are wearing is right (everybody is wearing this) or just... well they don’t think about it.

Lastly fashion laggers, individuals who wear the fashionable items when they are already considered out of trend, for them this item is only now an interest whereas everybody followers and leaders are on the next big thing. 

Laggers buy mass fashions that are later referred to as knock-offs that are much cheaper; it differs as there are many reasons why. By definition they buy from thrift shops but as we know even people who buy from these shops are or can be fashionable. Basically fashion laggers are people who are not interested in fashion...at all!

As a fashion innovator it is important to realise these different segments of people as this will help you in the marketing and positioning of your business. It will help to know who your target market is, how to market various products or easily if your an ordinary consumer a closer step to being a smarty pants on the fashion industry.