What Trend Forecasting Means for Fashion Buyers
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Tuesday, February 11, 2025
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As Fashion Month unfolds, buyers from top retailers and luxury e-commerce platforms attend shows in New York, London, Milan, and Paris, not just to admire the spectacle of the runways but to make data-driven decisions that will shape the upcoming season’s retail landscape.
While designers present their creative visions, fashion buyers operate with a more analytical approach—identifying trends, assessing commercial viability, and ensuring their selections align with both the brand’s aesthetic and customer demand.
At the core of their work is trend forecasting—a crucial process that helps buyers predict what consumers will want to wear six months to a year from now. But how exactly do they use it during Fashion Month?
Decoding the Runway: From Trend to Product Assortment
Every fashion show offers an overwhelming number of looks, but not every trend will make it into stores. Fashion buyers rely on a mix of macro-trends (long-term shifts in consumer behavior) and micro-trends (seasonal or viral moments)