Fashion Merchandizing Current and Potential Hits
The Fall/Winter 20142015 seasons surprised several people returning to the androgynous look and cocoon shapes. Gold quickly became the key color of the season; combined with fur and shearling (20 Trends for Fall/Winter 2014-2015 para. 1), it produced a magnificent impression. Thus, the Fall/Winter 20142015 can be considered a return to the chic and glamorous fashion of the early 1960s. The same can be said about patterns. Whether the elements making the pattern are small or large, they are abrupt and scattered all over the clothes. This creates an illusion of a casual attitude, at the same time, taking the chaotic element out. The tendency mentioned above aligns with the socio-cultural trends of the Fall/Winter 20142015. Major political and cultural issues have sparked in the environment of globalization and cultural tolerance. As a result, the need to express the anxiety and, at the same time, provide comfort emerged. As far as the Spring 2015 trends are concerned, shirtdresses (Ogunnaike para. 1) may turn out to be the focus of peoples attention. In addition, floral patterns may also become the highlight of the season. The gold color, in its turn, will fade to yellow in the spring, as Ogunnaike (para. 2) explains.
Sources of Trends for 2015
The need to go back to a more flippant style may not be caused by the sociocultural issues only. As Versace stated, the artists needed to remind the public of the shape of a womans body, which is curvy (Phelps para. 1). This statement explains most of the choices that have been made in fashion over the past few months.
Indeed, the floral patterns mentioned earlier stress the concept of femininity much. They help the audience recall the stereotypical image of a woman as an innocent one and the one that is filled with harmony. Likewise, the colors, which include yellowish, brownish, and reddish palettes in most cases, emphasize femininity in its traditional sense. The choice of material, which incorporates smooth and soft clothes in a range of collections, also stresses the idea of a woman as the representation of harmony. As a result, most fashion collections feature clothes that emphasize womanly silhouettes. The same can be said about the trends for men. The return to the sixties patterns resulted in a rather colorful palette and the tendency to use chiffon and red color in the clothes design. As Blanks explains, menswear includes in red chiffon, the slinky gilded top in red lace, or the with (Blanks para. 2) in Fall/Winter 20142015, thus, celebrating an androgynous look.
Fashion Now and Six Months Ago: Analysis
The fashion industry has made significant progress over the past six months. In August 2014, the fashion trends were geared towards lighter colors and more heavy silhouettes, as the summer cover of the Fashion magazine shows (Fashion Staff para. 1). A much more lightweight design is featured on the surface of Fall/Winter 20142015. The color cast is shifted towards a warmer palette, and the silhouette looks much more feminine.
The contents of the magazines also change, though not as great as they might. For example, Harpers Bazaar proves that the shift from while frilled clothes to plain, floral sundresses did occur (Rutherford para. 1). In other words, there is a considerable gap between the summer of 2014 and the winter of 2015 in terms of fashion choices. However, both magazines mention the significance of revisiting the fashion ideas of the sixties. Therefore, the tendency to shift towards a more feminine look for women and a more androgenic one for men is entirely predictable. In addition, the selection of textiles in 2014 was different from the current one.
The contents of the magazines are also somewhat different. Whereas 2014 one focuses on the fashion choices made by celebrities and the trends of the on-coming season, the 2015 magazine provides its readers with some background information on the actress and her career. One may assume that the 2015 collections will embrace both global trends and the personal influences of various designers.
Companies Outside of Fashion Industry Relying on Trend Forecasting
It would be wrong to claim that fashion exists in its own niche and is isolated from the rest of the industries. Other types of business are also greatly influenced by it. For example, the entertainment industry, i.e., movies, TV shows, etc., are linked closely to fashion. Unless fashion is represented in entertainment, the latter will never gain the air of glamour that it needs. Likewise, textile industries depend on style much, as fashion designers define which types of textiles are going to be popular and, therefore, which ones must be mass-produced. The same goes for accessories production (for example, bags, shoes, hats, scarves, gloves, etc.); fashion statements define the type, color, and shape of the product, as well as the scale of production. Fashion is a multimillion industry that shapes the income and production strategy of numerous businesses all over the world.
