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Where fashion’s sharpest minds get real about what it takes to lead in a market defined by constant change and rising consumer demands.
Each episode tackles the real challenges behind brand identity, trend forecasting, product direction, and marketing performance — with unfiltered insights from those turning uncertainty into opportunity.
From insider insights on consumer targeting to behind-the-scenes strategies from leaders who’ve turned uncertainty into growth—we’re here to challenge outdated thinking and spark new solutions.
Because in today’s climate, relevance isn’t luck. It’s strategy. And this podcast gives you the edge.
Today we're digging into something really interesting: trend forecasting. Specifically, how clothing brands can, you know, define their own style and get ahead.
And the goal here isn't just about seeing what's popular right now, it's about figuring out how to anticipate what's truly next right. Exactly. We want to pull out how a brand can move past what everyone else is doing, create something unique, something desirable. So the big question for you listening is, how do you actually predict fashion's next move and design things people really want, things they haven't seen everywhere else.
Exactly. That feeling of being behind the curve is, well, it's common. It really is. And it highlights something crucial, just knowing what's popular now, that's not really enough anymore. You need more. You need insight into what's gaining momentum, what's actually on the horizon. Which brings us perfectly to today's deep dive. We've got a really fascinating look inside a, uh, style optimization session. Yeah, it’s with Trendstop who are experts in spotting what's next. Right.
This was for a premium women's wear brand. So think of this as your backstage pass really. A look at how leading brands actually strategize their future collections.
And our mission today, to understand how they proactively identify and embrace emerging trends. Giving them that edge and hopefully giving you some insight too.
We're not just talking predicting colors, are we? No, no. Much deeper than that. It's the strategic thinking. How do these brands anticipate shifts, you know, in what consumers want? How do they get to the forefront? Okay, let's unpack this. Yeah. Trendstop start by talking about a common way brands try to forecast trends. Uh, yeah, the sort of counting method, like how many times you see something on a runway or how many shops are stocking it.
Exactly. But the point they make is that this method, well, it's often too slow if you want to be a leader, right? Because by the time a trend is that visible, it's already kind of mainstream, isn't it? Pretty much. They call it a lagging indicator. It tells you what was hot, not necessarily what's going to be hot next season or the season after.
Yeah, it's that analogy they use like trying to drive forward but only looking in the rear-view mirror. You see where you've been perfectly clearly. But not where you're headed. And the risk of course, is that by the time you get those trends into your collection, the really fashion forward customer the ones setting the pace, they're already onto the next thing.
Okay. So that sets up the problem. How does Trendstop suggest doing it differently then? Well, their approach is all about focusing much, much earlier. They look at the innovators, the early adopters, that tiny group, maybe the first 2.5% of the market who picks up on something new. That small a group. Wow.
So not the masses at all. They're watching them like the absolute front edge. That's the idea. It involves tracking cultural shifts, looking at niche communities, seeing what cutting edge designers or even influencers are playing with. It's about spotting those tiny sparks. Before they catch fire, basically. Right.
Then this is key, they rigorously validate their potential. Do they start to resonate with a slightly bigger group? They track that growth.
So it's like spotting a band in a tiny club. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Before they hit the stadiums, you're looking for that initial buzz and seeing if it builds. So it's less about counting sheer numbers initially and more about understanding why something new is catching on with those first few people.
Precisely, and the real advantage for a brand is acting on these trends while they're still early. Right. Doing that lets them reach, you know, maybe the 35% or more of consumers who are ahead of the mass market, and that's a huge competitive edge. Setting them up as leaders, not followers. That's the goal. And it's not just any random thing that pops up, is it?
The focus is on directional shifts that matter now. Ah. How do they tell a fleeting fad from a real shift? That's a really crucial distinction. A directional shift, it signals something more fundamental changing in style, in consumer desires. Often it connects to bigger cultural things happening, giving brands that longer term view. Exactly. Identifying trends with staying power, multi-seasonal relevance, that's vital for planning. The whole goal is to give brands the intel to get ahead of the market, to be the one setting the tone, not just reacting.
Okay, so moving on. Let's jump into these bigger ideas, macro trends. And the key one they pull out is this concept of lightness. Mm-hmm. And what's really useful is how they show that one big idea, like lightness, can be interpreted differently for different parts of the market. Right, not a one size fits all thing. Definitely not. So for the really fashion forward customer, the early adopter, they talk about Empowering Fragility. That's intriguing. What does that look like aesthetically? Well, it's described as a new take on femininity. Think light, fluid, maybe a subtle sporty edge, often with a kind of quiet, genderless feel.
The brand in the session actually mentioned their goal was, uh, more softness and movement without losing strength. And this trend fits that. Perfectly. Imagine sheer fabrics, flowing shapes, but paired with clean lines, that sort of delicate strength. So is this just a concept or is it actually showing up?
Oh, absolutely. Trendstop notes it started appearing on the SS24 runways. Those were the initial signal. Okay. So last season. Right. And now it's gaining real traction in the early SS25 collections that are starting to emerge. So it's moving along that adoption curve. Exactly. Moving beyond innovators starting to get broader appeal makes it a really strategic area for brands now. Empowering Fragility sounds quite high fashion maybe, but the discussion also touched on something a bit more commercial right? Ethereal Refined Boho. Yeah that's positioned as a more accessible way into that whole feeling of lightness and ease. How so? It focuses on fabrics like, uh, breathable linens and soft, natural blends.
Think flowing dresses, relaxed pieces, natural colors. Things people already like and feel comfortable in. Exactly. These materials just inherently feel easy, airy, and apparently this particular brand had already done well with linen pieces before. Ah, so it's building on something that already works for them.
Yeah, it makes it a pretty natural, and, you know, likely successful next step, a smart way to bridge that gap between a big concept and something commercially viable. Makes sense.
So the key thing for you listening then, is that a big trend doesn't have to mean one specific look. You can filter it through your own brand's lens, right? Absolutely, tailoring it to who your customer is, whether they're chasing the very newest thing or looking for a more timeless interpretation. Okay, so from the big picture down to specifics, they use dresses as an example, right?
How do you apply lightness there? Yeah. They really zoom in on shirt dresses and they highlight this emerging shape, Soft Semi Shirt Dress. What's the deal with that?
Well, it's presented as an interesting update on the classic shirt dress, still has that relaxed structure. Yeah. But the key difference is the opening buttons, whatever only goes halfway down the front. Ah, okay, not all the way. Right. It creates a subtler feel less structured. It's described as a subtle, refined offering, a newness that fits premium minimalism. So still sophisticated but softer, more modern than the traditional button up. Exactly, more fluid.
And they tracked how shirt dresses have changed over time too. They did. According to their timeline, it started more as an elevated shirt dress on runways, maybe sharper, more tailored. But the direction of travel has been towards softer, looser, more fluid shapes.
And they mentioned another style, something about tunics. Yes. The Tunic Shirt Dress. They suggested that could be a really good fit for the brand they were analyzing because that brand already used a lot of loose, relaxed shapes. It felt like a natural extension. So the overall vibe for shirt dresses now is clean, simple, modern. Light, relaxed fit, effortless seems to be the key word. Not too buttoned up, not too formal.
But predictions are one thing, how do you know if these ideas are actually, you know, working in the real world? That's where their retail analysis comes in. They have these curated galleries, some showing mainstream retail, others focusing on more directional fashion forward stores. And these galleries show what, just pictures of clothes? These show examples of styles that are performing well or are considered best-in-class items that Trendstop believes have high potential based on early indicators. It's a validation step. Okay. And they use this for the shirt dress research?
Exactly. They mentioned looking at the fashion forward gallery. Yeah. Specifically at data from the previous summer because the current season was still just starting when they did the analysis. A smart way to get relevant data. And did they find things that matched the semi shirt dress or tunic shirt dress ideas? They did.
They mentioned finding a half opening shirt dress from Toteme that had a wrap detail and also seeing various takes on the tunic shirt dress shape. So you can actually see the trend manifesting? Right, and the process involves saving those interesting examples. It helps you build this focused mood board or research file, making the trend much more tangible and specific to your brand rather than just some abstract report. So concrete examples. Right. Seeing that evolution, that timeline must be incredibly helpful for a brand deciding whether to jump on board.
Oh, absolutely, it gives you confidence, doesn't it? Seeing how it develops, seeing who's doing it well already. Reduces that feeling of just taking a wild guess. Exactly. Makes it easier to justify internally the investment, and this is where the practical side of Trendstop’s tools comes in. They let you save these visual examples. From their gallery. Yeah. And then use them for team briefings, discussions, get everyone aligned. And it's not just about pretty pictures for a mood board, is it? It sounds like their platform helps with the actual research process too. It does. They talk about a premium focused market scan. So the visuals, the analysis, it's all curated for that premium end of the market. Yeah.
Okay, so Trendstop gives you the direction, the retail galleries give you some validation. What's next? Do you just stop there? No, the next step they highlighted is using those insights to guide your own broader market research, and they use Google as a simple example. But searching Google for fashion trends can be overwhelming surely?
It can be if you just type in something generic like “shirt dress.” But the key, they argue, is that Trendstop gives you the right keywords, more specific phrases based on their analysis. Like what? Like searching for “soft shirt dress premium” instead of just “shirt dress.” Ah, okay, so using their insight to narrow the search. Precisely.
And in their example, that specific search did bring up results in the premium market that matched the soft relaxed direction they'd identified. It confirms the trend is resonating in that specific tier. So Trendstop provides the filter almost to make your own searching more effective. Exactly. It helps you cut through the noise and see how the trend is actually playing out in the market segments you care about.
And also, the way Trendstop names the trends, quite strategic. The names are specific, directional, which means when you use those names to search, say on Google, you get much more relevant results than if you just typed in “boho dress” or something broad. Cuts down the noise. Big time saver for design and research teams, huge. Yeah, time is everything, isn't it? Especially working on multiple seasons at once.
So they covered dresses pretty thoroughly, did they apply the same process to other product types for the brand? They did. They moved on to co-ords, coordinated sets. They noted the brand had them, but maybe didn't have a really strong, uh, standout execution leading the category. Right, you need those hero pieces in key trend areas.
Exactly. So they identified a, a few specific co-ords to consider. One was The Eco Co-ord focusing on sustainable materials but still looking elevated. Okay. Another was The Light Pleated Pants Co-ord, specifically calling out micro pleating as a key detail. Right. So deliberate choices in materials, refined silhouettes. That's the idea.
And again, using Trendstop's specific keywords helps here, searching “conscious co-ords” or “soft pleated sets” gets you much better visual references than just “co-ord.” Same process, validate it, see what's out there, more targeted inspiration. Right. And the suggestion was that focusing on these more nuanced co-ord trends could help the brand build a stronger, more cohesive seasonal capsule around them. Makes sense.
And then they connected it back to the brand's knitwear. Yeah, this was interesting. They brought in ideas like a Relaxed Rib Basic, positioning them as these sort of elevated essentials. It cleverly links the trend to something the brand already does well. Finding that overlap between the trend and the brand's DNA. Absolutely, they highlighted light rib knits as being pretty timeless but suggested refreshing them. Maybe exploring new light colors or adding subtle design tweaks like a soft v-neck, maybe a drop shoulder. Keep the core, but make it feel current.
Okay, so sticking with knitwear, they noticed something about tanks in there. Yeah, it was an interesting observation. The brand's main image featured a knit tank, but when you looked in their actual tops section, most of the tanks were woven. A bit of a disconnect. Potentially. So building on that, Trendstop highlighted The Eco Knit Tank as an important shape, which actually aligned well with the brand's knit focus. Now, let those fit into the future picture. Well, knit tanks are seen as a key shape within the eco knit direction.
Ahuh. So these aren't just basic tanks, they're envisioned as more craft inspired, conscious, but with clean lines. Think textures, maybe interesting stitches, definitely sustainable yarns. Got it.
The platform lets the brand track the ongoing momentum of knit tanks, confirm they're still strong, but also explore how to execute them now. Ah, clever. So it's understanding not just that they're popular, but how that popularity is evolving with broader trends and values. You've got it.
But they didn't stop there. They also introduced The Light Linen Tank. Ah, bringing in another material the brand uses. Exactly, linking the tank trend to the brand's linen story and potential eco values. It's about finding multiple ways in. Makes sense.
What about building on things they already do well? Yeah, so Trendstop gives the direction.
They saw the brand's light sweaters already fit the lightness theme, mentioning styles like a Relaxed Knit Tee or Comfort Knit Tee. And then they posed a really smart question. Which was? Could you take those existing light sweater designs and maybe adapt them, turn them into tank versions to tap into that tank trend more directly. Those details really elevate simple styles. It's about evolving what you have, not always starting from scratch. Okay, it makes sense.
And the brand already had a popular cream ribbed tee, apparently, so a solid foundation. So what's the recommendation? Elevate them further with nuanced color updates, subtle shifts in shades to keep them feeling fresh. Right.
Does Trendstop offer specific color direction? They do. Their color section has curated palettes, and within the neutrals filter they offer shades described as light, directional, that feel fresh not flat. Ah, avoiding those dull beiges. Exactly, getting that depth and sophistication even in neutrals. And they acknowledged the brand was already using soft colors, which fits the overall direction. But suggested looking deeper. Yeah, basically suggesting they use Trendstop's color tools to maybe refine the palette for next season.
Specifically pointing towards the neutral section in the platform's filter to look beyond, just say basic cream, to find those more nuanced, interesting light neutrals that are coming through, keeping even the core colors, feeling fresh and modern. Contemporary, but still within their core look. And color is so important for that premium feel even in basics.
So wrapping this all up.
Mm-hmm. The real takeaway from this Trendstop approach seems to be about making a shift, doesn't it? Definitely, it's moving away from just reporting on what's already saturated in the market. And towards proactively identifying what's just starting to bubble up those really early signals. Exactly. And the benefit is potentially huge, if you can understand these early trends and apply them thoughtfully. You can create collections that feel genuinely unique, elevated. Things that connect with consumers on a deeper level and really position your brand out in front.
And really this whole session, the style optimization, it just highlights the value of being proactive, doesn't it?
Yeah, definitely. It's not about just chasing what's already trending. It's about strategically aligning the right trends with your brand identity, your customer. To drive growth, stay relevant. And keep things creatively exciting. Exactly.
So it's not just about designing a single item, it could actually influence your whole brand strategy, couldn't it? How you approach each season. Absolutely.
It sounds like it's an ongoing thing, not just a one-off report. There's support to actually turn these insights into sales.
That's the idea. Ongoing support. They even mentioned looking at outerwear with Trendstop 's tools next, as another potential area for this brand to show leadership. It's a continuous process. So bringing it all together then. Hmm. This deep dive really gives us a window into how these premium brands work proactively, doesn't it?
It really does. It's not reacting, it's identifying those early signals using specific tools and insights. Mm-hmm. And then thoughtfully weaving those trends into their own unique brand story. Understanding the currents under the waves of style.
Beautifully put, it's that shift from just watching the present to actively anticipating the future. Always useful. Oh definitely, Trendstop's specific insight lets brands help shape trends, not just follow them. This has been incredibly illuminating, really useful stuff.
Thanks for exploring that with us today.