-Dr. Roopak Vasishtha, CEO & DG, AMH SSC
There is hardly anyone who doesn’t have interest in the fashion world. Everyone is eager to know about the latest fashion trends going on in the market. The glamour of the fashion industry is such that it attracts many youth to pursue a career in this field. If we talk about career options in the field of fashion, then most of the youth see their career as a fashion designer or fashion merchandiser. But with time, the fashion field has become highly competitive. Now, there are many career options for youth in the fashion industry, one of them is Fashion Forecasting. If you love to stay updated with the latest fashion trends and have a vision for style, then fashion forecasting is definitely a better career option for you!
In this article, let’s understand what fashion forecasting is what skills are required to become a fashion forecaster?
What is Fashion Forecasting?
Fashion Forecasting is the global prediction of upcoming trends in the fashion world. It is the process of analyzing and making predictions of the future trends on the basis of past and present data. It basically predicts the mood, behavior and buying habits of the consumer on the basis of color, fabrics, textures, accessories, graphics, and foot wear.
You simply can’t guess what’s going to be popular. Nothing is fixed here. This field requires a lot of knowledge and a large amount of research work. All the equations of fashion change overnight. The cut and color change according to the season, but now it seems that the style and material etc. also change before coming into the trend, so the challenges of this work are also unique. In such a situation, first of all, it is necessary to understand the difference between a fashion forecaster and a fashion designer?
Difference between Fashion Forecasting and Fashion Designing –
Fashion forecaster is the sequel of fashion designing. In fashion designing, the designer is responsible for turning an idea into a design. He creates specific look of garments that include its shape, colour, fabric, trimmings, and other essential aspects. The role of fashion forecaster is to identify which silhouettes colours, textures, fabrics, graphics, prints, footwear, accessories, etc. will be the upcoming trends on the runway and in retail outlets from season to season.
Fashion experts and fashion observers around the world keep visiting people and constantly research upon their mood and interest. They have to update on the future trends related to various aspects of the fashion industry such as ready-to-wear, hate couture and street wear labels. Other than the fashion industry, trend forecasting is also used in other areas of businesses like automobile, food and beverages, literature and home furnishing.
Educational Qualification –
It’s always preferable for the candidate to be 12th pass if he/she wants to pursue a bachelor’s degree course in fashion forecasting. Likewise, graduation is must to pursue post-graduation in this field. Looking at the great future prospects and career opportunities in this field, Apparel Made-Ups and Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council (AMHSSC) formed under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is offering a special online certificate course to the youth on Fashion Forecasting. In this course, industry experts impart deep knowledge to the youth about various aspects of trend and fashion forecasting analysis.
Technical Knowledge is equally important –
It’s not enough just to be creative to make a career in the field of fashion forecasting. But it is also very important to be aware of the technology used in this field. For example, in the case of designing apparel, you should have knowledge of fabric weaving techniques, fabric mixing techniques, dyeing techniques, stitching techniques etc. Similarly, knowledge of various technologies is also vital for foot-ware designing, accessory designing and jewellery designing.
A Standalone Career –
Fashion forecasting is no longer dependent on other factors in the fashion sector. It has now become a standalone career. Experts such as Lidewij Edelkoort, a Dutch trend forecaster have established fashion forecasting as an important career field. Many Indian fashion fore-caster are also making their mark in the international fashion industry. National-International buyers and various brands keep a close eye on fashion forecasts. There are also immense possibilities of earning in this field. Initially, a fashion forecaster can gain experience by working in any fashion house and earn up to Rs. 20,000. Later, if he develops the ability to forecast the forthcoming fashion trends and can easily spot what’s hot and what’s not, he can earn up to Rs. 1 lakh.
Future Prospects in this field –
According to a study, the fashion retail market which is worth Rs. 2,97,091 Cr, will grow at a promising CAGR of 10 per cent to reach Rs. 7,48,398 Cr by 2026. The Indian fashion industry is making its presence felt in the International fashion industry with its out-of-the-box imagination and creativity. The fashion industry has been focusing solely on profitability and quality for the last thirty years. The fashion companies are promoting their brand by hiring young designers and organizing fashion shows to add a modern touch. In such a situation, the youth will have a lot of work opportunities in the emerging field of Fashion Forecasting.