Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) under its awareness initiatives programme has kick started the second series of the Fashion Forecasting Seminars from March 9, 2018 from Mumbai for spring- Summer 2019 seasons. The seminars were conducted in Bangalore on March 11, 2018, Ludhiana on March 12, 2018 and in Noida on March 13, 2018. The seminars have been organised by AEPC in association with WGSN, the leading trend forecasting agency of the world. The speaker at the event was Kim Mannino – Head of WGSN LIVE from WGSN London office. Kim is a very seasoned and experienced professional and has worked for over 30 years in the industry. She has worked with Promostyle for over 20 years and is currently leading the live presentations division of the company.
In his address at the Noida Seminar, HKL Magu, Chairman, AEPC said,” the industry is today stagnating. Besides our routine concerns on refunds and procedural issues to grapple with, the industry also has to face severe competition from existing competitors in Bangladesh and Vietnam and emerging economies of Cambodia, Myanmar and even Africa. But these are also the times for innovating in design, structuring, promotions and supply chain efficiencies. The global garment export Industry is changing and in order to remain competitive, the Indian garment Industry will have to develop capabilities to tackle both larger volume orders and manage rapid turnarounds with short lead times for diverse fashion garments. The industry will have to develop capabilities to offer better value propositions to our buyers in terms of designs and products that align with their market needs.”
During the presentation, Kim provided insights on key commercial items, colours and trends for spring – summer 2019 and Textile Trends for AW 19/20. Kim covered the methodology on how trends are forecasted at WGSN along with how trends are dissected into macro trends. For the season SS 19, the season is divided into 3 broad themes namely Common Ground, In Touch and Creative Manifesto. The Context for Common Ground is De globalization in a connected world. For better or for worse, the current political landscape will have lasting effects on globalisation, well beyond 2019—as evidenced in the most recent NATO meeting in Brussels. In a time of Deglobalisation, many consumers and countries will turn away from the world economy and focus on domestic growth. At the same time, many people long to connect both locally in real life and globally through social media. It’s time to find a Common Ground.
In touch, highlights that in the time of constant change, consumers swing between tracking their personal data, social media and the news to wanting to opt out entirely. One thing is for sure, people will want to get back in touch with the things that touch them, both emotionally and physically, including sexuality, moods, microbes and food.
The Context for Creative Manifesto is the inequalities and pressures for conformity. In a world in which people are clamoring for truth and transparency, manifesting a desire to be different, to be heard and make an impact, creativity and self-expression will flourish, both above and underground. In such times of upheaval, creativity should be encouraged in both business and design as a weapon for change. A top skill for the future, it will define directions beyond 2019 and into the next decade, and make the experience a playful one along the way. All the above trends were brought to life by 3D mood boards developed by WGSN and key commercial items of the season which were developed inhouse by the WGSN clients in India.
