Fashion Cycle

 

FASHION EVOLUTION AND FASHION FORECASTING:

FASHION EVOLUTION:

Fashion evolves over time, reflecting changes in society, culture, technology, and individual tastes. It encompasses trends, styles, and preferences that come and go, often influenced by historical events, art movements, economic factors, and social changes.

FASHION FORECASTING:

Fashion forecasting is the process of predicting upcoming trends in fashion and consumer behavior. It involves analyzing current fashion trends, consumer preferences, market demands, and cultural shifts to anticipate what styles, colors, fabrics, and designs will be popular in the future. Fashion forecasters typically work for design firms, retailers, and trend agencies to help guide their product development and marketing strategies.

FASHION CYCLES:

A fashion cycle is the term used to express the process that a type of fashion goes through and this is where designers bring back something that was fashionable. The fashion first gains mass acceptance from the consumers and then with time, the tastes and preferences of the consumers, which causes the fashion to lose that acceptance. In short, the way in which fashion changes according to its own way is usually described as a fashion cycle. Typically, fashion cycle is depicted as a bell-shaped curve having five stages: introduction, rise in popularity, peak of popularity, decline in popularity, and rejection stage.

Introduction - A new fashion trend is introduced

Designers interpret their research, thinking and creative ideas into appeal including accessories and show their design for the first time at renowned fashion design centers or at local fashion shows during fashion week. Then offer the new styles to the public but only few people can afford and accept the new style due to related high price value. This new style consumes high production cost that's because designers create new designs by working hard, implementing new ideas again changing elements such as line, shape, color, fabric, and details and their relationship to one another.

Rise - The rise of a fashion trend

In the second phase the new style is accepted, purchased and worn by few peoples then it can attract the concentration of many people and also the attention of buyers, dealers, hole-sellers and retailers by the press, media and the public. Many dealers become interested to invest their money for the new design and for more profit some manufacturer's starts to copy it by using less expensive fabric and materials.

Peak - The life cycle peak

When a fashion is at the height of its popularity, many manufacturers duplicate it. There are many versions available at various price levels. Availability of those products at many

price levels is one of the basic causes of its popularity. Customers want clothes that are in the mainstream of fashion and volume production requires a likelihood of mass acceptance. When an item survives long time, it becomes a classic model.

Decline - Trends must decline

Demand for the item decrease gradually and consumers begin to look for something new. Consumers no longer willing to buy them and market may be flooded with new items according to the buyer interest. Retail stores put such declining styles on sale www racks, hoping to make room for new merchandise.

Rejection - The obsolescence of a fashion trend

People get bored with old one and eagerly want a new look. Though prices are low but people do not want to buy them. In the last phase of the fashion cycle, people are no longer interested, some consumers have already turned to new looks, thus beginning a new  cycle.

Length of Cycle

• Fashion always follows the same cyclic pattern.
• There is no measurable time table for a fashion cycle.
• Some takes short time to peak and popularity and some takes longer.
• Some decline slowly some very fast.
• Some styles will sell in a single season some several seasons.
• Some fashion fades quickly others never disappear.

Classic

• Some styles never become complete obsolete, but interest remain more or less accepted for an extended period.
• Jeans, A-line kurtha, polo shirt, loafers and sari is a very good example for classic fashion.

Fads

• Short lived fashion is called fad.
• They lack the design strength to hold consumers attention for a long time.
• Piercing, tattoos, spikes, sleeves, neck lines...are some good examples for fads.

Cycles Within Cycles 

• Design elements such as colour, texture, silhouette may change even though the style itself remains popular.
• Jeans is a good example (skin fit, boot cut, low waist, high waist, different washes, torn    jeans)