You may have wondered how similar colours, details or styles emerge season after season from fashion houses seemingly in sync with the next big trend. How do they know what’s next? The answer lies in trend forecasting and working ahead of the seasons, sometimes as far as two years in advance. Blimey.

If the thought ‘I don’t follow trends, I create them.’ enters your head or the rebellious instinct arises to go against the status quo (trust me, that’s my knee-jerk reaction too), don’t. An integral part of this industry is at the very least being aware of the upcoming fashion trends. Understand them, get ahead of them.

WGSN

Unsurprisingly the businesses that dominate the trend forecasting market are also accompanied by a rather expensive subscription fee, one that may not be so start-up budget friendly. The Godfather of which lies in WGSN - you can expect a five figure sum to get behind the scenes of this one, but the WGSN Insider blog is a fantastic free resource where you can expect the known quality covering fashion, culture, lifestyle and more. They also have a holy grail of a YouTube channel.

Trendstop

A little more flexible in their approach, Trendstop offer varied memebership options and a visually stimulating Pinterest if this platform is more your vibe. Like WGSN, you can access their blog. Expect small articles with ample imagery or at the very least check out their Instagram.

Pantone

A free online resource, Pantone is the universal library of colour offering articles, case studies and fashion colour trend reports where you’ll also find colour of the year.

Fashion Media

It may be an obvious contender but online fashion media and publications are a fantastic resource for catwalk coverage, couture design, celebrity style and high street interpretations. Interpret this in relation to your brand philosophy and aesthetic to align the information and make it work for you. Vogue, Elle and GQ are useful places to start with Highsnobiety an all-encompassing location for streetstyle culture.

Trend Bible

With a collective experience in trend prediction, colour forecasting, design and manufacturing across fashionm home, interiors, automotive, beauty and more, Trend Bible offer industry specialisms with a focus on childrenswear and lifestyle. Head to their Instagram to stay ahead of the curve with their colour directions and insights.

Above all encourage yourself to stay attentive amongst current affairs, hot topics and cultural developments. The fashion landscape is an ever changing one that absorbs endless influences across all artistic platforms and beyond. If you would benefit from gaining some inside industry knowledge, then sign up to the newsletter below to receive weekly insights and the latest news from the Xandra Jane Design studio.