We caught up with one of WGSN’s leading trend experts from London, Sue Evans, to find out a little more on what we can expect from this week’s WGSN trend seminar series. Sue has been with WGSN since its launch in 1998 and was instrumental in creating the Catwalks, What’s in Store and Close-to-Season directories. During catwalk season, Sue’s analytical skills bring a compelling commercial perspective to the 20,000 images she edits.
Image: Leading WGSN trend expert from London, Sue Evans fills us in on upcoming trends and the Australian fashion market.
1. How did you come to be a WGSN Catwalk / Retail Expert?
I spent many years in the fashion industry working firstly as a designer and then as a fashion forecaster / consultant working with major brands and retailers throughout Europe, USA and Japan. Obviously catwalk analysis and retail trends are a big part of forecasting and consultancy and so I built up a lot of experience in both areas. When the Worth brothers started WGSN they called me to see if I would be interested in setting up the Catwalks and Retail directories. The rest is history as they say…
2. What key trends can we expect for the forthcoming season?
There are several key vintage inspirations for next season with influences spanning decades from the 20s / 30s / 40s / 60s and 70s – we even have a Grunge trend, celebrating the 20 year anniversary of Marc Jacobs seminal Grunge collection in 1992. Other key trends are very much about updating best sellers through colour – an important trend in itself.
Image: Luxe Grunge, a key casualwear story to develop for youth markets where traditional grunge looks are updated in luxe fabrications and a contemporary colour pallette.
3. Who is winning in retail right now and why?
John Lewis department store is the winner on the high street in the UK right now. They have opened up their fashion offer and have nearly all the key high street brands on their fashion floor so offering a broad product mix that targets several key customer profiles. They apply the same buying policy to their Homewares offer too so attract a wide range of customers. Zara seems to be winning in the fast fashion area – they have some great on trend pieces and colours in store for summer and they are flying out. And of course the lower-end stores like Primark continue to succeed on price and fast fashion pieces. Peacocks are the new cheaper-end store to watch.
4. What challenges do Australian designers face by having opposite seasons to key international markets such as USA & UK?
The main challenge in my opinion is not to jump on the northern hemisphere trends too quickly as that means the consumer is bored with them by the time the actual season hits. This has become an even bigger challenge now the Australian consumer has access to online shopping on an international scale
Image: A key colour trend from WGSN, dark teraccotta expected to dominate as one of the strong Autumnal colours.
5. There has been a lot of talk about fashion becoming ‘seasonless’, what is your opinion on traditional seasons and are designers and brands adhering to this or is or is the idea of seasonality disappearing?
I think designers are trying to make fashion more seasonless by developing more resort and pre-season collections so here is always a sense of newness in store. However I personally think pre-season is all a bit of a hype and the reality is fashion trends are slowing down and taking longer to permeate and peak so seasons are evolving gently into one another trend-wise, making is feel more seasonless.
6. Since you have been working at WGSN what have been some of your most memorable and favourite trends over the years?
I love the colour we are seeing this season and the vintage influences. I also loved the boho trend from about 6 years ago — but then that’s very me. I am more of an old hippy than a modern-day fashionista!
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Sue presents WGSN trend seminars around the world and is in Melbourne now for the WGSN trend seminars, this is a must see event for buyers, stylists and designers, providing a roadmap for the season ahead. For more information on WGSN trend services please visit their website at www.wgsn.com.
Images courtesy of WGSN.com
