Expert understanding about future trends has become a necessity in today’s fast fashion times. The synergy between the product and the market through a consumer’s perspective is critical and indispensable for those desirous of improving business and profitability. The age of technology may serve as a boon to the inquisitive and idle; but amidst an overload of information, finding the accurate information for those running on smaller lead times could be a nerve-wracking task. This is where the new look Fashion Forward Trends (FFT), a trend forecasting magazine into its VII edition comes into play. Team AO talks to a vivacious yet wise beyond his years Mayank Mohindra, CEO, FFT on the relevance of his three-year-old brainchild, in the apparel space today.
AO: What need does the FFT magazine address?
Mayank: The primary focus of the FFT magazine is to cater to the apparel industry based on its in-depth understanding of three basic parameters that drive business today, namely the consumer, the product and the market. The magazine is a culmination of our two-and-a-half year’s worth of hands-on expertise stemming from surveys, experimentation, discussions and interactions with the industry, targeted seminars and workshops and through consultancy to various domestic and international designers and retailers.
We’ve come very far since its first edition, realizing that simply inspirations or a mention of the fabric that was expected to do well would not suffice. We needed to have a more targeted approach, for example to direct the audience to the silhouettes and prints for the suggested inspirational theme, or the availability of the suggested fabric was equally important to our reader. We, therefore, decided to draw in a collaborative effort on the part of our in-house team as well as expert advice and inputs from the relevant industry specialists, to bring all the requisite information to the reader, ranging from designer inspirations and directions to silhouettes, prints, surface ornamentations expected to do well, right up to where the reader could source the trending trims, fabrics and colours.
AO: What is the frequency of the magazine and how is the content planned?
Mayank: The magazine charts the product, consumer and market cycle simultaneously through multi-seasons in one comprehensive issue. Where the first season could be indicative of inspirations about the product, the culminating season could be descriptive of the end-product sold on the racks and displayed on the runways. This makes the magazine as relevant to those still in the product development stage as to those who are looking for quick hints at what to manufacturer under fast fashion.
Every selected season is like a journey for us. We get involved with it two-and-a-half years ahead of the season to bring to you what you see on the racks today. If one edition gives a detailed overview of the bent of the consumer, the successive edition would go deep into a product like kidswear, menswear, and womenswear or even deeper into understanding the casualwear, the eveningwear or probably different knits or sweaters as a product category. As already mentioned, the magazine also runs updates on parallel seasons which are nearing or have passed the end of their cycle and are made available in stores.
[bleft]Those who have been unable to subscribe could benefit from the FFT website which also focuses on trends and other aspects of the industry; the “Trends” could be accessed through a pay per view facility.[/bleft]
The frequency of the magazine, which is every quarter, is strategically planned so as to leave us enough room to incorporate any change in trend other than an in-depth analysis of the previously forecasted trend. This gives us a chance to apprise our audience of any remote possibility of the smallest of trends becoming popular, if any, in the selected season. We also have a bi-weekly newsletter with the same purpose to keep the industry abreast of the times. Our efforts give the readers, especially those on smaller lead times, ample time to react to the mentioned forces fast.
We also place editorials around what is happening in fashion with the objective to enhance the understanding of the reader on various aspects that influence fashion. For instance, in the seventh volume, we have analyzed emerging markets, major manufacturing destinations and also growing trends in sourcing, while in the next issue we are looking at analyzing the culture – food, art, music and behaviour dominant in the world fashion capitals and interpret how they influence the fashion of the location.
AO: What is the team behind these forecasts?
Mayank: From forecasting majors to fashion technology stalwarts, FFT is a mixed bag of professionals. We have people from different fashion colleges, people who understand consumers and people who understand different products and markets. We also bring on board specialists for their expert advice depending on the expected trend. We have people from varied backgrounds, working together with overdriving passion to give FFT its overarching stature and credibility.
AO: Is the Indian audience ready for such a comprehensive magazine?
Mayank: Yes, the Indian market is ready to take the leap. The industry has been living on overpriced international trend forecasting aids for years, but which has created a gap in meeting the specific needs of the Indian manufacturer, both working in the international market as also Indian retail. For example, an international publication is unable to shed light on how to source materials locally. Also, a number of new entrepreneurs hit and try with apparel. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” becomes their calling after seeing satisfactory sales charts without realizing that there is a plethora of new things that a buyer may be in search of but unable to source, which they could have easily produced but couldn’t due to lack of direction. It is this Indian audience that could receive all the information that is required for them to setup new brand or enhance the old, by simply leafing through our painstaking research on global inspirations, directions, trends and sourcing destinations.
However, our product is as relevant in the international market as it is in the Indian market. Our magazine gives the international reader everything that an international trend forecasting magazine does and more. FFT would give an international player global runway reports, global inspirations and international trends along with relevant regional locations and markets for the purpose of sourcing. So, we’re creating a bridge where an international player can be confident that he can get a product made in this region because the resources are available, plus, confidence that the sensibility in terms of what needs to be made is also there.
As the convergence of markets is fast becoming a reality, everything in the industry in the true sense is becoming “Glocal” – global yet local. This thought is brought out very strongly in the pages of FFT, making it relevant to both national and international audiences. Indian wear is getting an international flavour while international brands in India are adopting a more desi outlook. So the book aims to give the reader, regardless of his location, a global perspective amidst a local flavour.
AO: Could you give us an insight into the future plans?
Mayank: While the past editions have been successfully located to the Indian audience only, we are now looking at expanding the readership base to popular international apparel destinations like Bangladesh. The people in Bangladesh are very keen to move up the value chain. On my last visit to Bangladesh I had the chance to interact with a few exporters who informed me that they would want to give product development and trend inputs as a service to their buyers, something that they could expect from FFT. If FFT could provide that service to them, they could stand-out among other exporters who are doing a similar product category or working with a similar buyer. We realized that FFT could assist an audience that is looking at moving up the value chain through product and sales enhancements as a consequence of incorporating global trends in their product.
As of now, the magazine can be made available to interested readers located in India or to those internationally via direct subscription; one could also avail the books online on websites like e-Bay.com.
