We’re in the middle of Fashion Week season. This month, the “Big 4” shows—New York, London, Milan, and Paris—are showcasing the newest styles for upcoming seasons.
With the hustle and bustle of Fashion serbagadget Week season, it can be hard to stay on top of the latest trends—especially with all the new labels, collections, and fashion shows popping up every day.
As the owner of a clothing brand, trend forecasting is an essential part of your job. You don’t have to ride the wave of every trend on the face of the planet, but you should know what’s hot and what’s not in 2023. That way, you can decide which trends are beneficial to incorporate into your own apparel.
Fashion Week isn’t just for luxury fashion brands, either. Many smaller, up-and-coming labels often make their debut at Fashion Week and can inspire the next big trends.
How the Fashion Weeks Began
America’s first fashion show dates back to 1903 at Ehrich Brothers, an NYC specialty store. By the 1920s, fashion shows had become common—but they were all held behind closed doors.
In 1943, the genius fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert (a.k.a. “The Godmother of Fashion”) came up with the concept of hosting many shows during the same week. She called this “Fashion Press Week.” The purpose of the event was to offer alternatives to French fashion during World War II, when travel to Paris was restricted.
How Popular are the “Big 4” Fashion Weeks Today?
The numbers don’t lie. Let’s look at some stats.
New York Fashion Week
Each year, over 200,000 guests attend New York Fashion Week, and there are more than 300 shows throughout the week. The event generates over 900 million dollars for the city’s economy.
Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week generated over 39 million actions and 152 million video views across various social media platforms during the event. Now, that’s what we call influence!
Milan Fashion Week
2022 was Milan Fashion Week’s best-performing year to date, despite the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented over the last few years. The event ended with over 90 billion euros in revenue.
London Fashion Week
In 2019, London Fashion Week attracted visitors from over 49 countries.
As you can see, the Big 4 Fashion Weeks are as popular as ever. These events are some of the most influential in the entire fashion industry.
Now that you understand the significance of Fashion Week season, let’s talk about how you can stay up-to-date with the latest trends.
How to Tap Into Fashion Week Trends
Although attending the actual shows can give you an edge over the competition, it’s not necessary to physically be there. You don’t have to be at Fashion Week to stay up-to-date with the trendiest designs and labels (thanks to the Internet and social media!)
Here are some of our best tips for keeping up with Fashion Week trends:
1. Follow Fashion Influencers on Social Media
Some of the most influential people in fashion today are Instagram and YouTube influencers. Following their accounts will give you first-hand access to the hottest new trends before everyone else sees them.
2. Subscribe to Fashion Newsletters and Magazines
Many popular fashion magazines and websites have daily or weekly newsletters that feature exclusive previews, interviews, and reports from Fashion Week events around the world. This can help you stay ahead of the curve when it comes to what’s trending during Fashion Week season.
3. Set up Google Alerts for Related Key Terms
Google Alerts is a service from Google that allows you to monitor what is being published and said on the Internet about any topic you choose. With Google Alerts, web results, news articles, blog posts, or other content related to your chosen topic are sent directly to your emails as they become available. You can create multiple alerts with different search criteria and frequency of delivery.
Google Alerts are a great way to get notified whenever your favorite designers, labels, and trends are mentioned in the media. This will help you keep an eye on what’s new and fresh during Fashion Week season.
4. Use Social Listening Tools
Social listening tools enable you to track conversations about specific topics on social media. This can help you see what people are saying about certain shows, designers, labels, and trends before and during Fashion Week. This can give you an insight into which trends are resonating the most with your target audience.
For example, Mention is a tool that allows you to track conversations surrounding target keywords. (Ex. New York Fashion Week)
You can see what people are saying about Fashion Weeks, your brands, your competitors, or any key phrases you think would be helpful for your research. Pretty cool, right?