Senior Trend Forecaster: Fashion
Listing reference: woolw_000986
Listing status: Under Review
Apply by: 31 October 2024
Position summary
Industry: Wholesale & Retail Trade
Job category: Other: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain
Location: Cape Town
Contract: Permanent
EE position: No
Introduction
As a Senior Trend Forecaster, you will be instrumental in defining style direction across fashion categories, ensuring a cohesive, brand-aligned aesthetic. Working collaboratively, you’ll forecast and translate emerging trends into actionable insights that drive product innovation and support business growth.
Job description
Trend Research and Concept Development (Pre-Season)
- Conduct global trend research using various platforms such as WGSN, catwalks, blogs, look books, online retailers and social media for design inspiration and concept development.
- Macro global shifts that inform marketing of potential opportunities and inform key buying decisions
- Conduct store visits to understand trends, product performance, assortment balance and customer experience (online and in-store)
- Collaborate with the team to generate new product ideas based on research
- Compile and present a high-level seasonal fabric overview to feed into the sourcing strategy
- Identify and present high-level continuity, volume input and input product updates that feed into continuity workshops
- Build out high level seasonal colour palettes across the Group
- Create mood boards and monthly/quarterly colour flows by department, including print and pattern direction.
- Provide inspiration highlighting key graphic and print messages for the season
- Present design brief to the Group to enable Range Build
Collaborate and Communication with Stakeholders
- Identify product opportunities for tests in season
- Identify opportunities for 3rd party collaborations.
- Identify opportunities around key seasonal events and drive Cross group collaborations where appropriate.
- Drive innovation & sustainability with fabric techs and sourcing
- Present quarterly trend updates to the FBH community.
Minimum requirements
- Diploma/degree in design is required.
- 5 – 8 years of senior-level experience in fashion design or trend forecasting.
- Mastery of Adobe Suite and other industry-standard design tools; excellent sketching and illustration skills. Familiarity with trend forecasting platforms (e.g., WGSN) and ability to conduct high-level market and trend analysis.
- Ability to lead cross-functional projects and contribute to strategic planning with a focus on innovation and growth.
- Strong creative vision, analytical skills to interpret design trends, advanced conceptual abilities, and outstanding presentation skills. Proven ability to translate trends into commercially successful product lines.
