Why good trend forecasters are curious and they like people!

I once attended a workshop with a designer who was teaching other designers about how to create on-trend designs. She came from a culture of people who often dismissed trends as shallow, and it was clear she felt a bit conflicted talking about them. While it’s important to approach things critically, there are things worth considering when it comes to understanding trends.

Here’s the reality. The manufacturing timeline for most products is about 18 months. That means a designer today must predict what people will want over a year and a half from now. Not what’s trending now, not what’s just beginning to trend—but what will spark joy, connection, or curiosity far into the future.

The designers who are great at this aren’t magicians or manipulators. They’re observers—deeply curious about people, cultures, and the world. They have an ability to anticipate desire, not because they engineer it, but because they study the subtle shifts in how we live and express ourselves.

For brands, this process is high-stakes. They must invest heavily upfront, creating products long before they know if they’ll sell. Designers, in turn, walk a tightrope: balancing their own unique creative expression with what their customers will love.

Then comes the marketing stage, the point when products are ready to hit shelves. This is when you hear declarations like, “This style is in this season” or “That’s out.” But here’s the catch: by this stage, the products are already made. This isn’t forecasting—it’s sales. And if those products don’t sell, they become waste.

True trend forecasting happens long before this. It’s not about following what’s “in” or “out.” It’s about designers being genuinely curious, fascinated by the human experience, and committed to creating things that resonate.

So the next time you hear about a “trend,” think about the 18-month journey behind it. It’s a delicate balance of art, risk, and a deep understanding of people.