Trend forecast 2021 is a unique and thought-provoking book on the future of fashion. Authors Laura LeMay and Wendy Wagner have combined their 10 years of experience in the fashion industry with an irreverent style that draws from a wide variety of media and themes to create a witty, engaging read that answers the age old question: What will I wear to work tomorrow? Trend forecasting covers both traditional fashion and modern fashion. Although the authors begin by discussing current trends, they quickly get into predicting what we can expect for the future. “We are at a stage when fashion can be described only in terms of style,” they write. “We are also at a stage when style becomes a style statement.”
The book contains many short chapters that briefly describe various styles and situations. Some chapters focus on new trends in children’s and women’s clothing, sports fashion, work wear, lingerie, men’s and women’s makeup, and luxury fashion. The book discusses what is new in the world of luxury items, such as chandelier earrings, diamond cufflinks, and silk embroidered towels. Trend forecasting provides interesting facts about how trends affect consumers as they shop for clothing, accessorize, and dress for particular occasions. It also describes how customers themselves interpret the culture surrounding clothing trends, such as what is trendy for college students and what is outmoded in the workplace.
LeMay and Wagner clearly set out to write a unique text that will appeal to a general audience interested in the fashion industry. The book is designed to stimulate a broader discussion than a typical fashion publication, and ends with a helpful guide to interpreting current and future trends. The detailed research and detailed writing make this a valuable addition to the literature on fashion.