Part 1: The Function . What are fashion prediction companies? What services do they provide?. Who are they? Here & There, WGSN, Promostyl, Trend Union, Peclers, Concepts Paris. How do they work?. Who are their customers - from designers to retailers, manufacturers, window dressers?. Employees - designers, graphic designers, freelancers in design and illustration, photographers, weavers, knitters, printers etc. The need to be first!. Part 2: The Process . What is 'direction'?. How they find inspiration for a new seasons themes? - instinct, travel, exhibitions, politics, social conditions, libraries etc. Why 'colour' first and what's involved? Fibre and fabric manufacturers. Market levels catered for using relevant illustration styles. How does the 'look' emerge?. Gathering intelligence - freelance reporters, shops, retailers, freelance photographers. Where trade fairs and international fashion shows fit in. What is consultancy - working with customers to develop and market product. Sampling with directional garments. Part 3: Communicating ideas/Illustration . As a case study (1-3):. 1. Developing trend information. 2. Generating student's own intelligence material. 3. Developing design, for example, for three themes. Up-to-date illustration techniques - intermediate level, using the computer and software such as Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator (raster and vector graphics) to convincingly promote a trend. Instructions on a variety of achievable effects. Gallery of new generation of styles. Part 4: Promotion . Graphic techniques and achievable effects using the aforementioned software and also page layout software such as Quark Xpress/Adobe InDesign. Simple use of typography, corporate identity, grids?. Contemporary promotional activities/stencil campaigns, work like Bernie Reid, Lizzie Finn, Julie Verhoeven, Deanne Cheuk, but original variations. Gallery of new methods of promotion
