How to set trends instead of being pushed around by them
(Abstract of a presentation held by Susan Sagherian at the 2005 ICA Congress in Bangkok - published by the ICA)

Susan Sagherian, publisher of the annual Jewellery Trends report and the principal of Concept & Design, Switzerland, has a little proposition for the colored gemstone trade—a proposition to revolutionize the world of gem fashion by consciously setting trends instead of being pushed around by them.

In a special presentation to the ICA Congress in Bangkok on February 19, Sagherian sought to explain where trends come from and which industries are influenced by them. Taking clothing fashions as her model, she asked what the gem industry can learn from the textile industry’s deliberate promotion of fashion. If done right, active promotion of color trends could be an appropriate marketing tool for the ICA. But first it is necessary to outline the steps the ICA must take to launch a successful color trend marketing program.

Sagherian noted that color trends are determined not by the fashion industry but by a selected group of trend-setting agencies. To outsiders this may seem surprising. Intuitively one might think that the fashion industry itself is responsible for fashion and color forecasting—but it is not.

Trend-setting agencies start determining fashion trends as much as two years in advance. These agencies are usually independent studios with large international teams of trend scouts, designers and sociologists. They study future social developments, which will create new areas of demand for consumer goods.

However, at this early stage the experts are not forecasting actual designs—that comes much later. Instead, they must determine scenarios, feelings and upcoming lifestyle trends. And yet, color forecasting is a major aspect of their work. Their clients include companies in the textile, fashion, automotive, interior design and multimedia industries.

Six months on—18 months before the actual trend is to be launched—it is time for what the trend-setting and forecasting industry calls a concertation. This French word refers to the biennial international gathering of national committees on color. Textile industry experts bring color charts from their respective markets to these gatherings. Together they decide on a single international color forecast. Typical participants in such meetings are designers, textile producers, sociologists, trend researchers and fashion fair directors.

Six months later—still a full year before the trend actually debuts in the fashion retail chains and shops—a color chart is published at Premiere Vision, which is widely regarded as the world's premier fabric show, organized by the eponymous French firm whose specialty is the worldwide promotion of the European garment industry. Premiere Vision holds its exhibition twice a year at the Parc des Expositions, Paris-Nord Villepinte, displaying the best and most creative European fabrics to members of the various national textile associations, who receive the color chart and relevant “moodboards” immediately after the concertation.

From that point on, to in the gem and jewelry industry’s terms, the trend trickles downstream. Premiere Vision basically promotes the color chart of its own concertation, but textile fairs and others publish their own color charts. Textile producers seek to show off their latest designs, which they have created since receiving the results of the previous concertation six months before.

So in short, the various layers of the fashion industry know exactly 12 months in advance what colors they will be marketing. Those in the know pass the information on to visitors at trade fairs, including designers in all areas of fashion (couture, ladies’ and men’s wear, casual, lingerie etc.), related industries, as well as trade journalists.

Finally, six months before the new lines are on the racks, the fashion industry unveils its new collections on the catwalks, and the new retail fashion season is launched to an eager audience of retail buyers and the consumer press.

In the final six month run-up to the new marketing season, the international consumer press reports on the new fashions in special editions, articles and editorial fashion shoots.

“Of course, all areas of fashion and design, including the multimedia and graphic industries are influenced by this,” Sagherian said. “In addition, every decade has its specific look—not only designs and materials, but also the use of colors defines the look of a decade.”

The textile and the gem industries have a lot in common, and the latter should be prepared to take lessons from the former.

Both are fragmented markets with international customers, and the majority of fashion companies, just like colored gemstone firms, act in niche markets.

But, Sagherian noted, there are also major differences. Today the textile industry takes the lead in its cooperation with the fashion industry. “Their focus is on the future and the consumer,” she said. “They create consumer oriented ‘components,’ and they provide ‘market security’ to their business partners in the fashion industry. ”

For the colored gemstone industry, possible advantages of adopting universal fashion trends could include increased security for gem and jewelry manufacturers jewelry retailers and consumers.

Adoption of this strategy would also result in a continually renewed novelty factor, since increasing purchases of colored gemstones would lead to “buzz”—a feeling that this industry is alive.

Sagherian argued that the ICA has an important role to play in the promotion of colored gemstones, trends for both the gemstone and jewelry industries, public relations for gemstone mining areas, and marketing promotions for specific gemstones and/or countries of origin.

Active promotion of color trends is the right marketing tool for the ICA, Sagherian argued. Color is inevitably subject to constantly changing trends, she noted, so the ICA’s role should be to put colored gemstones in the context of shifting fashions, designs and lifestyles by keeping the jewelry industry and the consumer informed of current and upcoming trends in colored gemstones and jewelry.

Sagherian said that the bad news about public knowledge of colored gemstones is that consumers do not really care. In most cases, they are happy to learn more about a gemstone only once they have already decided to buy it. The good news, though, is that a well-trained retail sales staff can explain everything about a colored gemstone to the consumer. Therefore, it is the duty of producers to train the retail staff on salesmanship and knowledge about their specific colored gemstones.

Foreknowledge of trends makes it possible to anticipate consumer demand and market changes, and to adapt capacity and service accordingly. One specific step Sagherian recommended for the ICA is the establishment of a Color Committee, the initial nucleus of which would be a panel of traders with a wide portfolio of gemstone and an international client base; jewelry experts; retailers; and trend-setting experts. This would be a first modest step toward coordinated fashion prediction and planning in the colored gemstone industry.