Indigo blue is this year’s trendy color,” “Jackets made of jersey and other slightly different materials are in vogue,” and so on… These are the kinds of things that fashion magazines, as well as the Otokomae Institute, are talking about. ” Who in the world is making these decisions? Have you ever wondered this? In this issue, we would like to clarify this question.
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Step 1: First, fashionable colors are decided! It’s been over a year since the last fashionable color was decided.
In fact, the first thing to be decided is what colors will be in vogue. I would like to explain how it is decided.
The direction of the trend colors is decided by an organization called INTERCOLOR (INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR COLOR), which was established in 1963.
It is composed of color information organizations representing member countries and selects fashionable colors through consultation. 
Member countries / member associations (15 countries as of January 2015 in alphabetical order)
1: China / China Fashion Color Association (CFCA)
2: United Kingdom / The British Textile Colour Group (BTCG)
3: Finland / Federation 3: Finland / Federation of the Finnish Textile Industries
4: France / Comité Français de la Couleur (CFC)
5: Germany / Deutsches Mode Instututut (DMI)
6: Hungary / L’Institut de la Mode Hongroise
7: Italy / Italian Color Insight (COLORIS)
8: Japan / Japan Fashion Color Association (JAFCA)
9: Korea / Korea Color & Fashion Trend center (KCFT)
10: Portugal / Centro Tecnico 10: Portugal / Centro Tecnológico das Indústrias Têxtil e do Vestuário de Portugal (citeve)
11: Switzerland / Schweizer Textil-Moderat
12: Thailand / Thailand Institute of Fashion Reserch (inFASH)
13: Turkey / Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association
14: Spain / Escola Superior de Disseny (ESDi)
15: USA / Cosmetic Executive Women – CEW Represented by Beautystreams
Color information groups from member countries present their pre-selected colors to each other. The color of the season is decided in just two days, while deepening understanding of each other’s proposals!
The spring/summer colors are decided in May, about two years before the actual season, and the fall/winter colors in November!
At this stage, the basic direction of the fashionable colors (International Fashionable Colors) is decided. From here, color information organizations in each country disseminate trend colors according to the domestic market. In Japan, JAFCA (Japan Fashionable Colors Association) is responsible for this role.
In practice, information is provided to JAFCA members in the following categories: (1) Ladies’ Wear, (2) Menswear, (3) Products & Interiors, and (4) Makeup. 
JAFCA | Japan Fashionable Colors Association
The JAFCA has decided thatthe men’s trend color theme for spring/summer 2015 will be “La Mare” (“the sea”).
For more details, pleaseclick here. (Sorry we couldn’t post the article because it was prohibited to reprint.)
Step 2: Comprehensive trends in design, materials, etc. are sent out!
After the fashionable colors are determined, comprehensive trends are sent out. The main sources are the fashion trend information companies called “styling offices” mainly in Paris, such as TREND UNION, PROMOSTYL, Nelly Rodi, and carlin. Each of these companies will begin to sell trend books by genre and hold trend forecasting seminars.
Trend books are like fashion magazines for professionals in the fashion industry. They are used as reference by designers and buyers.
Trend books, both inside and out, are quite fashionable, so there are collectors among the general public… For example, two copies of PROSTY’s 2016 trend book cost 440,000 yen ( tax not included ).
The photo below shows TREND UNION’s trend book.
Step 3: Propose and decide on the direction of materials
The next step is to decide on materials. The materials referred to here are fabrics ( textiles ) and yarns. Fabric is made of yarn, so the order is yarn ➡ fabric.
” You may have heard of “Yarn Exhibition” or “Textile Exhibition,” but they are, in fact, “Yarn Exhibition” and “Textile Exhibition.
Yarn and textile exhibitions are held from six months to a year after the international trend colors are decided at Intercolors.
The most famous yarn shows are expofil and pitti filati. Pitti filati is organized by PITTI IMMAGINE, the organization that covers the famous Pittiwomo snapshots.
A scene from the Pitti Filati held in Florence. Chatting about threads? Smiling shyly for the camera? Citing:pitti filati
textile exhibition at
tissu premier @ Lille, France
idea como @ Como, Italy
moda in @ Milan, Italy
prato expo @ Florence
premier evision @ Paris, France
are said to be influential internationally today.
A woman considering her order while also checking the feel of the fabric @moda in Quote: moda in
Step 4: Designer’s Collection
This is the stage where clothes designed based on selected materials are actually made and presented. I have heard that designers are not allowed to go against major trends such as materials because the cost will jump if they try to use materials that are too far from the major trends.
The clothes that designers and pattern makers have painstakingly created are unveiled at the Paris Collection, Milan Collection, London Collection, Tokyo Collection, New York Collection, Madrid Fashion Week, and so on. At this stage, it is about half a year before sales begin. A year and a half after the fashionable colors are decided at Intercolor… 
YOJI YAMAMOTO show for Spring/Summer 2015. Citation: style.com
Step 5: Disseminate information from fashion media, especially fashion magazines
At the same time as the collections, fashion media such as VOGUE and ELLE are sending out information about the new collections, and we receive it. At the same time, or a little later, information also appears in more familiar fashion magazines.
In recent years, fashion shows are often broadcast online. Recently, Burberry’s live broadcast of its London collection using LINE LIVE CAST on LINE became a hot topic.
You are the one who will decide the future fashion trends!
The above is how the so-called conventional fashion trends, centering on high brands, are determined. Nowadays, it seems that some aspects have changed a little. I think there are three key points.
(1) The rise of SPA brands
SPAs, which are structured to handle all product planning, manufacturing, and sales in-house, are on the rise, and their strength lies in their ability to grasp consumer needs through POS data and speedily reflect them on the sales floor and in product planning and manufacturing.
For consumers, the advantage is that they can get the latest designs of good-looking clothes at relatively low prices.
The rise of the fashion trend, which starts with inter-colors and is created over a two-year period, is a response to the fact that it is not always accepted by consumers. The basic attitude that what consumers buy = fads is refreshing.
Below, the world’s largest SPA brand ZARA’s new spring 2015 collection. While some brands, like UNIQLO, offer basic items, others, like ZARA, offer trendy designs, so there are plenty of choices.
(2) Anyone can easily obtain fashion information from
Nowadays, we can watch live fashion shows in London. High brands and high fashion magazines are still the source of trends and are still admired, but I feel that they are no longer at the level of objects of worship that we believe in no matter what they say, as they used to be. I believe that the so-called asymmetry of information has been eliminated.
It is common to hear, “This brand doesn’t seem to get much attention in magazines, but this brand that Fatty, who I follow on WEAR, is wearing might actually be cool. It’s common nowadays for such things to happen.
(3) More people are pursuing their own unique style of dressing
More and more people are trying to discern the essence of what they are wearing instead of being bombarded with a flood of information.
In fact, the Otokomae Institute sometimes sends out messages such as ” Indigo blue tailored jackets are COOL! (“I don’t like to dress in a way that blatantly incorporates trends. I’ll wear a black jacket that is easy to use and versatile regardless of trends, and I’ll use indigo blue in the pocket chief and the bottom. I think it is natural that there are users who take in information based on their own axis.
whereisthecool.com
There is no doubt that high-brand suits and well-tailored suits made of high-quality fabrics are cool, but the days of “just wear it and you’ll look unconditionally cool” are over. But the days of “just wear it and you’re unconditionally cool” are over. Rather, it is time for people to have a sense of how to dress in a way that suits them.
Nowadays, with the spread of social networking and photo-sharing applications, it is easy to draw attention to individuals and their sense of style, and I believe that there is a possibility that fashion trendsetters will emerge from among Otokoizen Kenkyujo users. No, no, in fact, you may already be here…!
![Pitti Uomo 107 Snapshots [ 5 snaps that caught the attention of Maria Konno, Editor-in-Chief ].](https://otokomaeken.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/607ff91b90ac3b88e355854508afa265-630x331.png)
