The creative industries are facing a crisis by using a tool that was supposed to save them. The widespread use of the WGSN trends system by designers in fashion and beyond is being accused as a key factor for the death of creativity especially for designers who with 5 to 10 years experience who have always worked with the system. Recruiters are looking for older generation or recent graduates to avoid designers that have spent their careers using the trends system.
At H&M, we’re told that designers are expected to study everyday the trends information that the WGSN database contains. In fact, the system monitors to check if the designers are looking at WGSN for two hours a day.
A key problem with WGSN is its near monopolistic success. WGSN has tens of thousands of users and aim to have 1000 accounts soon. It’s reached a situation where it’s become the default and management feel that you can’t run a fashion company without subscribing to WGSN. At $20,000 for 5 desktop licenses WGSN the grumbling in the ranks suggests that there is only one winner.
Every designer in fashion and beyond (companies like Mercedes also subscribe to the service) is looking at the same data for inspiration for new work. What’s worse is that smaller brands who may not have the budget to subscribe have the habit of walking into stores and copying the designs that larger brands have taken straight from the catwalk files of WGSN. Everyone’s in the ’safe’ game of WGSN whether they subscribe or not.
Another major problem is the quality of the data, critics say. 75% seems to be aggregated from Google and blog searches and only as little 25% is original. Of that 25%, half could be described as good quality and the other half seems written by recent graduates straight out of college with no creative or journalistic direction given.
And of the ‘good data’ critics say that often it’s just as easy to find better and free content on the web. WGSN’s city section is a poor man’s version of Super Future and you can get as many photos of the catwalks on Style.com as you can on WGSN (granted you can’t get the high quality – but after you’ve seen the idea and stolen it, how high a quality do you need an image to be?).
There’s also a concern for its reach and depth when it comes to research. WGSN stands for Worth Global Style Network but from what we understand their structure seems to be far from global. The power of the brand convinces its clients that it has an international research team but we’re told that the US has only 5 full time staff and there are only 2 staff in Hong Kong.
All of this provides poor trends data that everyone uses to create next year’s styles, fashion and design. It destroys creativity. The problem is that WGSN holds such power on the industry that it’s now considered by many brands that it’s unwise not to subscribe to it. When the sports brand Umbro cancelled their subscription recently to try to bring fresh and original creativity back to the design team, we’re told that the reaction from WGSN was ‘How dare you?’
WGSN doesn’t just encourage mediocrity, it’s about to bite the hand that fed it: The creative industries in the US and Europe are in for a final shock. There’s an over-simplistic theory held in many creative industries that the best designers come from the West and the best, or at least cheapest, production happens in the East. True or not, that’s how the business works today. What happens when the East doesn’t need the West? WGSN are about to give the fashion and creative industries a serious blow – WGSN plans to translate the whole site into Mandarin and provide the patterns of the catwalks on their site. Factory owners in the East don’t need to wait for European and US brands to put orders in anymore, they can just sign in to the system, see what’s on the catwalk, download the pattern and go straight to production. What will happen then, when continents of designers have no training in developing new ideas to fight that onslaught?
Use WGSN? What do you think – leave a comment!
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I agree 100%.
WGSN is overrated. I did a fashion and textiles course at St. Martins and was encouranged to use the manual as a bible. As far as I could tell, it was just a catwalk directory which was printed from Vogue.com. The trends highlighted were shallow and did not allow for any social or psychoanalytic context, which in my opinion is important in understanding the initiation of the trend and what direction it will take.
Long live PSFK!!
September 27th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I agree 100%.
WGSN is overrated. I did a fashion and textiles trends forecasting course at St. Martins and was encouranged to use the manual as a bible. As far as I could tell, it was just a catwalk directory which was printed from Vogue.com. The trends highlighted were shallow and did not allow for any social or psychoanalytic context, which in my opinion is important in understanding the initiation of the trend and what direction it will take.
Long live PSFK!!
September 27th, 2007 at 11:22 am
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September 27th, 2007 at 11:38 am
I think you are a completely idiot writting this kind of thing about WGSN. Try to get an access and study the service to write a better and real analise about. Its clear to me that you dont know the service very well.
WGSN works for all kind of designers the ones who prefer to copy because are insecure and wants to make a quick money and the ones who wants to create. If you knew the website you certainly would be aware of that. The directory Think Tank and Trends are there for the creators. There are lots of visual references beyond the products, there are expositions, consumer behaviour, music festivals, new bands and songs…How do you explain the subscriptions of non fashion companies and ad agencies ? Do you think those professionals are looking for some ad to copy ? Do you really think they can do that ?
September 27th, 2007 at 11:39 am
I have worked for a large spanish fashion retailer and even though we had WGSN installed, designers never really used it a lot.
The main sources of inspiration and copying come from the catwalks directly (style.com) and city shopping trips.
September 27th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Ha ha- Camila (WGSN)
AKA Camila (WGSN) spelled “analyze” wrong. It is no wonder that subscribers are subsribers are running to http://www.stylesight.com. WGSN is not only benign in its fashion trends reporting….they do not know how to spell.
“Try to get an access and study the service to write a better and real “analise” about.”
September 27th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
if you really want a creative site that blows wgsn away and is far cheaper (and nicer people too) you should look at http://www.stylesight.com
This site has true creative people working with trends that are researched very thoroughly. They know the business.
September 27th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Interesting view. First of all, full disclosure: I first came across WGSN when I was researching a book about the fashion industry and since that time I’ve freelanced for them regularly (I’m one of the “real journalists” you mentioned). But despite the fact that I am biased (as are you, Piers considering you obviously work for a rival trends operation) I’d like to say that your article rather misses the point. If WGSN didn’t exist, somebody else would have invented it. And indeed they have, time and time again, copying the same format. The demand, therefore, comes from the designers. So perhaps we should infer that the fashion industry lacks real talent, original vision and courage. WGSN just caters to a demand.
September 27th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
PS: Actually, while I’m rambling on I should point out that “style books” have been around since the 1950s (when Nelly Rodi in Paris began) so the fashion industry has always analyzed trends info. Really clever design will always rise to the top, even if those behind it take a look at what everyone else is doing to from time to time.
September 27th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Hmmm doesn’t PSFK do the same kind of thing as WGSN?
September 27th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
who needed wgsn in the first place? creative people only need look, not be inspired. those who can’t think will undoubtedly copy and for the graduates my heart bleeds. just trying to get publicity without having your ideas broadcast to one and all in the industry is the knock out punch that would send any heavy weight sailing to the canvas!
I think despite the bickering the slightly worrying fact is that it could potentially open and close avenues within the fashion industry and market. They say change is good, but will it be?
September 27th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Piers- I think it’s very interesting that once again you choose to pick on WGSN. (Seems to happen quite often, don’t you think?) Why don’t the topics of Stylesight, fashionsnoops, or any other trend forecasters ever come up? I would LOVE to know exactly where you got all of your percentages and “Critic” reviews since you don’t quote anything, and WGSN rarely gives out interviews. From what I understand the majority of the content team at WGSN comes from prestigious backgrounds, having worked in the industry themselves. So your quote about them using students to provide the content is baseless and irresponsible. On another note (and again, unsure where your quotes have come from) I’ve actually visited the WGSN office in New York, and they have at least 20-25 full time employees there, plus another office in LA. I think you should check your facts again, seems like you haven’t gotten them straight.
Style4Trends- You should try spell check, especially when making fun of someone else who has made a mistake. Your entry wasn’t grammatically correct either. Genius.
Robert Davis- (Or I’m assuming that this is your alias). I think it’s HYSTERICAL that you happen to bring up the people that work for Stylesight. No comment needed there. As for the price tag – Yes it’s cheaper. It’s also JUST a search engine, despite desperate attempts to follow in WGSN’s shadow. And if you want to download hand drawn images and read information that is provided by kids that are still in school (That’s right – check out their myspace pages) then this is the tool for you.
Cheers!
September 27th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
From chi-wai.com
…
The author might be right (or not) to claim that WGSN is not truly global, then again I am not sure if this is relevant with the widespread use of the Internet and air travel. I once interned at a well-known French trend company with offices in several key cities around the world. Both the New York as well as the Tokyo office only had 3 to 4 full-time staff members.
Moreover, several of my peers, fresh out of college 9 years ago, wrote articles for WGSN. However, Piers already mentions that recruiters value fresh graduates’ fresh perspectives so I’m not sure if this is necessarily a bad thing. It’s not as if these junior members of the writing gild are writing a background article for the New York Times!
Going to the key question of whether WGSN is killing creativity, I believe that WGSN is not killing fashion creativity, because it (among other sites like Style.com or other trend services) is only the messenger of information defining the key fashion trends of a season: Fashion runways. These fashion runways act as global consumer insights for brands and factories all over the world as consumers want to wear these same styles and looks at affordable prices. Besides runway show coverage, all the other information on WGSN are micro interpretations of key global and regional trends and can offer inspiration for designers to incorporate in their own styles for their own brand concept.
While a lot can be said for the argument that a flat and globalized world (united in WGSN or any other trend service) kills creativity, we should not forget that it acts as a key source of inspiration for opinion leaders, influential artists and designers defining trends at the same time. If there is really a lack of creativity on the high street, then fast fashion is the key driver behind it.
Even if WGSN offers patterns and its site translated in Mandarin, then this does not mean the end of the world. It will only help those companies knowing how to creatively translate key trends to their own fast fashion concept in bringing styles to the stores faster. Also, everyone in the industry knows that agents, Asian buying offices or factory corporations do not need off-the-shelf WGSN patterns simply because they have their own unique pattern blocks from which they are deriving new styles based on Milan’s latest shows as I write this article.
Companies like Zara, H&M or Topshop have perfected the art of fast fashion. While logging into WGSN 2 hours daily might seem overdone, it is a fact that these companies copy the key looks (and sometimes the styles) from the runways based on information widely available on the web as well as shopping samples and taking photos from luxury brands. Their pattern makers than adjust existing styles with style and design elements from the latest styles shown on the runways.
Are these successful fast fashion brands to be blamed then for the generic offering on the high street and lack of creativity? Even though these companies get sued on a regular basis by luxury companies or high-end brands, it is important to realize that these brands have in fact a very strong creative and conceptual direction of their own. It is their creativity and break-through thinking that has created unique business models to offer high fashion, in sometimes boutique style environments at very affordable prices. As fashion becomes less and less age-relevant and consumers mix and match expensive with affordable items, today’s Zara’s and H&M’s have managed to bring the feeling of luxury to the masses.
If there is anyone to blame for killing creativity then it must be the management and head designers at the majority of companies desperately trying to copy the best copies without their own identity. How come no other company seized the opportunity H&M saw by launching COS, a boutique style concept with a great focus on quality and timeless design? Ultimately, creativity comes from within organizations and the minds of designers and buyers alike. It is their willingness to take risks and their dedication to creating their own conceptual identity within the framework of global trends that will ultimately contribute to more creative offerings on the high street.
September 28th, 2007 at 2:58 am
I am Jenvey CEO of a competing online fashion trend service http://www.mpdclick.com
although wgsn is a competitor of ours I feel they have done a great job of bringing continuously updated information to peoples desk tops. wgsn are the pioneers of this type of service. If anything I feel the market is now working against wgsn, our service is orientated towards the youth market. This has been the secret of our success. Concentrating on a smaller market segment makes the information more relevant to the subscriber and more managable for the busy fashion profesional. Our other competitors stylesight for example do a similar service to wgsn which specialises in womenswear. If they continue to keep this focus then this could also be the secret to their success.
It is easy to be critical of a service that people have got a bit ‘bored’ of. As a publisher of youth and kids trend information I think the more players in the market place the better. As CEO this makes my job more interesting, more importantly for the subscriber a choice of services ensure that publishers have to continuously improve the quality of the information on offer to the user.
September 28th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Interesting.. I agree wholeheartedly! I think that some of the comments above really misunderstood the general tone of the article; people above took it as “picking on WGSN” whereas the article is stating the dangers of all creatives in the fashion industry getting their trend info form the same source. Essentially it will homogenize into one blob of non-creative trend work and has the ability to leave everything level. This “Top-Down” trend fascism is great for large brands, but interestingly enough, due to the high cost of the “ticket to entry” on the subscription, the only ones who will use it will be large brands.. It reminds me of an interview I read with Dries van Noten recently, whereas he had the exact same sentiments about the larger fashion houses in Paris, LVMH/Prada Group especially- He stated that the same Top-Down approach form the larger houses on style, trends, colors etc. were very damaging to the entire industry, as they tend to dictate the fashion and have the strength and marketing dollars to do so, to inundate the public with images which play into their trends, their styles. The effect is ultimately homogenizing of the entire industry.
September 28th, 2007 at 10:50 am
It is so clear that Piers does not know or use WGSN. It is also clear that P does not even begin to understand the manufacturing side of the business or businesses that use WGSN. I have seen Piers “trends”, and they aren’t even current, let alone forward. What a laugh.
September 28th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Hm, “Style4trends” Misspelling is not because people are stupid, not everyone has english as a mother toungue. You are the idiot.
October 1st, 2007 at 5:27 am
I always think an article or post is hitting fairly close to home when people get really riled up about it.
Things are rarely as they first appear, they are rarely as simple as they seem and crowds …or maybe, democratised beuraucracies… seldom produce anything innovative, timely or cutting edge. WGSN and services like it allow for groups to look at other groups and well vetted/funded individuals to see what “everyone” is doing. As long as the industry is looking inward for inspiration it will be a bit inbred and stagnate. It will also suffer from interlocking feedback loops of inter-industry validation.
If the best argument you can make is dismissing something out of hand and proclaiming that someone doesn’t know what they are talking about or that someone has a valid opinion because they are well known… well, you either already get the point or you’re not going to.
If we agree, as many would, that haute couture is the pinnacle of fashion then we must recognize one of it’s binding principles that it and therefore the top of the fashion food chain, is not for the masses, but individuals who have the means and the desire to appear singular and like no one else. Everything else is imitation.
On the other hand, there are many individuals taking inspiration from who knows what and appearing singular. It’s that whole middle of the bell curve thing that WGSN and other services like it serve. You know, comfortable, safe; maybe even out of the box… but not tooo far.
This alludes to the value we find in Piers, his opinion as an individual. Is it because he has degrees and notable distinctions or some other appeal to higher authority that makes him right and you wrong? Doubtful but one really never knows.
October 1st, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I always think an article or post is hitting fairly close to home when people get really riled up about it.
Things are rarely as they first appear, they are rarely as simple as they seem and crowds …or maybe, democratised beuraucracies… seldom produce anything innovative, timely or cutting edge. WGSN and services like it allow for groups to look at other groups and well vetted/funded individuals to see what “everyone” is doing. As long as the industry is looking inward for inspiration it will be a bit inbred and stagnate. It will also suffer from interlocking feedback loops of inter-industry validation.
If the best argument you can make is dismissing something out of hand and proclaiming that someone doesn’t know what they are talking about or that someone has a valid opinion because they are well known… well, you either already get the point or you’re not going to.
If we agree, as many would, that haute couture is the pinnacle of fashion then we must recognize one of it’s binding principles that it and therefore the top of the fashion food chain, is not for the masses, but individuals who have the means and the desire to appear singular and like no one else. Everything else is imitation.
On the other hand, there are many individuals taking inspiration from who knows what and appearing singular. It’s that whole middle of the bell curve thing that WGSN and other services like it serve. You know, comfortable, safe; maybe even out of the box… but not tooo far.
This alludes to the value we find in Piers, his opinion as an individual. Is it because he has degrees and notable distinctions or some other appeal to higher authority that makes him right and you wrong? Doubtful but one really never knows.
Points to Fiona for saying something sensible.
October 1st, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I am the MD of a Childrenswear brand called Kite Kids (www.kite-kids.co.uk) and as someone who needs to pull in lots of ideas I can see nothing wrong with using websites like WGSN and Mudpie for inspiration. If you are good at your job you don’t copy an idea literally, you take the seed and develop it in to your own. That’s where the creativity comes in.
I have found Mudpie a really useful website. There is a very broad base of materials with which to work with and to have a starting point for key trends, colour palettes and artwork inspiration is invaluable. It doesn’t make me uncreative! I have to say that Mudpie are also very responsive to requests – where I have asked for more information they have given it to me.
we are in the 21st century and I believe we should run with the advantages it is providing us with. If it gives someone the excuse to be a lazy Designer then sack them!
October 2nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I am the MD of a Childrenswear brand called Kite Kids (www.kite-kids.co.uk) and as someone who needs to pull in lots of ideas I can see nothing wrong with using websites like WGSN and Mudpie for inspiration. If you are good at your job you don’t copy an idea literally, you take the seed of an idea and develop it in to your own. That’s where the creativity comes in.
I have found Mudpie a really useful website. There is a very broad base of materials with which to work with and to have a starting point for key trends, colour palettes and artwork inspiration is invaluable. It doesn’t make me uncreative! I have to say that Mudpie are also very responsive to requests – where I have asked for more information they have given it to me.
We should accept that we are living in the 21st century and run with the advantages it is providing us with. If it gives someone the excuse to be a lazy Designer then sack them!
October 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 pm
i think the best site to date right now is http://www.stylelens.com (a new player as far as sites go but the directors have been in the biz for a long time) it is the easiest to navigate, direct and usable covering retail, streets and runway in the most organized fashion. it is also the least expensive.
October 3rd, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I love a good debate! As artists/designers there will always be subjectivity. How many times have you revised your vision to please the boss? I once designed in a small company where I used promostyle and WGSN, Promostyle was a bit cheesy and WGSN was a bit sterile. But my boss, not trusting my opinion, wouldn’t believe in my ideas until he saw them somewhere else first so I would research in reverse.
Then I designed for a big company, and was given a color palette of that season was taped to my moniter in case I ever forgot the CMYK ratio. Which, was eventually imprinted in my brain because I was forbidden to stray from those damn 7 colors. As for fit and silhoutte, it was determined by what sold a year ago. safe safe safe.
Finally, I started my own eclectic/new rave/urban/street level clothing line. Though I’m not looking for the homogenized pasteurized gender appropriate FDA approved trend supplement of the minute, I still love information from around the world. I want to know whats on the Sao Paulo runway, Tokyo streets, what graffiti is in Sydney? whats selling in Berlin? Why is Rotterdam so friggin smart? and I don’t have the kinda budget to see it in person, so I pay fashionsnoops to tell me whats up. As I said, art is subjective but it would be nothing without options and information.
October 5th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
As a former employee of WGSN, I can tell you that the service is made up of experts in every category and the Editorial teams have years of experience. There are also offices around the globe including 25+ people in NY and 10 in LA. The service is incredible but is subject to criticism as smaller and less expensive options inch into their space. Unfortunately, the company is run by people that are incompetent and so ridiculously arrogant, they don’t even consider Stylesight or npdclick to be a threat and continue to price gauge every subscriber. Those that have found the staff at Stylesight much nicer and easier to work with are dealing with most of the original WGSN team who have decided to escape the sinking ship and move over to a better run business. Stylesight is great if you know what you’re looking for but WGSN does provide endless inspiration…so you choose, what do you want? One isn’t necessarily better so it really comes down to what each person prefers. But, no matter how great WGSN is and if they don’t start making better decisions you will see both npdclick and Stylesight surpass them within a few years. It’s about doing good business and I think you’ll find the smaller companies bending over backward for their subscribers while WGSN makes empty promises.
October 9th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Fantastic response from everyone, im a mature student at uni and one of our first projects is to act like a Trend Prediction company so i was horrified when we were advised to look at WGSN, no offense but isnt it better to go to the streets, my space, face book and see what is really happening in the world of fashion today…
From where i sit its all about individuality and unless a company comes accross as an independent designing clothes for you the consumer they will fall and become desolute.
Not everyone wants to have the same clothes “lest we forget we are ALL individuals after all”.
October 10th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Regardless of any opinions, I think this is a timely topic. This should be debated. We need to talk about the underlying issue of using/not using trend info. I like hearing what other creative people are thinking. I am an illustrator, so in a sense I’m an artist but my work is commercial, so it needs to sell. I stress out over being on trend and relevant and then I stress out over being to much like everything else. I thought I hit the jackpot when I came across some trend colorways and some hints about fashion trends for future seasons. I began to search for it obsessively because I can’t afford to pay for the actual trend books (the info can be found online if you’re super diligent). I used the info, and I did some amazing work. Then the season I’d designed for came around and everything on the shelves looked just like mine. I felt ripped off. Sounds silly, I know. But, the thing is, I remember this same feeling from when I didn’t use ‘trend’ info. When I actually thought my ideas were my own, it really stung, that feeling of seeing someone else doing the same work. The fact is, I can pretend I live in a bubble and that my original ideas are my own brilliance. But, I’m exposed to everything you’re exposed to. I read the same magazines, I see the same movies and tv shows, I see the same museum exhibits and hear the same music. I read the same blogs and hear the same news. Whether I use trend info or not, my stuff is bound to have aspects of what’s in the trends (remember Nanook of the North from Unzipped?). Art, design and fashion are an expression of where we (humans) are at. They are a commentary on life as much as a blog is, whether they are put out by a corporation or an individual. Trying to out think and out create has become tiresome and I guarantee everyone feels the same, even the consumer. So for now, I’m going to look at backing off from trend info for a bit.
I agree with an earlier post, I do like a starting off point. I’m never at a loss for ideas, I usually have to many and the trend info helps me focus, to narrow down the idea somewhat before getting started. I pick something that resonates with me and then I start looking around. If anything, it definately helps me edit. There might be a balance to be found somewhere in between and each of us will have to find where that is. Keep this in mind as you do, that pendulum will continue to swing and every thing we love will become everything we hate, etc. The more companies that use the same trend info will put out the same ideas and begin to look the same and suddenly, someone else will stand out. Fashion magazine editors have been telling women what the trends are for decades and they’re very good at it. This year, we love one runway collection and next year we’ll love a different one and it won’t be based on who used what trend information. It will be what they do with it that makes you or me take notice. Thanks for letting me stand on the soap box for a minute.
October 14th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
I can see all sides of the argument but feel the time for WGSN has passed and the new kids on the block are offering a fresh approach. I have trialed most of the new web based services including trendstop, MPD Click and stylesite as well as having previously subscribed to WGSN. Personally I and my team have now opted to use MPD Click as it is so informed and focused.
October 16th, 2007 at 9:20 am
When you’re at the top, there will always be those who will want to bring you down. Which is the case with WGSN. Jealousy, insecurity, inadequacy—those are some reasons why a competitor would feel so impassioned to criticize a product that paved the way for their very own existence. I’m also a former WGSN employee, and I agree with the other former WGSN employee in that the talent at WGSN is incredible. The think tank and experience behind the product would put most “similar” services to shame.
Yes, perhaps WGSN is expensive, and yes, perhaps WGSN is due for a major update to maintain it’s stronghold in the market of trend research. But what you cannot deny is the fact that WGSN is incredibly inspirational and brilliantly intelligent. WGSN has always been very smart to understand that its clients are want to be able to make their own decisions about trends that suit the company that they work for, and therefore, WGSN has always been mindful to stay away from spoon-feeding every bit of information to their clients. Interpretation is one of the best tools of creativity, and WGSN respects and recognizes that.
If you want everything regurgitated to you in the most granular form, carefully spelled out, without an ounce of creative leeway for you to produce something fantastic and original, then maybe it would be good for you and your company to downgrade to a service that is less sophisticated than WGSN. But you will just have to understand that in the end, your budget is not the only thing you’ll cutting back on….
And to the WGSN employee who somehow knows (too) intimately how StyleSight runs should also point out that it is known (and mostly by clients of WGSN who have been chased endlessly, relentlessly and obnoxiously by StyleSight’s persistent staff) that their sales strategy has been plagued by immoral business standards and practices. I’m sure not mentioning it was just an oversight by the commenter.
(And for those who will inevitably ask me, “Well if WGSN was so great, then why’d you leave?” … And although it is no one’s business but my own to know, I left to pursue a completely different career path.)
But again…this is just all my opinion… Take it with a grain of salt, and just make the best decision for your business.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
[SORRY if this is posted a few times; I'm having trouble submitting my comment]
When you’re at the top, there will always be those who will want to bring you down. Which is the case with WGSN. Jealousy, insecurity, inadequacy—those are some reasons why a competitor would feel so impassioned to criticize a product that paved the way for their very own existence. I’m also a former WGSN employee, and I agree with the other former WGSN employee in that the talent at WGSN is incredible. The think tank and experience behind the product would put most “similar” services to shame.
Yes, perhaps WGSN is expensive, and yes, perhaps WGSN is due for a major update to maintain it’s stronghold in the market of trend research. But what you cannot deny is the fact that WGSN is incredibly inspirational and brilliantly intelligent. WGSN has always been very smart to understand that its clients are want to be able to make their own decisions about trends that suit the company that they work for, and therefore, WGSN has always been mindful to stay away from spoon-feeding every bit of information to their clients. Interpretation is one of the best tools of creativity, and WGSN respects and recognizes that.
If you want everything regurgitated to you in the most granular form, carefully spelled out, without an ounce of creative leeway for you to produce something fantastic and original, then maybe it would be good for you and your company to downgrade to a service that is less sophisticated than WGSN. But you will just have to understand that in the end, your budget is not the only thing you’ll cutting back on….
And to the WGSN employee who somehow knows (too) intimately how StyleSight runs should also point out that it is known (and mostly by clients of WGSN who have been chased endlessly, relentlessly and obnoxiously by StyleSight’s persistent staff) that their sales strategy has been plagued by immoral business standards and practices. I’m sure not mentioning it was just an oversight by the commenter.
(And for those who will inevitably ask me, “Well if WGSN was so great, then why’d you leave?” … And although it is no one’s business but my own to know, I left to pursue a completely different career path.)
But again…this is just all my opinion… Take it with a grain of salt, and just make the best decision for your business.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
[Sorry if this comment posts more than once; I'm having a bit of trouble submitting the comment]
When you’re at the top, there will always be those who will want to bring you down. Which is the case with WGSN. Jealousy, insecurity, inadequacy—those are some reasons why a competitor would feel so impassioned to criticize a product that paved the way for their very own existence. I’m also a former WGSN employee, and I agree with the other former WGSN employee in that the talent at WGSN is incredible. The think tank and experience behind the product would put most “similar” services to shame.
Yes, perhaps WGSN is expensive, and yes, perhaps WGSN is due for a major update to maintain it’s stronghold in the market of trend research. But what you cannot deny is the fact that WGSN is incredibly inspirational and brilliantly intelligent. WGSN has always been very smart to understand that its clients are want to be able to make their own decisions about trends that suit the company that they work for, and therefore, WGSN has always been mindful to stay away from spoon-feeding every bit of information to their clients. Interpretation is one of the best tools of creativity, and WGSN respects and recognizes that.
If you want everything regurgitated to you in the most granular form, carefully spelled out, without an ounce of creative leeway for you to produce something fantastic and original, then maybe it would be good for you and your company to downgrade to a service that is less sophisticated than WGSN. But you will just have to understand that in the end, your budget is not the only thing you’ll cutting back on….
And to the WGSN employee who somehow knows (too) intimately how StyleSight runs should also point out that it is known (and mostly by clients of WGSN who have been chased endlessly, relentlessly and obnoxiously by StyleSight’s persistent staff) that their sales strategy has been plagued by immoral business standards and practices. I’m sure not mentioning it was just an oversight by the commenter.
(And for those who will inevitably ask me, “Well if WGSN was so great, then why’d you leave?” … And although it is no one’s business but my own to know, I left to pursue a completely different career path.)
But again…this is just all my opinion… Take it with a grain of salt, and just make the best decision for your business.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Is WGSN Destroying Creativity?
No.
Buyers, Merchants, DMM’s, GMM’s and any other retail executive whose salary, bonus and other financial incentives rely upon a strong and predictable selling season are responsible for killing the creativity of most every designer employed in America today. The reality is that designers have little say in what makes actually makes it to the showroom or store.
Anyone who has had any real exposure in the industry in present day America knows that.
But I am preaching to the choir here, right?
Putting aside that the main culprit was completely overlooked, it makes no sense whatsoever to blame the tools that designers use to create their lines or assortments.
Just as a dictionary doesn’t guarantee the user to turn out elegant prose or a palette of oil paints a masterpiece, WGSN is only as brilliant as the user is talented.
October 19th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
How can I find out who/which companies all have access/membership to WGSN?
I’m guessing all the high street stores do, but georgio armani?
is there any way of finding out?
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:39 am
All I have to say is who cares? WGSN paved the way, that is correct, but who cares? I can’t waste another minute thinking about this debate.
November 8th, 2007 at 2:15 am
Great point… not to mention that WGSN gets its information by freeloading on press trips and blackmailing events to bring more than 1 journalist to these events, using the time to give talks and lectures, where they sell their product at the expense of other countries tax payer´s money… After the recent buy-out (140 million GBP) one would think that their new owners EMAP could afford their own tickets… but then again, that´s what happens when you have a monopoly, right?
November 13th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Another thing occurs to me . . . trend agencies (in general) in fact fosters creativity and can democratize access to inspiration in much the same way as affordable camcorders and digital cameras have put creativity in the hands of YouTubers.
In the past only the most resourceful and well-funded designers had the budget to access visual inspiration from as broad a spectrum as Japanese rock festivals, Brazilian street art, Miami Art Basel,etc.
Most retailers subscription to a trend service will include all levels of a buying team. As a result, often you’ll find junior buyers with their own clothing lines or empowered to pitch ideas within the businesses in which they work. This is not necessarily because they are piggy-backing on catwalk ideas but because they’ve been exposed virutally to inspiration they may not have otherwise had access to.
Thanks for posing this question! I’ve enjoyed the debate.
February 11th, 2008 at 5:11 am
To Evelyn….yes i have friends that use WGSN in Europe (Giorgio Armani) and they use WGSN….
DOES WGSN DESTROY CREATIVITY? NOOOOOOOO
Is a way to get inspired and not be wrong……
FIRST OF ALL…..Lets take an example of John Galliano, Hussein Chalayan…all the designers that sell creativity…..at the end of the day they DONT SELL….That is why they have to run to Dior and get paid…to maintain their line that is based upon ego and CREATIVITY….if you ask most BIG designers what pays their bills is not their collections….unless they become a bit more commercial….
WGSN GIVES YOU BOTH….You can be as creative as you can by using all the images of inspiration and all the information in Think Tank (whoever is not a user of WGSN can’t give an opinion) and however wants to be more commercial you have your TRENDS AND WHAT IS IN STORE……
to the comment of WGSN doesnt know how to spell…THIS HAPPENS IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL OR VOGUE! WGSN that is updated daily and gets information from more than 30 countries worldwide….and in this fast pace enviroment i think it would be almost imposible not to make mistakes……unless we are robbots…..
I LOVE WGSN AND THINK IT HAS CREATE A REVOLUTION IN HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS…AND YES THERE IS MANY COMPANIES THAT TRY TO COVER THEIR SITE WITH SUGAR AND TRICK YOU IN THINKING THEY HAVE SUBSTANCE…..THEY MOST FAIL…..AND YES THEY ARE CHEAPER….WGSN IS “EXPENSIVE”….BUT IS THE SAME THING…DRIVE A HYUNDAI AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT YOU GET OR DRIVE A MERCEDEZ AND SEE THE DIFERENCE….HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR YEARS……HAVE RESEARCHED OTHER PROBABILITES AND THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Thank you very much for providing an alternate view on trend forecasting and in particular to WGSN.
It was very informative and thought provoking, I agree with the general premise that the widespread use of WGSN may stunt new and original ideas.
Whilst I was working in manufacturing we were encouraged to use ideas from other companies, whether they were high end designers, high street brands or innovative market designer-makers.
However the general rule of thumb would be that whatever garment we “took inspiration from” would need to be six steps removed from the final sales sample.
In a way this recycling of ideas leads to a slow and easy-to-consume evolution of style.
This mass use of trends in the industry creates a combined consciousness of style which different brands tailor to their individual customers.
The very definition of Mode is “the value which appears most frequently in a particular set” and Fashion “style that is popular at a particular time”, without the trends, the meaning of the word fashion would be lost.
And as harsh as it may sound, trends create shorter product lifespan and increase the demand. Let’s not be naive in thinking fashion is all about aesthetics and design, one look around a busy high street and you’ll see that it’s clearly not the case.
Also it would be wrong to assume that consumers want to be individuals. Take for example the “emo” subculture; or any other subculture; they claim to want to be different and unique and to represent that in looks, but that look is very clearly representative of the subculture they belong to. Consumers want strong, clear cut trends.
On the subject of creativity, there are a finite number of ways to cut a garment, no matter how numerous they are or how inventive. And there’s no such thing as an original thought, everything we think has been influenced by our experiences either consciously or subconsciously.
NB: “analise” very funny, glad to see some people have retained a sense of humour despite working in this industry.
March 4th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Haha, what a debate!- where trend prediction has become a parody of itself: ‘a self forfilling phophecy’
Its just like asking the designers at Ford Motors to step aside and ask fo a focus group of 12 grey 50 somethings to innovate something fresh and radical!all you get is the Mondeo!
looking at current trends is useful, but slavishly following them can be counter productive to the act of creativity itself.
I feel Designers have the responsiblity to innovate and push things forward visually, to convey, exanimate, or transmute culture or observations into an expressionate form…
Without a true what I call ‘innovation stratergy’ Design is simply rendered down to a ‘re-hash’ mechanism!
I’d argue that ‘design process’ is simply a guide for un-creative brains to operate within! to allow the self effected to ‘play’ design- to the tune of their own ego’s.
Design is about meting the needs of other humans, not just helping yourself.
Design across the board can divided into to seperate camps: the ‘innovators’ and the ‘copyist’
…fashion is ultimatley going to be a re-hash or pastitche of other designs and styles, its based apon what is going on in the world around it. Fashion retail is becoming a ‘globalising monoculture’
Emergent trends either ‘bubble up’,(from sub culture) ‘or trickle down’ from something aspirational? But I’d say that sprks of creative genius can fly when you stop to be quiet, or engage in creative diaglog with others, like y’know-brainstorm
When the business side of things (i.e the need to make big profit margins) takes over the innovative focus within a creative company this kills off the industry.
Perhaps design and business parts are two very differant animals?
“sure- let them sniff eachother for a bit, even let them share a cage, but try not to let them mate too much- as the fur will start flying!”
To me, its interesting & amusing to watch the trendsetters fight it out over who saw the ‘Emporers new clothes’ first!
Accept the fact that when everyone see’s the world in the same generic way the realms of fashion and design become a stagnent boring reflection.
True creatives choose to see things differently, to find another way, and even in some ways try to buck the trends.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:55 am
As a business development specialist working with media agencies and who has a real passion for individual style (instead of copying others), this debate has been a real eye opener and to respond to the opening question…no, I don’t think WGSN (or any style/trends predictor) is killing (or can kill) creativity.
I’m in favour of the argument that design should inspire rather than create the ‘me-too’ effect that we all too often see around us. Furthermore, I consider WGSN (and its competitors) as providers of guides to trends, taken from all aspects of daily life, which allow its subscribers to interpret its content in a way that suits their own brand offerings and ultimately their business. It takes a bold brand (and I agree with one of the commentators above), like H&M’s COS to innovate and stand out from the homogenisation of women’s fashions, for one. Reiss is another, although it takes some of its cues from the catwalks…it does so subtly.
In my conclusion, I’d say that these style ‘guides’ if anything steer creativity rather than kill them and I for one would love to work with the likes of WGSN to help drive their ‘new business’ in both fashion and non-fashion categories.
April 27th, 2008 at 6:18 am
Interesting debate.Does wgsn destroy creativity? Probably, but in business quality and creativity is sadly,generally bi-passed in the pursuit of a fast buck.So maybe its businesses and colleges who religiously follow wgsn catwalks that only have themselves to blame? My company used WGSN but it has really gone down hill from the early days when the info. was professional and informative. what ever happened to trends-think-tank…the only useful bit?? Having access to the same info is not the problem [nature of the internet] the question is how accurate, inspiring and informative is this information? Competition to wgsn can only be a good thing. Ultimately the real winners will be those companies that employ the best creative thinkers and really value, trust and listen to their own talented teams!?
May 13th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
piers, probably if 2500 industry/brands use wgsn around the world, there is a reason… don’t you think so? think and than write, not write and than think!
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:46 am
Hi
I agree with the article above, but one more things WGSN has their own clients who need to copy to surf their market, the world is change. We should accept that most of the suppliers even in East or West they coppied, but to stop and againts the coppier, the fashion information provider pls do not provide this kind of information. Coppier population are growing, because of ….. how to stop them. WGSN is clever thay they found this channel to supply the demand of coppied favor but during they gain profit, they are killing the fashion process. Let’s protest…., but how much?
June 13th, 2008 at 4:58 am
Copying didn’t start with wgsn; it started since human began putting clothes on themselves. China don’t need wgsn to copy, they can start copying as soon as they are doing samples for the western brands, they don’t even need to wait til the shows are out. And come on, copying? This is what 80% of the industry do. Nobody needs wgsn to copy, people have been copying before wgsn’s existence. I don’t think wgsn is even really meant to be like the “creative” website anyway, but more like providing You more creative ways to copy. You made the “apparel” (not fashion) seem way too glamorous.
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September 1st, 2008 at 11:42 am
Gotta say, I work for the company that owns WGSN. I don’t know about the content, but the lasses working in that department are goregous! :)
December 11th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I am a former user of WGSN. The company I work for has switched to the supposedly less expensive Stylesight several months ago.
I think WGSN does a much better job with trends for graphic designers than Stylesight does.
While Stylesight has a ton of info which may be well suited for fashion designers, I think WGSN had more eye-candy and trend information for artists like me who are not looking at particular high profile fashion designers and couture.
Also, WGSN’s internal site search would find whatever I was looking for – it’s relevant and well labeled, and would specify what season the images and graphics belong to. Stylesight does not do this with their graphics.
Stylesight only has a tiny fraction of the trimming and packaging trends that WGSN focuses on.
I’m grateful I still have some source of trend info with Stylesight, but…
I miss WGSN!!!
January 31st, 2009 at 2:25 pm
my company has also stopped wgsn – when the decision is between peering into the screen looking at the same images every other fashion designer in the world is looking at, or having the budget to do trips and research for ourselves the latter wins. I feel sorry for the designers that are denied doing their own original research because the company spends so much on subscribing to wgsn – promoting copycat mentality even further.
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
WGSN Sucks. Its just reporting what designers are doing. Always looking atthe designers and copyingthem! We have it in the company and pay very much money for it.Get inspired, be creative and be profesional in your creative job. kick out WGSN of your working live. It was only started by some guys to make a lot of money. They started this with a Japanese bank and made it. They have sold for a lot of money to EMAP. They have paid far to much for it( with money from other people). The world is paying for it today with the financial crises. The japanese bank is trying now todo the same with Stylesight. They suck as well.
February 6th, 2009 at 3:08 am
trends are bullshit anyway. from a business standpoint i can understand how it helps bring in the money, but from a creative standpoint, it’s a load of shit. great designers and artists aren’t concerned with what others are doing and do their own thing
February 19th, 2009 at 8:51 am
WGSN was the best service at one time. It is now an overpriced, underused, over rated website with tons of information that people do not need. for those of you that will respond and are real users, ask yourself if you are getting what you are paying for or better yet, why are you paying for things you just don’t need. not smart in this economy. there are better alternatives.
March 11th, 2009 at 7:50 pm