Trend Schools (Seriously)

[doris day! source: dorisday.net]

How do trendsters stay so cutting-edge? Maybe they take classes! "Trend classes," you say, "Oh Rachel, come on now." But seriously, it turns out that pop culture trends are the subjects of some very serious (and expensive) study (though, to be fair, the students are usually not those who buy, but those who sell). I was just thinking about it because I got my hair cut last night, and the stylist was saying she was the salon's "education specialist," who got to travel all over the place and learn what was going on in the hairstyling industry. Really, I said, are you just going and looking at people's haircuts on the street? Well, yeah, but she also takes classes - not just on new tricks and techniques, but also on trends. Yep, hair trend lessons. Crazy...but maybe not so crazy, when I thought about the other trend lessons I've encountered:

[wgsn can see the future]

Before going to design school, it never occurred to me that trends, fashion or otherwise, were anything other than just kinda organic, waves of fads that randomly swept the nation. But I learned that "trend forecaster" is a very important and respected position in the fashion world, and that trend forecasting agencies like WGSN make millions telling designers and retailers what people are going to want two years in the future. It's completely fascinating; they look at political and cultural movements, music, art, international events, new crazes in other industries, like architecture...and come out with these huge, gorgeous books filled with sketches, photos and material samples that represent what they predict might be hitting the Style section eight seasons after. I went to an amazing seminar they did last winter at Bread and Butter with video montages of the three moods they predicted would be sweeping the fashion world (and world in general) in a year, and it was staggeringly interesting (and cool-looking). Subscriptions to trend forecasts costs thousands of dollars, and if you've ever wondered why designers sometimes seem to all have had the same inspiration...it's because they just might have.


I just got an email from Trend Central, a site that tracks social trends in marketing, digital media, beauty, and whatever else catches their eye (dorky as it is, I subscribe to their newsletter and it is AWESOME. OK, except for the recent one that defined new slang words. So dweeby, and totally not accurate at all [who says "povo" for "poor"? Like, no.]). Now they're hosting their first Trend School classes. Here's the description:

With our world newly transformed by huge social and economic changes, young people are being confronted with challenges and decisions far more difficult than those they have faced before. If you're wondering how Gen Xers and Ys are really responding to the Great Recession, what they expect from our new president, and how they envision their future, then join us at February's Trend School where we'll be covering all new information and research, as well as providing insight and inspiration by introducing you to the emerging trends that are defining these generations.

We'll explore a new Current¢y where money isn't exchanged for goods and services; a Cool Americana movement for the nation; a new escapist trend, The Great Escape; and the transformation of Xers and Ys as they rebuild their lives after the Identity Theft they have recently experienced. From Obamarketing and the Freeconomy to Vertical Farming and Moodswings, Trend School will teach you to navigate this new and uncertain future, and will arm you with the tools you need in this altered economy to meet your business and marketing needs.

"Current¢y?" Really? Jeez. And speaking of currency, people are going to fork over $2500 to attend these things. Le sigh.

Anyway, now I'm intrigued. What other industries offer trend classes? Hotel management, I bet. Forestry? What's Next In Smooth Jazz?