If you’re obsessed with fashion, lifestyle and pop culture trends, you’ll love Flux Trends’ Who, What, When, Why and How – an open session where fashion designers and media and marketing retailers discuss trends to look out for in the coming year. GLAMOUR caught up with Nicola Cooper, Senior Trend Analyst and Head of the Fashion, Lifestyle and Pop Culture division, while she was in town for the Cape Town session and asked her about her job and what it takes to make it in the South African fashion industry.
You can still catch the presentation in Joburg, on Wednesday 11 June at the Protea Hotel in Melrose Arch. Click here to register to attend.
GLAMOUR: As a Trend Analyst at Flux Trends, what does your job entail?
Nicola: As a Trend Analyst at Flux, my role entails being aware of changes in lifestyles, politics, technology, etc. as many of these elements affect fashion, cultures and subcultures. Then I select trends that I believe will be relevant in the South African market. Afterwards, I do an in-depth analysis in to who started the trend, where it started, why it started, what the trend actually is and how this trend is going to be relevant in our local fashion industry.
GLAMOUR: What do you love most about South African subcultures and trends?
Nicola: I love people in general – they fascinate me! What fascinates me most about South African trends and subcultures is how fresh we are when we create our own looks, utilising international trends and reinterpreting them for our environment. We’re an incredibly creative country and very expressive with our clothing which makes the unpacking of trends rich and very rewarding.
GLAMOUR: What trends in womenswear and menswear should we look out for in the coming year?
Nicola: The looks vary from “Street Gothic”, “Return of the Rude Boy” and “The Asian Wave” for men and “Ancient Ethereal” to “Ghetto Gothic” for women. Androgynous trends such as “#Normcore” and amazing emerging youth trends such as “Rendering Reality” and “Afrofuturism”.
GLAMOUR: Do you think that street wear is the new haute couture?
Nicola: I’m a great believer in street wear and we’ve often seen the trends trickle up onto the runway from the street. At most fashion shows I attend I don’t only attend for the ramp shows, I also attend to observe what the audience is wearing. As one of the first trend spotters and a major influencer in my career, Bill Cunningham from the New York Times says: “The best fashion show is on the street – always was and always will be.”
GLAMOUR: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to get into trend forecasting and fashion in South Africa?
Nicola: There are so many young people who are trapped by job titles and don’t actually know what the job entails. My advice is to research, know your stuff, then proceed. Also to be humble, learn to listen and work hard. It’s taken many people in the fashion industry many years to develop their knowledge and if they choose to share that with you, you should definitely value it.
