To mark the start of the semester, the Master in fashion, accessory and jewelry design welcomes designer-turned-researcher Victoria Rodriguez Schon for a lecture based on of her PhD research on trend forecasting. The lecture followed by a Q&A session will take place on Thursday 25th September in James Fazy Room R.10 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. It will be delivered in English and is open to all. 

The lecture will explore the concept of trends from a critical and decolonial perspective, tracing their definition, uses in design, and specific implications within the fashion system. It will unpack what a trend is and how it operates as both a creative tool and a socio-cultural construct, before examining the problems embedded in dominant trend practices; particularly their tendency to reproduce cultural hierarchies, homogenize aesthetics, and privilege Global North perspectives. The session will intertwine theory and real-world examples, introducing theoretical concepts that frame the research. Drawing on findings from the PhD research, we will discuss positionality and unlearning as key strategies for decolonising trend research, and outline possibilities to imagine alternative futures for fashion that are plural, situated, and culturally responsive.