WGSN (trend forecasting)
WGSN (formerly Worth Global Style Network)[1][2] is a trend forecasting company of parent organisation Ascential. WGSN was founded in 1998 in West London by brothers Julian and Marc Worth.[3][4] Emap (now Ascential), a business-to-business publisher and exhibitions company, bought the company in October 2005 for £140m.[5]
Recent history
In 2013, WGSN merged with its biggest competitor, Stylesight.[6] Like WGSN, Stylesight had a vast library of fashion forecasting, trend information, archival photos, and even sketches and patterns for designers to use. Keeping the WGSN name, the new product has been designed around the technology developed by Stylesight and launched in 2014.
In February 2016, Ascential plc, an international media company that includes WGSN in its portfolio, was the subject of an £800m initial public offering.[7]
In 2016, WGSN started a global series of summits known as WGSN Futures, with events in New York City, London, São Paulo, Cape Town, Melbourne, Dubai and Hong Kong.
Products
As an online service, the business derives its revenues from six different product subscriptions (WGSN Insight, WGSN Fashion, WGSN Lifestyle & Interiors, WGSN Barometer, WGSN Instock, WGSN Styletrial),[8] a custom advisory business (WGSN Mindset)[9] and a global series of events (WGSN Futures).[10]
Its trend forecasting service includes what's new and next in apparel, beauty, colour, marketing, retail and wearables.[11] The firm has predicted that the smartphone will be obsolete by 2030.[12]
References
- Avery Trufelman, The Trend Forecast 09.20.2016
- Emma Barnett, Trend-spotting is the new £36bn growth business: With fortunes to be made in fickle businesses like fashion, trend forecasting is becoming increasingly important for creative industries. The Telegraph, 1 May 2011
- marcworth.co.uk About Me
- Facebook page
- Jonathan Moules, My liquidity moment: Marc Worth Financial Times, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
- "Best of WGSN and Stylesight to be combined in new WGSN.com service". Drapers. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
- WGSN Appoints Kevin Silk As Managing Director Aug 01, 2016.
- WGSN Insight, WGSN Fashion, WGSN Lifestyle & Interiors, WGSN Instock, WGSN Styletrial
- WGSN Mindset
- WGSN Futures
- Hayley Tsukayama, What's next for wearables? Check out Google and Levi's smart jean jacket, The Washington Post 3/18/2017
- observer.com An Expert Predicts How We Will Live and Shop in 2030, Dena Silver, 11/08/16