MODULE DESCRIPTOR

TITLE Fashion Trend Prediction & Product Development

SI MODULE CODE 55-7911
CREDITS 30
LEVEL 7
JACS CODE W200
SUBJECT GROUP Fashion and Interior
DEPARTMENT Art & Design
MODULE LEADER TBC

MODULE STUDY HOURS (based on 10 hours per credit)*

Scheduled Learning Placement (if Independent Total Number of
and Teaching applicable) Guided Study Study Hours
Activities
72 N/A 228 300

MODULE AIM
The aim of this module is to:

Develop your understanding of trend prediction and forecasting within the context of fashion
and provide you with an insight into how international design & product development
operates in the fashion industry. You will develop your research skills in fashion forecasting,
trend prediction and how innovation operates in fashion management: including the
projection of mood, behaviour and buying habits of the consumer at particular time or
season and evaluate a context for ‘Fashion’.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

By engaging successfully with this module a student will be able to:

 Understand the changes taking place in the international fashion industry and the key
factors that are impacting on commercial and sustainable success of contemporary
fashion organisations.

 To Identify gaps and analyse opportunities for improving the profitability of emerging
international fashion and lifestyle brands

 Plan, research, analyze and apply investigative and evaluative approaches to

development of concepts and evaluate a development process from concept through
to output.

 Plan and carry out postgraduate level research that identifies significant opportunities
for creative fashion management practice.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Through tutorials and work-check presentations, students will receive support from tutors
who will assist them to identify key areas of knowledge for their individual projects.

A programme of and seminars will address subjects such as:

  What people buy, looking into culture, mood, beliefs, occasion & geographic
locations, in addition to the fashion cycle and how it plays a major role in
introductory phase of recurring fashion cycles.

 Fashion trend-forecasting resources that help predict trends in the fashion and
lifestyle industry.

 Fashion and trend forecasting as a prediction of mood, behaviour and buying

habits of the consumer at particular time of season.

 Trend prediction, consumer research, understanding people and how this helps
companies meet both long and short term demands

 Strategies for innovation informed by trend research an analysis, including

prediction and benchmarking innovation

 Communication in a professional fashion photo or image based online or industry

context.

LEARNING, TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT - STRATEGY AND METHODS

Students will be supported in their learning, to achieve the above outcomes, in the following ways

 lectures and seminars,

 structured group activities such as critiques of work in progress,
 studio ‘mindmapping’ events,
 via Blackboard and other web 2.0 platforms.

A series of lectures will provide you with an in-depth knowledge of trend prediction and
international product development across the business of fashion, including the analysis of
relevant case studies.

Seminars will develop key skills covering the following topics: Forecasting for fashion, trend
prediction and analysis, communication and negotiation with clients; researching and ideas
development and testing; organisation, self-reflection and presentation skills.

During seminars, you will be encouraged to interact, to question and challenge accepted
methods and concepts. You will be supported through both group and individual tutorials. 


The work undertaken will provide you with the opportunity to analyse a chosen aspect of the
fashion industry, and to make recommendations for improvement.

You will undertake an industry-based trend and fashion research project in which will
evidence how you have critically examined aspects of the development process of a fashion
or lifestyle product from concept to point of sale; and to propose improvements.

You will be expected to present your work or ‘pitch’ to your peer group and/or the client. to
provide you with a ‘live’ opportunity to demonstrate your creative, presentation, and
communication skills .

Students will have access to a variety of tutors and will be part of a tutorial group led by a
subject specific tutor who oversees their progress through the module. Research and
creative work will be supported through these tutorials groups.
Formal work-check presentations will monitor project plans and progress at strategic points
of the module and review project outcomes, providing students with rich in-depth
opportunities for feedback on their progress whilst at the same time allowing the course
team to ‘build a picture’ of students work in preparation for the module assessment.

Students will be able to use the full range of studio, workshop, ICT and Learning Centre
resources available to them and they will be expected to use digital media for presenting
work.

ASSESSMENT TASK INFORMATION

Task Short Description of SI Code Task Word In-module

No.* Task EX/CW/PR Weighting % Count or retrieval
Exam available
Duration**
1 A trend based CW 100% n/a N
research/ project

FEEDBACK
Students will receive feedback on their performance in the following ways:

Students will be given feedback in several ways: Formative feedback will be given during
and following work-checks, allowing discussion and development of common issues.
Students will have regular tutorials during the project at which they will receive formative
feedback and guidance on their progress and. After summative assessment, each student
will have an individual tutorial at which his or her assessment is discussed and plans for
future work developed.

LEARNING RESOURCES FOR THIS MODULE (INCLUDING READING LISTS)

Other earning resources for this module will be made available on Blackboard and updated as
Required.

Brannon.EL (2010) Fashion Forecasting , Fairchild Books

Cagen, J. Vogel, C 2012 Creating Breakthrough Products: Revealing the Secrets that Drive
Global Innovation, 2nd Edition FT Press.

Kim E. (2011) Fashion Trends: Analysis and Forecasting (Understanding Fashion)

Bloomsbury Academic

Mendelsohn. L (2000) Trend Forecasting with Technical Analysis, Traders Library

Raymond.R (2010)The Trend Forecasters Hand book Laurence King Publishing

REVISIONS

Date Reason
March 2015 Confirmed in MA Fashion Management and Communication Validation
SECTION 2 MODULE INFORMATION FOR STAFF ONLY

MODULE DELIVERY AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT INFORMATION

MODULE STATUS - INDICATE IF ANY CHANGES BEING MADE

NEW MODULE Y
EXISTING MODULE - NO CHANGE N
Title Change N
Level Change N
Credit Change N
Assessment Pattern Change N
Change to Delivery Pattern N
The changes (or new module) will be implemented 09/2015

MODULE DELIVERY PATTERN - Give details of the start and end dates for each module. If the
course has more than one intake, for example, September and January, please give details of the
module start and end dates for each intake.
Module Begins Module Ends
Course Intake 1 Jan 2016 May 2016
Course Intake 2
Course Intake 3

Is timetabled contact time required for this module? Y

Are any staff teaching on this module non-SHU employees? N

If yes, please give details of the employer institution(s) below

What proportion of the module is taught by these non-SHU staff, N/A

expressed as a percentage?

MODULE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Indicate how the module will be marked
*Overall PERCENTAGE Mark of 40% Y
*Overall PASS / FAIL Grade N
*Choose one only – module cannot include both percentage mark and pass/fail graded tasks

SUB-TASKS
Will any sub-tasks (activities) be used as part of the assessment strategy N
for this module?
If sub-tasks / activities are to be used this must be approved within the Faculty prior to approval. Sub-
task / activity marks will be recorded locally and extenuating circumstances, extensions, referrals and
deferrals will not apply to sub-tasks / activities.

FINAL TASK
According to the Assessment Information shown in the Module Descriptor, Task No.
which task will be the LAST TASK to be taken or handed-in? (Give task
number as shown in the Assessment Information Grid in Section 1 of the 1
Descriptor)

NON-STANDARD ASSESSMENT PATTERNS

MARK 'X' IN BOX IF MODULE ASSESSMENT PATTERN IS NON STANDARD,
eg MODEL B, ALL TASKS MUST BE PASSED AT 40%.

NB: Non-standard assessment patterns are subject to faculty agreement and

approval by Registry Services - see guidance. notes.