Interview with Trendstop CEO Jaana Jätyri

1. What is Trendstop?

Trendstop.com is an online trend book – It is a web-based service that is updated with new trend stories daily.

2. Where are you based?

Our trends are provided by a worldwide network of trend hunters. Our headquarters is in London, where we have a team of 20 trend researchers. Our global trend spotters are based in key cities around the world, e.g. New York, L.A., Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Barcelona etc.

3. What kind of information can you find at Trendstop?

As the online trend book, we focus on providing the latest trend information to our subscribers. We publish seasonal trend mood stories, forecasted key trends from runways, and close-to-season best sellers’ forecasts. Because we focus only on trend and have an experienced team, our forecasts are very accurate.

4. How do you forecast the trends? Are you creating the trends?

Trend forecasting is a form of market research. We track down the early adopters of new fashion looks, and based on our experience we’ll draw conclusions on when a particular look is likely to hit the mainstream. – This way we give our Clients time to react to forthcoming trends, and get their collections ready in time for the demand.

5. Jaana, tell us about your background?

I come from Finland. I moved to London when I was 19 years old, because I wanted to study fashion. I graduated from Central St Martins [the famous fashion school where Stella McCartney, Alexander Mc Queen and John Galliano studied] with first class honours in 1999.

During my internship I worked for a company that sells design software for the fashion industry. They trained me to use their software and sent me to train their London-based customers how to use the software. This was in the mid-90’s and designers were very computer illiterate. As well as training, it became my job to help designers at high-street manufacturers to get their basic design shapes into the computer. I drew for them libraries of skirts, shirts, jackets etc. as well as all the detailing, such as pockets, collars, zips etc. to go with them.

I discovered that each company needed similar garment basics, so soon after I graduated I set up my first company, which would sell pre-made computerised design libraries for the fashion industry. My first clients were Marks & Spencer and Riverisland.

As well as basic shapes, designers wanted to know what are the trend shapes for next season – would skirts be pleated, frilly, short or long? – so drawing trend shapes from the catwalks become a natural progression to the basic libraries.

Over the years the trend research team grew and eventually in 2004 it became our main business.

6. Can you tell us a bit more about the Trendstop forecasts?

As opposed to providing just seasonal forecasts, we update our forecast stories monthly, providing a constantly evolving live document to our Customers. In addition to mood-based seasonal forecasts – we are currently publishing forecast stories for Fall/Winter 2008-9 – we provide targeted product forecasts for specific product areas, such as Jeans, Accessories, Footwear, Lingerie, Tailoring, Street Sport, Shirts, Skirts, Dresses, Knits & Tees.

7. You also publish daily trend reports?

Trendstop.com is updated daily with five new trend stories – 100 new trend looks per month. The beauty of an online service is that the information can be constantly updated, and publishing can happen really fast. This means that if we spot a trend today, it will be on the site tomorrow, which is not possible with off-line trend publications.

8. What about your global reporting?

We have a dedicated, hand-picked team of global reporters in key fashion capitals around the world, from New York to Tokyo and Helsinki to Sydney. They are constantly uploading pictures and reports to our trend HQ in London, where our trend team sorts the information and publishes it on the website.

9. Who can use Trendstop?

Trendstop is used by all kinds of fashion and lifestyle companies, both large and small, as a product development and design tool. It’s a bit like having your on-desk research assistant when you don’t either have the budget to hire a full-blown research team, or the time to do all the global legwork yourself. Clients also use it to get presentation, visual merchandizing, styling and photo shoot ideas.

10. What about the different subscription packages?

We have flexible options to choose customized packages that best suit each Client’s budget and requirements.