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An India-first trend intelligence service for the fashion and lifestyle industry, aimed at addressing an estimated USD 2 billion-plus white space created by the lack of right forecasting, has been launched this week at the French Institute in India here in the national capital.
ICH NEXT, an Indian trend forecasting and intelligence platform, has partnered with global creative strategy and trend consultancy Peclers Paris for this purpose. The report, they said, is designed to address a gap in India's fashion and lifestyle ecosystem: the lack of research-led, India-first trend intelligence built for local consumers and business realities. India's fashion and lifestyle market is projected to exceed USD 240 billion, growing at over 10 per cent annually. Yet, they said, much of the industry continues to rely on global trend reports that offer broad inspiration but limited relevance to India's cultural diversity, climate, craft traditions, body types, and consumption cycles. The ICH NEXT x Peclers Paris collaboration aims to change this by combining global foresight with deeply contextual, India-based research. Anuradha Chandrasekhar and Kanika Vohra, Co-founders ICH NEXT said in a statement, "India needs a localised lens in trend forecasting because it is not a single, homogeneous market nor a fast follower of the West. Multiple consumer segments, festival-led demand cycles, extended summers, and strong cultural meanings around colour, silhouette, and occasion reshape how trends are adopted. At the same time, India is no longer only adapting global trends - it is actively shaping them. From tech and digital behaviour to beauty rituals and fashion aesthetics, the country is emerging as a source of innovation and influence, with homegrown brands, creators, and consumers setting new culturalcues." "The industry needs a research lens rooted in local culture, powered by data, and designed to solve real business challenges. This partnership allows us to combine global perspective with deep Indian insight to help businesses anticipate, adapt, and lead in a way the industry has never seen before," the Co-founders said. Launched in 2022, ICH NEXT analyses social and cultural signals and macro articles every month to deliver proper guidance across colour, fabric, silhouettes, patterns, and pricing. Brands using this platform have reported faster design cycles, improved sell-through, and stronger category performance, and revenues. ICH NEXT is looking to invest USD 1.5 million over the next three years to scale its offerings. Peclers Paris, part of the USD 20 billion WPP network, brings over five decades of experience in shaping forward-thinking brand visions, with a strong heritage in fashion, aesthetics, and design innovation. Anne Etienne-Reboul, CEO, Peclers Paris, said, "India is one of the most influential consumer markets globally today. Its cultural depth, creativity and confidence demand a different approach to forecasting. Through this collaboration, we are excited to combine our global perspective with ICH NEXT's deep local understanding to create intelligence that is both visionary and truly relevant for Indian brands." (ANI)
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