Tap into Trends with Bree Leech

With Bree Leech

With people spending more time in their homes and taking stock of what’s important in their lives, we are already seeing an effect on the direction of global trends.

International trend forecaster Bree Leech predicts a surge in the trend towards nesting and cocooning. “We’re all realising how important it is to have homes that make us feel well mentally as well as physically,” she says. “The research has shown that having texture in the home and tactile materials is great for your well-being, so those things are going to continue to be important.”

The evolution of a trend begins with lifestyle and what’s happening in the world around us. “Sometimes it’s a group of designers working separately, even in different countries, that all somehow have their finger on the same pulse,” says Bree. “There’s a collective energy and theme that happens - ideas that are influenced by similar things happening in the world.”

“Knowing the ‘why’ of a trend helps to decide whether it is relevant to you,” says Bree, who has been watching trends develop on the world stage for over 20 years. The international showcase Salone de Mobile in Milan was cancelled due to Coronavirus this year, but design trends will continue to evolve despite this. “The last time we saw this big a shift in the global mood would have been 9/11,” says Bree, who was trend forecasting in the textile industry when the Twin Towers fell in New York. “Everybody was literally throwing all their trend forecasting out the door overnight because it affected the mood globally.”

How to reflect a trend in your store. More important than following the hottest new colour to hit the catwalks is telling your own story in your retail store. You don’t have to dance to the tune of the trends each year, but you do have to know what song they’re playing. The key is to follow your own instincts and interpret the trends the way you know your customers will respond to.

It’s all about how you merchandise and how you tell your story in your store. When buying new stock at trade shows and throughout the year, look to develop a relationship of trust and understanding with your suppliers as they can deliver trending products, colours and ideas that fit your style. “They’re the ones who are making or designing things that are going to work with where the design world is going,” says Bree.

Already a growing trend, wellness in our homes is going to become even more important

What are the trends we can expect to see? “We’re going to use lots of beautiful textures - in boucle wool fabrics and rattan, which is already a big trend and adds texture to a space. Also sustainability will continue to be in the background. People will look at purchases that have longevity and are made well - investment pieces that we can hold on to, future heirlooms. It goes beyond removing clutter for a more simple life, to include texture, personal pieces and a touch of nostalgia that will make us feel connected and safe,” says Bree. “Basic materials will also be key. Things like hemp, leather, even pine, that aren’t putting too much stress on the environment to produce.”

“Plants will continue to feature in our homes as we spend more time in them,” says Bree. “Though not all of us have green thumbs so it might come in the form of colour, with more greens coming through, or with good quality fake plants, dried objects such as pampas grass and freeze dried flowers.” Tell your own story. Who are you? What is your point of difference? This is what your customer remembers you for. It could be how your store is set up, your social media presence, or your tone of voice. Bree suggests to keep things interesting and relevant and to make sure you don’t look like everyone else. “The retailers who take risks on things are potentially going to be even more successful than the ones that started really safe,” she says.

It’s about the balance. “I love trends. I love forecasting and researching it, but they’re not prescriptions. I think the biggest advice I can give to retailers is to trust your intuition. And the biggest advice I give to consumers is to ask, ‘Do you love it? Does it work with your house? Do you love that colour? Does it make you feel good? Then it’s the right purchase.’”

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