Ahmad 1 Ahmad 2 Ahmad 3 Section 1: About Author Author Ikram Ahmad ​is a proud Husband and Proud father to 4 teenagers. In 2015 Ikram attended FIT in New York City for Fashion Journalism. It was not until the year 2017 when Ikram had the opportunity to write an article in the “Business of Fashion” newsletter. This article sparked a flame that grew into a wider audience. Ikram began to write articles for a number of major successful magazines such as ‘Times Magazine” as well as “Vogue Magazine.” After much success, Ikram wanted to expand his opportunity and education which led him to get his Master’s degree in Journalism and Communications at the Marangoni Fashion Institute in Italy. This goal opened Ikram to a number of other Journalistic opportunities such as articles for major Fashion brands and its inside look to their fashion shows. Articles on major interviews for musicians as well as celebrity actors. Ikram stepped down from general journalism in the year 2020 where he began his journey in Fashion forecasting having a major company 'RWoods'” take him under their wing. As of right now, Ikram resides in Paris France alongside his family working and publishing his work to the public. Ahmad 4 Section 2: Letter to the reader Dear Reader, I'm excited to present to you my fresh off the press Trend report by the “RWoods” trend forecasting organization. This report will target the product of trench coats from the years of 2020 to2022. Along with this subject will include personally curated analytics as well as future trend forecast reports of where these types of trench coats will end up by the year 2022. Please note these eight reports are carefully studied and analyzed to be published by the “RWoods” forecasting company based on past reports as well as men’s overcoat trend patterns from past products. I hope this report is clear and precise to you as the reader. Sincerely The Author, Ikram Ahmad Ahmad 5 Section 3: Consumer Profile This portion of the forecasting report will portray the consumer profile that rightfully appeals to the product the company is selling and in this case it is a men's coat. This consumer profile will be curated by the VALS framework to choose who the product is trending for. It’s a Friday evening in the middle of November, A young man roughly in his mid-twenties steps out of an Uber. His stained dirty black leather Chelsea boots hit the pavement of a Soho street corner splashing a small puddle from the rain. The young man tips the driver and is on his way to the sidewalk. On his left hand is a Nike duffle bag filled with running shoes and gym attire along with a to-go protein shake. On the right is the newly released iPhone 11S with no scratch nor scuff on it. The young man is texting one of his coworkers about the meeting earlier this morning at the financial department of a standard auto motive company that he works at. This is Jeff. Jeff is a recent college graduate of a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. He was able to obtain a job in the finance department of a auto motive company. It's Jeff's third month of working in that company and is settling into his weekly pay of $900 a week while making time every day to attend the gym as well as social functions. Jeff is a Native American, born and raised in Connecticut who moved to New York for college. Jeff was raised in his strict and beautiful culture but also obtained the culture of a young American. His 4-day old iPhone 11S contains a few apps including Instagram and Snapchat. Jeff is a frequent user of both apps constantly Ahmad 6 posting for the media and his thousands of followers. Jeff doesn’t like to be dry, he likes to be consistent on every aspect from his work to his social life especially when it comes to his eye for fashion and trendy outfits. Jeff is in Soho to look for a long trench due to the new coming of the spring season. He’s very smart with his money and spends quite wisely but is no stranger to treating himself to what he wants. After all, Jeff has worked quite hard for what he has. It's payday on a Friday evening and a friend invited Jeff to a nightclub later tonight but Jeff checked the weather and it was going to be cold. He decides to check out a few stores to find an Overcoat that will best suit his outing tonight. As he gazes into a display window of an All Saints retail store he observes a long trench Overcoat made from a blend of Wool and cashmere. He is amazed at the royale blue pastel color and envisions himself in it as well as the popularity this coat might obtain once he posts it on Instagram. Jeff opens the door and enters All Saints. Jeff is a description of an experiencer towards VALS framework. Jeff is a youthful man who recently obtained income to afford necessary resources as well as purchasing products that will best serve his self-expression. He is trendy but does not like to purchase what others might have. He likes to be different and unique in a luxurious way. Jeff likes to think of himself as the trendsetter of his social media and posts his new outfits frequently to achieve validation from others. Ahmad 7 Section 4: 8 Trends Ahmad 8 Section 5: History of Trend Out of the 8 trends provided for the clothing apparel of an overcoat. I have decided to focus on the specific and most iconic trend, the trench coat. The trench coat is considered a classic trend of an overcoat one that was made almost 200 years ago but is still a projection of the fashion world through its subtle look and definitive functions. The history of the trench coat dates over a hundred years back before world war 1. In 1823 Rubberised cotton was used to create outerwear for protection from the rain. The material used was uncomfortable and could even melt due to a certain amount of heat. Trench coats have easily evolved in a hybrid of two functions. One was for its exhilarating fashion staple on outfits for men and women. The second was for its functionality and its ability to protect one from rain as well as effects from strong wind. In the 1980s the trench coat made a thriving appearance in Hollywood with a number of famous actors wearing pastel-colored trench coats to portray a mysterious look. Airlines also issued trench coats to their employees for its functionality withstanding rain and wind. The 1990s is where Trench coats were laid to rest as a classic staple to an outfit. The pastel colors did not suit the fashion of the 90’s so big brands such as Burberry released trench coats in different materials as well as bright different colors to complement and satisfy any consumer’s look. A real take away of trench coats were the cotton blend that was worn by men in cold weather. The ’90s took a shift in trench coats that changed its weather ability to basically any function they wanted. 2010 was the Ahmad 9 resurrection of pastel trench coat colors that hit the fan relatively quickly. A classic Burberry double-breasted trench coat was a staple of perfection with a mixture of clinical and modern to it. Movie stars and celebrities are seen wearing this but a majority of them are women. 2018 was the rise of oversized trench coats and the altercation of trench coats such as chains belts and distressed. As of 2020 trench coats are mainly focused on blends and the materials used. A good quality of leather, pleated and cotton blend would make a fine staple for a 2020 trench coat. Ahmad 10 Section 6: Trend Timeline Ahmad 11 Section 7: The Pendulum Swing The diagram above portrays the pendulum swing of the trench coat and how the timeline starting from the 1980s plays a big role in the evolution of the trends afterwards. This Pendulum swing is shown how trends have been made and picked up and dropped throughout the decade. These trends are kept in their essence while also changing up the fabric or colors to better fit consumer needs. The year of 2022 portrays Burberry bold colored as the predicted trend. This shows that 2022 is going back to the roots of classic trench coats but with a twist of bold and vibrant colors to fit this generation's consumer needs. The next section will have a detailed breakdown on each trend of the trench coat for a clear view of how the pendulum swing works. Ahmad 12 Section 8: Trend Report A: The Burberry Trench Coat From the birth of trench coats The Burberry Trench coat is one of the first trench coats ever made. One might think of a BUrberry Trench Coat as Luxurious and classic in this generation but in World War 1 it was given to soldiers for protection against weather related causes such as wind and rain. In the 1850s Thomas Burberry produced the first of many Trench Coats. In 1879 Burberry created the fabric “gabardine” which was a tightly woven fabric made from a mixture of cotton and polyester. This fabric was sewn and stitched into a long overcoat with enlarged Lapels with Right breasted button down with an outer belt on the waist which came to be the Burberry Trenchcoat.