Jill Hawkins - The Fashion Thief

Jill Hawkins is a futures consultant and brand strategist who focuses on identity, lifestyle and creativity. Based in Denmark Hawkins has over 15 years of experience and began her journey with a degree in Fashion Marketing from Northumbria University later obtaining a masters degree in Design. She has worked with a host of clients across fields like beauty, drinks, fashion and toys.

She currently runs her own trend forecasting brand the future thief which is all about understanding the future and what it means for businesses. Through this, she offers training, consultancy and presentation with the aim to make the future accessible and usable for all, training as many people as possible to hopefully use their new skills in a positive way.

Hawkins has always been a big advocator of teaching and has previously taught at Northumbria University, Nottingham Trent and London college of fashion in the UK and across schools in Vietnam and Denmark.

She is currently working on 4 main trends:

• We have a creative crisis - how to supercharge it

• Why you need to stop talking about family

• Scandinavian style has passed its sell-by date

• The stuffercation generation is in charge

Hawkins talk was filled with so much helpful information, below I have pulled out her top tips and quotes for each section.

 Trends

There are two types of futures: Dystopian (negative) and Utopian (positive). It is important to be aware of both outcomes but it is always better to create more towards a utopian future.

• Trend forecasting is important because it:

  • Ensures a businesses relevance in the world

  • Identifies unmet needs

  • Identifies opportunity areas

  • Provides guidance

  • Inspires ideas

  • Provoke debate and challenges the status quo

  • Validates decisions

  • Reassures in times of uncertainty

• As forecasters, we are being employed to think further than the comfort zone and provide businesses with the ideas and plans to support instances that are possible or preposterous, the more outrageous we think the more workable issues will be.

We need to work towards a time-based approach ensuring that we are combatting mega trends based on science, culture, technology, etc. because they are best for longevity but, we also need to address any macro trends that also appear. These will evolve over time and need updating around every 2-5 years.

• Important language to note:

• Themes are always present in trends, they do not appear and die. They are on their own journey and their details and importance will evolve. It is important to remember that not every trend will be relevant to all companies, products, consumers and markets

developing a new mindset

• Below is a list of skills Jill Hawkins believes are key to being a successful trend forecaster

• Observe like a traveler, absorb like a sponge and question like a detective

  • When you travel you look at everything and notice small details

  • Absorb every detail, broaden your mind, read and observe widely

  • Question everything, why is it happening? What is driving it? What Is it connected to? What does that mean?

how to focus

• Focus your brief onto one key area then look at:

  • What will affect it immediately

  • What bigger world issues could impact it

• Complete in-depth spider diagrams/mind maps

  • Use colour to separate sections

  • Highlight areas in which you may need to develop knowledge in

  • Use whichever format works best for you

  • Create connections and generate new ideas

How to research

• Think about where you get your information from and disrupt it

• Leave your personal taste at home

• Expand your routine, viewpoint and perspective. Open your eyes and ears, get out there and broaden your sources.

• Must always consider the bias of a source

• Watch out for cultural differences, what you see here might not be available elsewhere

• Get the facts right, make an effort to double-check everything on reparable sites/sources

• When you are observing key things to look out for include:

• Disrupt your routine

• Look at things you wouldn’t normally and widen your frame of understanding

• Challenge your habits around media, traveling, socially, etc.

Most important of all keep a log of all your research anything you read, hear, see, watch, experience. Always have it to refer back to.