From Forecasting to Worldbuilding. How to Navigate Trends in an Industry Undergoing Reinvention?
May 20, 2026 | 4:00 PM - 4:45 PMTalk Area
May 20, 2026 | 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
Talk Area
Trend forecasting has been evolving from elite institutions to democratised cultural intuition and as authority fragments, new voices emerge. This panel explores how brands are shifting from following trends to building worlds people want to belong to, drawing on new sources of influence, community, and intuition. Through the lens of denim, a category rooted in constant reinvention, we ask: what does it mean to navigate trend in an industry actively rewriting its own rules?
Shanu Walpita, Co-Curator of the 2026 State of Fashion Biennale
Cait Monahan, Editor-in-Chief, Hypebae
Talk in english moderated by Amy Leverton, Founder of Denim Dudes
Cait Monahan is a cultural strategist, trend forecaster, guest lecturer at the University of the Arts London and the Editor-in-Chief of Hypebae. With clients ranging from WGSN to Nike, Cait helps brands speak to the movements and moments that matter most to creative audiences.
Shanu Walpita is a London-based Curator, Educator and Foresight Director. Currently Co-Curator of the 2026 State of Fashion Biennale 2026 and Co-Founder of 'Emergence of Tomorrow' - an innovative discussion space and community think tank. She previously held the position of Course Leader of BA (Hons) Creative Direction for Fashion at the London College of Fashion.
