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Querying fashion professionals’ forecasting practices: the Delphi method

This study employs the Delphi method in probing forecasting practices of fashion professionals in product development and retailing. The study examines how fashion professionals acquire and use forecasting information by employing a two-round Delphi method. Specifically, the results reveal that colour is the most important fashion forecasting component, followed by style and textiles. The top three information sources for colour and style forecasting are customer feedback or requests, past sales, and own cumulative knowledge. In addition, the most used strategy for colour forecasting decisions is reliance on colour forecasting insights of companies with which the fashion professionals conduct business. The findings suggest that the Delphi method can be used as a qualitative research method for long-range future trend forecasting with advanced tools, such as online surveys, in the areas of fashion product development and retailing.