the after party

the ask

Create a full fashion forecast for Fall/Winter 2027 incorporating cultural shifts and emerging trends that align with the predicted Zeitgeist of 2027. 


The Team

Adair Breeden

Ella crowe

maggie devine

cara swisher

angel wright

Trend Analysis

communication

key skills

research

collaboration

storytelling

creative direction

the process

The after party

Our group began with an in-depth discussion on the spirit of the times and what we see in the world around us, in which we landed upon our theme, “The After Party.”

What does “real” even mean anymore? As we scroll through our feeds of curated lifestyle influencers, deepfakes, and fake news, society's perspective of reality is beginning to deteriorate. We’re living in an era defined by oversaturation, overconsumption, and burnout. What happens when the show is over? 

Unlike the main event, there’s no dress code at the after party. The performance stops, the pressures fade, it’s no longer about being seen but being present. The After Party captures that moment, the collective awakening, after years of perfection society is beginning to remember what it feels like to live again, unfiltered and imperfect. 

Beyond its aesthetic, The After Party captures the cultural shift that comes after years of performance, the pause after the spectacle. It’s where identity stops being curated and starts being explored, because, as Ahmed (2025) claims, “the world does not need another replica.”

color story

Our color forecast allows for bold and bright colors to be worked into clothing and is grounded with neutral and classic colors, creating an easy way to integrate eye-grabbing pieces into an “adult” wardrobe. This color forecast is split into 2 color stories, including our daytime color story “Golden Hour Hangover" and our nightlife color story “Glitter, Guts, & Glamour.” Each selected color was specifically researched based on their color psychology and how it propels the story of our forecast. 

textiles

When choosing our fabrics, we aimed to further showcase the duality within The After Party. Our fabrics were carefully chosen from natural, structural, and innovative materials. Each fabric, whether luxurious, grungy, nostalgic, or futuristic, was intentionally chosen to portray a different emotional depth of The After Party. These fabrics provide silhouettes that move, shine, breathe, and change, reflecting FW27's performance-to-authenticity transformation.

looks

When selecting our looks for this forecast, we aimed to encapsulate the way that our diverse target market will approach self-expression in and out of the workplace, styling mature garments in a way that feels authentic. 

the outcome

It’s time to stop pretending. The After Party: The End of Pretend captures the shift happening as society steps away from constant performance and back toward what feels real. After years of digital exhaustion and curated identities, people are craving nostalgia, tactility, and emotional honesty. The After Party reflects that moment when the lights fade and the pressure drops, when clothing becomes expressive and lived-in rather than perfect. In a world full of replicas, it embraces what can’t be duplicated: presence, emotion, and authenticity. In the end, the question isn’t, “What does real mean anymore?” It’s how we find our way back to ourselves once the performance ends. The After Party is our answer.

In the end, our forecast was presented to VCUarts’ Fashion faculty and students. My team was awarded Critics’ Choice from industry forecasters at Future Snoops, which led to a direct opportunity to intern with their team. This recognition validated the strength of our concept and solidified my interest in forecasting and consumer-driven trend analysis.

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