Re-Defining WGSN's Value Proposition and Positioning: Insight Generation for Fashion and Lifestyle Industries

WGSN is the world’s largest fashion trend forecasting agency, supplying services to 95% of the Fortune 500 fashion brands. The case examines the global strategy of WGSN, which strives to enrich its robust online platform while adding more physical presence in the markets where it is growing, particularly in North America and Asia. The case examines the role of style in fashion by focusing of the content it provides to fashion designers, buyers, merchandizers and executives. The flagship market for WGSN, the fashion industry, is divided into 14 product categories each of which require a high level of expertise on the part of the firm’s trend analysts. WGSN covers all aspects of the fashion calendar from the collections to the catwalks, from ads to in-store displays. Clients use WGSN’s curated platform to design, buy and price products in line with market trends. The case also examines a gap in WGSN’s global presence, the French market, where local competitors defend their market share with a combination of trend books and online data. A pure player like WGSN faces strong headwinds in this key location.

The case is designed to encourage students to think about the role of style in fashion. Trend forecasting agencies play an increasingly important role for global apparel companies like Inditex (Zara), Nike, Under Armour and many more. Students will examine the users of trend forecasting agencies, including fashion designers, buyer and merchandisers. Creative directors also rely on trend forecasting agencies to shape their strategic choices. With the arrival of big data and quantitative approaches that can better predict trends in the fast-fashion industry, students interested in fashion will find the case a refreshing look at an industry that has grown very quickly.