US – Department store chain Kohl’s has launched a data-driven fashion collection that draws on the latest fashion trends.
K/Lab is inspired by the latest fashion trends in retail. Its team of researchers and data analysts identify the most popular trends online and incorporate them into the collection. With its three-month turnaround, compared to the typical 8–10 months, the label ensures that the trend-inspired designs are still relevant when they are available to buy.
Stock is limited, and items in the collection will not be available to buy after they have sold out, mimicking the transitory nature of social media.
‘We are leveraging the data to inform better decision-making,’ Sofia Wacksman, vice-president of trends at Kohl’s, told Fashionista. ‘We are not looking at last year, we are not looking at six months ago. We are looking at real time now.’
Data Designers are forging symbiotic relationships between consumers and brands, enabling consumers to buy the products they want and helping brands to better manage their inventory.