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Visions Episode 16: What if data could predict trends two years ahead?

July 1, 2026
Visions is a series of forward-looking articles that explores the world of tomorrow — its contours, models, and challenges. Through the eyes of experts from various fields, the Visions series undertakes an exploration of our societies, adopting multiple viewpoints to address several questions: How can we imagine the future today? What emerging trends or subtle signals should we pay attention to identify and anticipate new models and ways of living, creating, producing, and consuming? By gathering observations, analyses, and future-oriented insights in fields ranging from multidisciplinary creation to economics, sustainability, and new technologies, Première Vision aims to inform, inspire and provide key resources for creative Fashion professionals.

For those wondering about the current and future applications of AI in fashion, Heuritech—part of Luxurynsight since 2024—has the answers. Founded by PhDs in artificial intelligence, the company developed an image recognition technology that won the inaugural LVMH Innovation Award at the VivaTech trade show in 2017.

This innovation was first applied to the accessories and handbag market. By analyzing millions of data points from social media, Heuritech provides its clients not only with insights into their consumers (gender, age, location) but, more importantly, into how their products are worn. Who are the fans of Dior’s Saddle bag? How do different customers style it? These strategic insights are invaluable for product launches and product line repositioning.

Through an extensive data collection effort, a team led by PhDs in artificial intelligence and supported by fashion experts has spent the past decade building a rich trend data architecture structured around 2,000 attributes (colors, prints, shapes, materials, and details). Armed with this real-world data, Heuritech can predict, with 92% accuracy and up to 24 months in advance, how a trend is being adopted today and how it is likely to be adopted tomorrow. The combination of computer vision and representative consumer panels enables this level of granularity. Forecasts are broken down by market (across more than 16 regions), age group, gender, and consumer profile, from trendsetters to the mainstream. “It is the combination of AI and human expertise that will make the difference in delivering accurate predictions in the future,” says Léa Gossein, Chief Marketing Officer at Heuritech. “Only human intelligence can sort through and interpret the data, identifying what makes sense and why. Without that, we’re left with nothing but raw data. The job of analysts—but also of the brands that use our data—is to rank and prioritize what makes sense to them.”

The Future of AI Lies in Human Interpretation of Data

Within the company, a team of fashion experts puts the data into context. As Creative Director, Noémie Voyer oversees Heuritech's fashion strategy and editorial content: "We keep a close eye on social media, as well as major sporting and cultural events and the latest news from leading fashion houses. This gives us visibility into both brands and unbranded products: specific types of handbags, tops, and skirts,” says Voyer. "When a new aesthetic emerges, we link it to the broader trends surrounding it, what we call its 'Starter Pack.' These elements, whose visibility is increasing, contribute to its dissemination and success. Take the 'Mob Wife' aesthetic, for example. Inspired by the ostentatious style associated with mafia wives, it is characterized by strong visual markers such as fur, red, and stiletto heels." Gossein explains how she sees the future use of AI in fashion: "AI will allow us to focus more on the creative process, using objective data as a starting point. We'll be better equipped to make better decisions. If, for example, we see that a trend is losing momentum, we'll never advise our clients to abandon it. Based on the information we provide, they will have the option of producing a smaller collection, developing a capsule collection, or revisiting their targeting to focus on a smaller group of consumers."

AI Applications Across the Entire Product Development Process

If the same trends are given to every brand, isn't there a risk of flattening creativity?“I don't think so,” says Voyer. “Not at all. People may have the same ingredients, but they won't all cook the same dish. We provide the list of ingredients, and everyone adapts their choices as they see fit. As Léa pointed out, AI helps determine the right balance. If I want to go against the 'Big Polka Dot' trend, that's entirely my choice.” “We recently partnered with StyTrix on a pilot project that demonstrates how AI is already being integrated into the different stages of creating a collection,” explains Gossein. “Today, collection development teams can use AI-powered trend forecasts up to 24 months in advance, generate 3D prototypes and optimize them using prompts, and even calibrate quantity allocations by market. The goal is to design as accurately as possible, produce more efficiently, and streamline communication across teams by integrating AI across the entire value chain,” she continues. “People remain at the heart of decision-making, with AI serving as an enabler for everyone. And it is this type of integrated tool that is set to occupy an increasingly important place in the fashion of tomorrow.”

Immersing Oneself in Local Culture: A Must for International Brands

Looking ahead, one of the key trends identified by Heuritech's teams is the growing need for brands to think about local markets as a genuine exercise in cultural immersion. The fashion teams led by Voyer have identified a number of weak signals that support this: “We’re seeing an increased interest among certain Chinese consumers in local cultural markers, as issues of identity and heritage play an increasingly prominent role in the way people express themselves through dress. This is evident in the popularity of pieces that reinterpret elements of traditional attire, such as the Adidas three-stripe jacket with closures inspired by traditional Chinese frog fastenings, or the return of Mao collars,” she says. “This trend does not signal a departure from international influences, but rather the emergence of a dialogue between global references and local heritage, giving rise to more hybrid and context-specific silhouettes.”

In keeping with this localized curation strategy, luxury brands are also turning their attention to major local celebrations, such as Thailand's Songkran water festival. Luxurynsight's teams noted that, for the first time this year, a luxury brand dedicated an activation to the event: Loewe unveiled a dedicated capsule collection. In China, Lunar New Year celebrations for the Year of the Horse inspired some of the most immersive activations. Loewe presented its "New Year Lanterns" at Yuyuan Garden in Nanjing, followed by a light installation in Shanghai. Valentino transformed Shanghai's Tianhou Temple into an immersive experience combining traditional lantern craftsmanship with contemporary art, while Celine reinterpreted the tradition of wish trees by adorning one with its signature scarves in Yunnan Province.

Emerging Local Micro-Markets

Luxurynsight is also able to identify emerging micro-markets. “The AI boom, for example, has fueled a surge in global demand for memory chips,” says Gossein, drawing on recent research by Luxurynsight's teams. “In South Korea, two companies—Samsung and SK Hynix—account for around 60% of the global semiconductor market for memory chips. In May 2026, export volumes jumped by 169%, and both companies awarded substantial bonuses to their employees—around $340,000 and $477,000 respectively.” As Gossein explains, “That wealth is flowing into the luxury sector, creating a highly localized wealth effect. Over time, we may see this kind of economic momentum generate new pockets of luxury demand on a micro-local scale. The economic impact has become so significant that the region has been nicknamed the 'Semiconductor Belt. This raises an interesting question: could tomorrow's new economic hubs create their own highly localized luxury markets? The Shinsegae South City department store, for example, has reported a 53.6% increase in luxury sales—a striking illustration of a new Asian center of wealth emerging beyond China.”

Value for Money Takes Centre Stage

The other major long-term trend concerns the evolving notion of what is commonly referred to as value for money, bringing the relationship between quality and price back to centre stage. As the point where supply meets demand, price has taken on a powerful emotional dimension of value over the past decade. Prices for iconic leather goods have risen by more than 54% in the United States since 2019—almost twice the rate of inflation. At the same time, the sense of exclusivity has diminished, with the luxury sector losing an estimated 50 million aspirational customers (according to Bain), who have turned to alternatives. “The era of near-automatic annual price increases of around 10% is reaching its limits,” concludes Gossein. “We're entering a phase of price realignment among luxury houses—Hermès repositioning its prices relative to Chanel is a good example. The idea of ‘reflex pricing’—the assumption that the more expensive something is, the better it must be—is giving way to a market in which prices must once again be justified by genuine value. New brands such as DeMellier and Polène, as well as heritage house Delvaux, are challenging the established luxury houses on precisely this point.”

New Ways to Interpret Fashion: Borecore

One of the emerging trends identified by Heuritech is Borecore.“Unlike quiet luxury, which remains a marker of status and quality, Borecore does not signal wealth. Instead, it reflects emotional neutrality and a form of anti-performance—a restrained, almost deliberately ‘boring’ aesthetic that has become a way of resisting constant acceleration. What is particularly interesting is that every trend gives rise to its own counter-trend. This is a response to today's uncertainty and geopolitical climate. In China, for example, the term “low-key dressing” has emerged as a reaction to the maximalist aesthetic that continues to gain momentum across fashion and beauty.”

Anti-Performance

In sports, Heuritech identifies “funmaxxing” in several forms. For years, sport has been defined by performance. But a new philosophy is emerging that reflects a redefinition of sport as a space for play and escapism, where the experience itself now takes precedence over performance and the pursuit of results. One might call it “anti-Strava” (after the fitness-tracking app). This new approach aims to break free from tracking performance metrics. “Running, for example, has long been associated with performance. Yet it is also a flexible, affordable sport that is experiencing renewed popularity among a particular group of consumers: mothers. The ‘Mother Runner’ embodies the shift from 'mom guilt' to a logic of personal growth, where taking time for oneself is no longer seen as selfish or as neglecting one's role as a mother, but rather as an essential part of family balance. Whether she runs alone to ‘make space in her head’ or pushes a stroller because childcare isn't an option, mothers are finding it easier to take part in sporting events. The TCS London Marathon, for example, now provides breastfeeding tents, while New Balance Family Days feature community walks and family-friendly activities designed for parents and children alike.”

The Logo: Less Showy, More Heritage

Far removed from the bold logo mania of the 1990s and 2000s, logos are making a comeback—but in a more understated form. At Louis Vuitton, for example, they are worn tone on tone, reclaiming their role as heraldic emblems with a strong sense of heritage. In the fashion industry, which, as we know, is shaped by constant cycles of change, Voyer believes that the recent shift toward a more empathetic and less competitive mindset—as well as greater inclusivity and openness to new markets, new ways of consuming, and a broader diversity of body types—is here to stay. Luxurynsight's role, she explains, is to use AI to "quantify consumer aspirations and help refine pricing by giving brands as much information as possible to make informed decisions." In the end—and fortunately—it is the brands themselves that will make the final call.

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