How can neural networks be used in business? How do you track trends and apply them successfully in your work? What unique brand development techniques exist today? Olga Gushchina, Art Director of the trend lab/brand bureau TRND&BRND, spoke about these key directions for players in the textile market, and also revealed the concept and significance of the new TrendGuide project, which was created in collaboration with the "INTERFABRIC" exhibition.
— Building a brand is a complex task, but a necessary one. How does your company help entrepreneurs with it?
— For us, this process — brand building — is not a difficult task but rather a joy, a thrill, something we truly love to do. About 65% of people are visual learners, meaning they absorb information with their eyes. That’s why appealing packaging is essential—without it, a product won’t sell to its full potential, simply because it “won’t look good” to those 65%.
We work step by step — “eating the elephant one bite at a time.” Our advantage lies in the fact that we create a core of values from meaning, and only then translate this into a visual language that speaks to the target audience.
— During your trend session, you inspired many to try AI for the first time. In your opinion, how can neural networks change a brand’s life? How can they help? And is a future without AI even possible? Will we be left completely outside of society without it?
— A brand’s life changes in line with the values of its founders, creators, and owners. When values change, the brand changes too. AI doesn’t affect the essence of brands.
Progress always changes tools, and this applies not only to the textile industry. Long ago, we used wooden abacuses. Then came calculators. Now we have neural networks… These are tools that handle routine tasks and can act as accelerators for carrying out utilitarian processes. For instance, where it used to take a retoucher 15 to 30 minutes to remove a background from an image, now it can be done in a single click. And that’s exactly where AI simplifies things — it’s a fantastic tool, but still just that: a tool, like a hammer or calculator.
Is a future without AI possible? Yes. We used to live without it. But evolution and progress are unstoppable. And if we can’t stop it, let’s use it to our advantage.
— How can events like the INTERFABRIC exhibition influence the market, in your view? How can they support business? And do you have any wishes for the exhibition?
— Any exhibition is a platform for communication and contract signing, a starting point for partnerships, a place to get inspired by trends and receive the freshest and most valuable information through its business program.
"INTERFABRIC" is a strong magnet for communication within the light industry. And when the bar is raised in terms of the exhibition’s positioning, the level of participants automatically rises as well. And who doesn’t want growth and development?
"INTERFABRIC" is operating at a very high level — it’s one of the leading major exhibitions. I wish for the exhibition to become a large-scale, unified event in the minds of exhibitors, visitors, and speakers alike, something people look forward to like gifts under the Christmas tree. I hope it continues to inspire with its Trend-Zones, bring value, and attract equally interesting and professional speakers.
— At the exhibition, you presented your TrendGuide. Could you tell us more about why it’s important for brands and manufacturers?
— First and foremost, TrendGuide is a tool that showcases current trends and industry innovations — such as the main macrotrends of the season and key colors — and also helps strengthen business relationships with partners and peers, ultimately contributing to the promotion of exhibition participants.
For brands, it offers identification through their contact information and the indication of specific companies' locations. This broadens the audience for featured companies and increases their outreach. Additionally, it encourages companies themselves to grow, study trends, and learn how to apply them for the benefit of their brands. For instance, we “used” materials from participants in mood boards and trend layouts, which can help companies brainstorm how to integrate these elements into their collections. And retail outlets can use these trends to shape their seasonal assortments.
For "INTERFABRIC", this increases the exhibition’s value within the industry for companies already participating or those considering exhibiting in the future. The TRENDGUIDE also serves as a bridge between exhibition visitors and the products presented.
