Design and Merchandising Process Project

February 21, 2023

Victoria Chew
 Design Direction
It is no doubt social media influences the trends of the modern-day. These trends thrive on social media
exposure and advertising, saturating our digital and physical environments with the next biggest hits in
modern pop culture. It is from social media, where the metaphorical dark horse of the more ‘gothic’ style
has taken root once again due to popular media like Netflix’s hit series ‘Wednesday,’ and Nickelodeon’s
‘Monster High’ reboots. These two media alone have sparked the trend of #Gothcore, according to Han-
nah Allan’s WGSN article ‘Key Trend 2023: Kids & Tweens Goth Girl Prep.’ Fig.1
Realistically however, it would be a logistical nightmare to design, manufacture, and ship key trend items
in time for 2023’s S/S season following the full-blown #Gothcore trend. Which is why this collection has
items prepared for a continuation of this trend in 2024, as more episodes and seasons for these shows
are being released. It also follows a more subtle goth style, as children shouldn’t be subjected to varying
shades of black to stay fashionable.
Additionally, external influences in the forms of peer pressure from social media influence parents’ buy-
ing habits when it comes to how their children dress. It for their comfort and practicality but now it is
also for the presentation of one’s family and keeping ‘up-to-date’ with the trends of modern day. Covid-19
has also allowed parents to spend their disposable income on their children’s clothing. This was due to
the money that should have been spent travelling or going to restaurants being saved because of the pan-
demic. (Fortune Business Insights, 2022) Fig.2
The gothcore trend, alongside WGSN trend forecasting and confirmation from the Business of Fashion
for the viability of the spending capabilities of parents for the childrenswear market has allowed this
collection to come to fruition. This project will showcase the line plan and colourways of this collection
while also demonstrating trend forecasting research and SKU Plan.
Mood Board

*The previous mood board is now a theme board to gather supporting colours
 Colours and Prints
Theme Board

In line with WGSN colour forecasting, the colours for

this collection are the colours of the S/S 2024 season
plus the 2024 colour of the year. “Apricot Crush,” as it is
called, was paired with the lavender purple to help create
a ‘sunset’ effect.
Photos taken from WGSN articles:
https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/93994?lang=en
https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/93642?lang=en
 Colours and Prints

This WGSN print has been recoloured for this collection*

Original print from WGSN:
https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/6377a2dd9806fffb36299d76#page9
Colour Standards & Fabric Direction

OEKO-TEX Euro Fleece

($21.98/yard)
70% Cotton, 30% Polyes-
ter (Hard to see because it
is white)

2x2 Ribbing
($8.89/yard) Linen
95% Cotton, ($25.98/yard)
5% Spandex 100% Linen

Bamboo Terry
($21.98/yard)
67% Rayon, 28%
Cotton, 5% Spandex
Stretch Denim
($14.98/yard)
98% Cotton, 2%
Spandex

Cotton Span- Cotton Cotton

dex Twill Flannel (twill French Terry
($13.98/yard) weave) ($11.98/yard)
97% Cotton, ($16.98/yard) 100% Cotton
3% Spandex 100% Cotton

In accordance with WGSN’s Kid’s Textiles Forecast for the spring/

summer season, natural fibres and recycled materials are going to be the
‘it’ fabrics of the season. From soft cottons to cool and dreamy linens, the
main focus for kid’s wear this season is comfort and sustainability. Howev-
er, touting sustainability as a selling point is a major factor in greenwash-
ing, as well as the durability of garments made from recycled materials
like cotton. Fig.3
Kid’s Textiles Forecast: https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/62d04a4d0c459a5b98b1c567?lang=en
 Line plan

Size XS-XL
Size XS-XL
Style Number: 50-20-CH-SP/S
Style Number: 20-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $60
SRP: $25
“Copium Hoodie”
“Whipper’s Baseball Jersey”

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 100-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $55
“Funko Overalls”
Size XS-XL
Style Number: 40-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $40
“Waves Zip Vest” Size XS-XL
Style Number: 100-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $30
“Techie Trousers”

Size XS-XL Size XS-XL Size XS-XL

Style Number: 30-20-CH-SP/S Style Number: 70-40-CH-SP/S Style Number: 110-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $25 SRP: $40 SRP: $30
“Harrison Henley” “Shore-tide Shacket” “Techie Shorts”
 SKU Plan
Merchandise-SKU_Plan Template_SP23.xlsx

MERCHANDISE SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) PLAN

BRAND: Gymboree DIVISION: Gender Neutral 2-7 SEASON: SP/S 2024

SIZE RANGE: 2 3 4 5 6 7 and XXS XS S M TODAY'S DATE: 02/21/2022 MERCHANDISER:
FABRICS: # of # of # of # of
# Name STYLES COLORS SIZES SKU's
100 100 Linen/ Lava Linen 1 11 1 11
0
0
200 70 Cotton/ 30 Polyester OEKO-TEX® Euro Fleece 1 10 1 10
0
300 95 Cotton/ 5 Spandex 2x2 Ribbing (I-12) 1 6 1 6
350 97 Cotton/ 3 Spandex Organic Cotton Spandex Twill 1 8 1 8
400 98 Cotton/2 Spandex Stretch Denim 1 1 1 1
450 100 Cotton/ West Creek Woven Yarn Dyed Flannel 1 12 1 12
460 100 Cotton/ Organic Cotton French Terry 2 2 2 8
0
500 67 Rayon/ 28 Cotton/ 5 Spandex Bamboo Terry OEKO-TEX® 2 10 1 20
0
0
0
0
0
TOTALS: 10 76
 Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 20-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $25
“Whipper’s Baseball Jersey”
To fit in with the feeling of summer and WGSN’s forecasted trends
for sportier summer clothes, this baseball-style shirt is made for the playful Composition: 100% Cotton
child who can’t get enough of the outdoors. Perfect for playing on the beach Flannel (twill weave flannel)
at sunset or watching the stars as the soft flannel cushions the skin away
from fresh cut grass.
Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 100-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $55
“Funko Overalls”
Composition: 98% Cotton, 2%
Spandex Denim

This pair of overalls is perfect for the outdoor scavenger. It

has a total of 5 pockets ready to collect the treasures of the summer.
It is a little bit of a pinch to get out of, but that’s what the buttons and
strap holsters are for. It is made of denim that has stretch to it to help
keep the you comfortable, especially when your pockets get full.
 Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 30-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $25
“Harrison Henley”
The ‘Harrison Henley’ will keep you looking stylish for the
Composition: 100% Cotton
summer. A new take on the classic shirt style allows for more colour French Terry
to be added with its yokes. That is, if you are adventurous enough to
wear it.
 Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 110-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $30
“Techie Shorts”
These cargo shorts are ready to hold on to precious valuables
Composition: 100% Cotton
while on vacation. Whether it is the perfect piece of beach glass or a Twill (lightweight)
dead crab, with one zipper pocket and two flap pockets, nothing is
going to get lost.
Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 50-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $60
“Copium Hoodie”

Composition: 100% Cotton

Fleece

Cope, seethe, mauld. That’s just asking you

to rage in your favourite video game. Luckily, you
are too cool to get tilted, especially with the co-
lour-blocking on this hoodie. Inspired by WGSN’s
trend forecasting for colour-blocking, this hoodie
should suit you welll. Pair it with any of the “Techie”
bottoms and you’re all set to have a fun game night at
your friend’s house.
 Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 40-20-CH-SP/S
SRP: $40
“Waves Zip Vest”
Too cool for sleeves or too hot for sleeves? Regardless of what
temperature you’re feeling, this vest has got you covered (literally). Composition: 100% Cotton
French Terry
Made of super soft french terry cotton, you’ll be napping on ham-
mocks in no time thanks to it’s absorbent and quick-drying nature.
 Iterative Sketching and Flats

Looks like three pockets weren’t enough for you... That’s okay, here’s
Size XS-XL
one more! These pants have got you covered (AGAIN, LITERALLY). Style Number: 100-20-CH-SP/S
They’re baggy, a little saggy, and just as swaggy as those shorts you love. SRP: $30
They’re just as, if not more comfortable too. “Techie Trousers”
Composition: 100% Cotton
Twill (lightweight)
 Iterative Sketching and Flats

Size XS-XL
Style Number: 70-40-CH-SP/S
SRP: $40
“Shore-tide Shacket”
Tonight is the night where you and your parents are heading out to a
nice outdoor dinner by the coastline. You’ll don the coolest oversized (yes, Composition: 100% Linen (plain
weave)
it is supposed to be oversized, ignore the sketch) linen shacket to keep you
cool and wear your new crocs. You think you look so cool. Then your sib-
ling comes down wearing your stuff. Wait a second? Is this not a boys line?
 Trend Research & Design Justification

That’s right, this isn’t just a boy’s line! It’s supposed to be gender neutral! In accordance with WGSN trend forecasting
and the BOF’s insight into the reality of gender-neutral fashion. The BOF’s article quotes JW Anderson’s Jonathan Anderson
as saying “Gender neutral is not a trend, it’s a reality.” With it, the younger generation is also more aware of the complexities
of gender, and how it is no longer a binary, as it is now a spectrum. However, it is more difficult to design for this category
because gender is already so heavily incorporated into the designs that people wear. Sure, you can say that techwear, and
sportier attire are ‘boys’ clothing, but if it were designed into a dress or a skirt, it would belong to girls, right? Why does a
skirt or dress automatically become a girl’s garment? Surely a girl could wear cargo pants, but does that mean she dresses
like a boy? The first step into getting into gender-neutral fashion is to break the gender barriers behind it. Let boys wear
dresses and girls their cargo pants. Clothing isn’t something that should reinforce binaries, it should be an outlet for expres-
sion, and what better thing to express yourself, than with something that doesn’t make people assume who you are just by
seeing what you wear.

WGSN forecasting has been mentioned a lot throughout this project. However, it is crucial information to know
when designing clothing for an upcoming season. Aspirational brands like Stella McCartney and ESSENTIAL’s FEAR OF
GOD have been used to see what the future of fashion looks like. When browsing Stella McCartney’s website, bold colours
and trend styles are already listed for sale, a year ahead of what WGSN has forecasted. The Stella McCartney brand likes to
get ahead and be a trend-setter, and it is clear where their inspirations come from when you look at the forecasting trends
on WGSN. With that being said, a good portion of the styles as seen on this project are byproducts of this research and
turning to aspirational brands in hopes of catching a glimpse of what the future of trendy clothing will look like.

This is why the collection is as it is. It is supposed to be gender-neutral, with more dark and gothic influence from
popular hit media like Monster High and ‘Wednesday.’ Except, it is for the summer of 2024, not the fall of 2023. (WGSN
forecasted this as a sudden key trend for fall 2023). The reasoning behind this being that duller and darker colours are more
gender neutral on chldren, and that parents will still be interested due to the popular media still being in circulation. This
also allows parents with multiple children to be able to pass their clothing on to their siblings once they have grown out of
it. That way, the garmets get their fullest use, hoping to promote slower fashion and being subtly sustainable.
 Sustainability

The concept of a gender-neutral clothing line will not only allow parents to pass down their
child’s clothes to their siblings, but also bring awareness to how much they buy compared to how
much they need. Children grow fast, and the clothes that they wear will not fit them once they
grow up. Sooner or later, parents will notice the accumulation of their children’s clothing once
their closets start getting fuller. In some cases, it is inevitable, the children grow too fast so it is not
worth it to spend more on finding quality clothing that is made to be better than fast fashion. How-
ever, promoting slower fashion and bringing awareness to the environmental situation caused by
fast fashion will allow consumers to understand how their buying practices have an impact on the
environment. Designing and making quality clothing for children will help if parents have mul-
tiple children. The hand-me-downs are important because it keeps the clothing in use and out of
landfills. If it’s made well and lasted long enough, these garments can also be donated for someone
else to use. Lastly, the point of these garments being gender neutral is so that even if parents have
chlidren of multiple genders, they still have hand-me-downs to wear. They do not need to buy as
much and hopefully they do not need to buy more than they have to.
 Work Cited

Fig.1 Allan, H. (2023, January 4). Key Trend 2023: Kids & Tweens Goth Girl Prep. WGSN . Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.wgsn.com/
fashion/article/6398a7bc995aec17a47d4548?lang=en
Fig.2 Kids apparel market size, share & covid-19 impact analysis, by product type (formal, casual, and semi-formal), by end-user (boys and girls), by
age group (0-12 months, 1-5 years, 5-10 years, and 10-12 years), by Distribution Channel (online and offline), and regional forecast, 2022-2029. For-
tune Business Insights. (2022, December). Retrieved February 19, 2023, from https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/kids-apparel-market-104630
Fig.3 Rechner, E. (2022, August 1). Kids’ Textiles Forecast S/S 24. WGSN . Retrieved February 21, 2023, from https://www.wgsn.com/fashion/article/
62d04a4d0c459a5b98b1c567?lang=en
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ion/article/6398a7bc995aec17a47d4548?lang=en
Astakhova, E. (2022). Old window with wooden frame. photograph.
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 Work Cited

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