One of the world’s most famous trend researchers. She analyses moods, fashions and feelings and translates them into trends. Famous for her lively and inspiring speeches, her highly innovative and unusual audiovisuals have a huge impact on what the products of tomorrow will be.
Li announces the concepts, colours and materials which will be in fashion two or more years in advance because “there is no creation without advance knowledge, and without design, a product cannot exist.” In this way, she and her closely-knit teams orientate professionals in interpreting the evolution of society and the foreshadowing signals of consumer tastes to come, without forgetting economic reality.
The Dutch-born Edelkoort studied fashion and design at the School of Fine Arts in Arnhem, and upon graduation became a trend forecaster at the leading Dutch department store, De Bijenkorf. There, she discovered her talent for sensing upcoming trends and her unique ability to predict what consumers would want to buy several seasons ahead of time. This brought her to Paris in 1975, where she working first as an independent trend consultant and soon created Trend Union, the go-to source for trend forecasting for the fashion, beauty, retail, automotive, consumer electronics and interior design industries. Twice a year with Trend Union, Li tours the world to present her fashion and interiors trends audiovisuals, starting in Paris and then visiting Stockholm, Copenhagen, London, Amsterdam, Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Sao Paolo, Capetown and more. Li also makes trend presentations upon request for companies, industry associations or institutions. With her team, Li has created trend forums and audiovisuals which have remained imprinted in the minds of the textile and design community through installations for Première Vision in the 90s and more recently for Pitti Filati, Pratotrade and Moda Pelle.
She counts Philips Electronics, Nissan, Virgin, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Estée Lauder, Wella, Camper, Donna Karan, Jean Patou, Lancôme, and L’Oréal among her 1,500-plus international clients.
Since she has been nominated as Chairwoman of the Design Academy Eindhoven, this already well-known institution has gained a reputation with her vision on the future of education…
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