It’s serious business, this business of forecasting trends. Manufacturers and retailers in every industry literally stake their fortunes on coming out with the right stuff at the right time, decisions they must make several years in advance.

Where do the forecasters get their info? Here’s an insight from the Executive Director of Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman, writing in The New York Times Magazine’s issue on The Future last November:

“Forecasting…is not ‘This color hasn’t been hot — let’s do that,’ Leatrice said. Instead, forecasters look for new color influences in fashion, cosmetics, pop culture — what films are in production or on the drawing board.

She cited “Shrek” as an example: “I can remember seeing the early drawing in Variety, and…that bright yellow green. That’s a color that hasn’t been prominent, I thought. We need to pay attention to that….because it’s on the drawing board now, it’ll have the biggest impact in a year or two.”