Carla Buzasi
President and chief executive of WGSN
Carla Buzasi is president and chief executive of WGSN, the trend forecasting company used by thousands of fashion, beauty and consumer businesses. A former journalist and founding editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post UK, she moved into trend forecasting in 2014 and has led WGSN as it has integrated data science and AI into its forecasts.
| Role | President and CEO of WGSN |
|---|---|
| Organisation | WGSN, founded 1998 |
| Joined trend forecasting | 2014 |
| Previously | Founding editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post UK |
| Clients | 6,500+ companies (company figure) |
Who is Carla Buzasi?
Carla Buzasi is the president and chief executive of WGSN, a trend forecasting business founded in 1998. WGSN analyses cultural, consumer and market shifts to deliver forecasts across fashion, beauty, interiors and other industries. It says more than 6,500 companies use its services, including 53 of the world's 100 largest brands according to Interbrand's Best Global Brands 2025.
Career
Buzasi spent around 15 years in editorial roles before moving into trend forecasting in 2014. Her journalism career included:
- Founding editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post UK
- Editorial director for the global Huffington Post brand
- Roles at Marie Claire, Glamour and Vogue.com
- Contributions to The Guardian and a seat on The Telegraph Media Group's advisory board
At The Huffington Post UK she was named Editor of the Year at the Online Media Awards in 2012 and 2013. She is a frequent speaker at conferences including SXSW, Cannes Lions, TEDx and Web Summit, where she focuses on helping business leaders anticipate future market and consumer trends.
Influence on the fashion business
WGSN's forecasts are used by designers, merchandisers, buyers and marketers to inform colours, materials, products and consumer strategy. Under Buzasi the company has broadened its scope from fashion into wider consumer forecasting, using its proprietary STEPIC framework for consumer forecasting. Its annual colour forecasts, such as its Colour of 2026, are widely referenced across the industry.
Carla Buzasi and technology
WGSN has increasingly combined human analysis with data. The company draws on five proprietary data feeds, covering social, sentiment, search, shelf and shows, and consults around 2,800 third-party data sources. Its TrendCurve AI model combines machine learning with analyst expertise to forecast the trajectory of trends, and its Pulse feature adds generative AI search to its research platform. Buzasi has led the business through this shift from editorial trend reporting to data-backed forecasting.
Why it matters
For fashion brands, retailers and suppliers, WGSN is one of the most influential sources of trend intelligence. Carla Buzasi's leadership reflects how forecasting has evolved from expert intuition towards a hybrid of human insight, data and AI, and how media skills in storytelling remain central to turning data into decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Carla Buzasi?
Carla Buzasi is president and chief executive of WGSN, the trend forecasting company. She was previously the founding editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post UK and moved into trend forecasting in 2014.
How does WGSN use AI?
WGSN combines analyst expertise with data from proprietary feeds and around 2,800 third-party sources. Its TrendCurve AI model uses machine learning to forecast trend trajectories, and its Pulse feature offers generative AI search.