Li Edelkoort
Trend forecaster and founder of Trend Union
Li Edelkoort is a Dutch trend forecaster and the founder of Trend Union, whose trend books are used by strategists, designers and marketers at international brands. Often described as one of the world's most famous forecasters, she has also shaped design education as chair of Design Academy Eindhoven and at Parsons School of Design.
| Role | Founder of Trend Union |
|---|---|
| Founded | Trend Union, 1986 |
| Education | Chair of Design Academy Eindhoven (1999 to 2008) |
| Born | 1950 |
| Nationality | Dutch |
Who is Li Edelkoort?
Lidewij (Li) Edelkoort is one of the best known trend forecasters in fashion and design. Through her Paris based company Trend Union, founded in 1986, she produces trend books that combine colour, materials and lifestyle insights and are used by brands to plan collections and products years ahead.
Career
Edelkoort established Trend Union as a forecasting studio serving the fashion, textile and design industries. Its biannual trend books became a reference for design teams, offering visual and conceptual direction rather than simple lists of products.
Her career also has a strong educational strand:
- Chairwoman of Design Academy Eindhoven from 1999 to 2008
- Appointed in 2015 by Parsons School of Design in New York to lead textile focused hybrid design studies
- Lectures and exhibitions for design and fashion audiences around the world
Recent Trend Union publications include Proud South (2024), RE RUG (2024), Proud South Craft (2025), which celebrates creative forces of the Global South, and Uxua Utopia (2025), presented as a design tool for aesthetic activism. In her forecast for autumn and winter 2026/27, presented in July 2025, she described a shift away from streetwear towards more classic, conventional clothing, saying that "convention is becoming very important".
Influence on the fashion business
Trend forecasting helps companies reduce uncertainty in a business where design, sourcing and production decisions are taken long before products reach stores. Edelkoort's work has influenced colour palettes, materials and moods across fashion, interiors and consumer goods. Unlike purely data driven approaches, her method relies on cultural observation and interpretation, linking design with social change, craft and the values of consumers. Trend Union describes its books as tools for strategists, designers and marketers at international brands, which means her ideas often reach consumers indirectly, through the collections, colour stories and campaigns of companies that subscribe to them.
Her recognition includes appointment as Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in France (2008), an honorary doctorate from Nottingham Trent University (2008) and an award from the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (2012). Time magazine named her one of the 25 most influential fashion experts.
Why it matters
As brands use more data and algorithmic tools to predict demand, Edelkoort's career shows the enduring value of qualitative, culturally informed foresight. Her emphasis on craft, textiles and the Global South also reflects wider shifts in how the industry thinks about creativity, sourcing and responsibility, and her teaching roles have influenced generations of designers.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Li Edelkoort?
Li Edelkoort is a Dutch trend forecaster and the founder of Trend Union, a Paris based company that publishes trend books for fashion and design. She also chaired Design Academy Eindhoven from 1999 to 2008.
What is Trend Union?
Trend Union is the forecasting company Edelkoort founded in 1986. It creates trend books with colour, material and lifestyle direction that are used by strategists, designers and marketers at international brands.