How I Stay Fashion-Informed for Free
Resources Every Fashion Lover Should Know About
When I say these resources shouldn’t be free, it’s because they are so good I would still pay money for it (but I’m glad we all have access to it). The issue is, not many people actually use these or know about it. This list is a range of resources from reports, to apps that are at your disposal to use for whatever fashion research you are doing.
These reports focus on marketing tactics in fashion and luxury with in depth research and data supporting their inferences and predictions. I love looking through the fashion week reports after each season and seeing if my predictions were correct on things such as which brand had the highest EMV (Earned media value) or which marketing strategy started a trend.
I had the pleasure of working on two of their reports when I interned their, and those skills are something I kept with me to be able to read between the lines of moments in fashion and understand what it means in the wider fashion and media landscape. I would definitely recommend reading their reports and keeping up to date with their LinkedIn that hosts smaller reports.
The two reports I worked on during my time interning with Karla Otto: AW24 Womenswear Roundup and Marketing in a World of Paradox
Vogue app
If you’re in fashion, chances are you already know about this app. It is such a great central resource for current and archival fashion. You can scroll through to see collections of almost every high fashion designer under the sun. Each design in the collections are captured with multiple angle in the photos as you swipe. These are all supported by a written feature describing the collection.
After seeing and learning about the collections, you have the opportunity to test your knowledge with quizzes to retain the information even better.
The Business of Fashion newsletter is a must-read for anyone serious about understanding the industry beyond the runway. It breaks down key business moves, cultural shifts, and global market trends in a way that’s digestible but never dumbed down. Whether you're a student or just starting your career, getting into the habit of reading it sharpens your industry vocabulary and gives you a clearer view of how fashion operates as a global business.
Listening to their podcast is like being a fly on a wall in a room full of the minds shaping fashion today. From CEOs to designers and thought leaders, the guests offer raw insight into the decisions, challenges, and philosophies behind the scenes. I like to listen to it during my commutes and make notes on key takeaways. For anyone interested in the future of fashion, listening in on these conversations is a must.
Pinterest Predicts is an underrated gem for growing your fashion knowledge. Unlike traditional trend reports, it taps into real-time user behavior to forecast what people will actually be searching for in the coming year. This means you’re not just seeing what’s popular now, you’re getting a peek into what’s next. For anyone interested in fashion communication, content creation, or even styling, these insights can shape your moodboards, social posts, and even your shopping habits. It’s like having a fashion crystal ball, powered by data.
Books
I saved this one until last because it’s not exactly a free resource. However, if you are a student, you do have free access to your school’s library and that is not just a place where pages collects dust. This is something I have to make more use of too with only 3 months left of uni, these books aren’t cheap. Some uni libraries host invaluable archives that you can’t buy in shops so this is not something to overlook. Books are a classic that can’t be overlooked. If anything, listen to the audiobook versions, but there is nothing like the feeling of slipping through and annotating the pages of a good book.
I’ll be doing a separate blog post about fashion books I have and would recommend! So make sure to subscribe for alerts on latest posts.
