Lidewij Edelkoort's positive outlook

Once again this summer, the grand dame of trend forecasting will share her always hopeful, inspired, and instantly applicable outlook during her talk at Modefabriek. A rare opportunity, as her seminars and lectures are usually far less accessible. “It’s going to be a joyful talk,” she says, “and just like last time, we’ve reserved plenty of time for a Q&A session. That always leads to something valuable.”

Lidewij Edelkoort will turn 75 this summer, but she shows no signs of slowing down. She enjoys global acclaim in a field she helped shape and increasingly sees her work as a form of positive activism. This is also why she invests so much of her time and vision in education, she currently leads a textile master’s program at Polimoda in Florence, and in projects like inspirational books on uplifting themes and the annual World Hope Forum, showcasing real-life examples of how the world can change, for the better.

In her Amsterdam studio, located next to the botanical garden Hortus, we sat down for a preview of her upcoming Modefabriek talk.

“I have a wonderful life,” she says of her unstoppable drive to work, “because it constantly demands change, innovation, insight, and curiosity. You can’t cling to what is, you have to keep going and understand what’s really happening. It’s a very interesting way to live.”

This level of expertise is something that companies deeply rely on.

“Whether it’s a fashion brand, an automotive company, or something in the food industry, it all comes down to strategy: what’s new, what’s coming, how can we do better, create better, and consume less. That last part has been a core message of mine since the '90s. Not everyone listened back then, but I’m starting to see a shift. You always envision an ideal scenario, a perfect offering, a meaningful place, a new, more attentive and loving approach. And those things are finally happening. We’re seeing real progress.”

It’s still fascinating how the market, with all its numbers and data, continues to underestimate creativity, as if we're somehow missing the point.

“We creatives have learned the lesson, and made a lot of money for others in the process. When I sell a colour chart with five shades, which isn’t cheap, my clients can sometimes earn billions from it. That’s how it works.”

Which means creatives need to be assertive.

“That’s exactly what my talk is about, it’s about instinct. That’s what we have in common with animals, my upcoming book is all about them, but we humans tend to ignore our instincts. Yet it can be a real asset, especially if you learn to listen to those intuitive nudges at just the right moment. I’m opening the talk with a quote from Coco Chanel. She said that in times of crisis, you’re automatically forced to think about authenticity. That’s brilliant advice. We’re in the most intense crisis I’ve ever experienced, where fakeness reigns. Which makes authenticity even more valuable. And AI, one of the big concerns of our time, won’t be getting instinct any time soon. Probably never. So, it will never possess true authenticity either.”

Recharge your business and creative intuition this summer with Lidewij Edelkoort’s Trend Talk. Why will Fall-Winter ‘25-’26 be all about animals? What’s the growing role of workwear? And why are clean, radical choices more relevant than ever? Lidewij will delve into all of this and more on Monday, July 7 at 11:00 AM during the summer edition of Modefabriek, held at Taets Art & Event Park on the HEMbrugterrein in Zaandam.

Capacity is limited, so secure your ticket HERE.