Apparently popularity can be predicted and companies buy it. Increasingly, fashion brands are relying on trend forecasting agencies to create the “next big thing.” However, fashion buyer Mahir Can Işik says these predictions put creativity at risk of no longer being relevant. (Currently, more than 12,000 brands get their forecasts from the same agency.) Işik calls for a renaissance of self-expression and individuality in order to break free from the sterile suggestions of forecasters.

About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and new approaches to complex problems can be discovered at visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share this information. Each year, TED works with a select group of companies and foundations to identify inner idealists, inventors, connectors and creators. Building on the same rigorous regimen that prepared speakers for TED's main stage, the TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive development of one-on-one talks to hone and refine ideas.

Learn more at http://www.ted.com/ted-institute

Follow the TED Institute on Twitter @TEDPartners
Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TEDInstitute

Please take the opportunity to connect and share this video with your friends and family if you find it useful.