Lauren Deatherage, Class of 2003
“The best part about attending LIM College was having the balance of hands-on business and creative studies in a nurturing environment. The internship programs allowed me to gain vital experience and become accustomed to fashion industry environments.”
As a Product Trend Analyst for Cotton Incorporated, Lauren Deatherage has to apply the skills she honed at LIM College to forecast patterns on a global scale.
Lauren’s duties include researching and developing comprehensive seasonal trend forecasts 18-24 months ahead of the selling season for mills, knitters, converters, manufacturers, designers and retailers. As a trend analyst, she must continually conduct extensive research internationally to find the most forward thinking concepts in color, fabric and apparel silhouettes. Through this global research, Lauren must monitor culture variants and keeps a pulse on lifestyle trends and consumer attitudes that directly affect the fashion and apparel textile markets.
On a daily basis she consults with mills, major manufacturers and large retailers, and provides them with innovative ideas and product direction. In addition to domestic companies, she works with influential clientele and presents at major industry trade shows throughout Europe, the Far East, Central and South America.
Lauren majored in Fashion Merchandising and completed her BBA in 2003 after having earned an associate degree in Visual Merchandising. She completed several internships, including being a Color Analyst intern at Natalie Purr Forecasting as a junior and during her senior year she worked as a Product Trend Analyst intern for Cotton Incorporated, which is what led to her career there today.
