No supplier or agent can tell you for certain what will sell next season, and anyone who claims to should be treated with care. What you can do is build most of your range on styles that have sold steadily for years, and keep a smaller share for new designs that you test before committing.
This article explains which styles have been steady, which signals are worth watching, and how to order so that a missed trend costs little.
Styles that have stayed steady
- Gold-tone basics: simple chains, hoops, studs and pendants sell year after year in most markets.
- American diamond and CZ: bridal and party sets in white and rose tones have kept a strong following.
- Kundan and polki-look sets: the core of the Indian wedding and festival trade at home and abroad.
- Oxidised silver-tone pieces: steady demand for a boho and ethnic look, especially jhumkas and chokers.
- Pearls: they move in and out of fashion, but rarely disappear.
Signals worth watching
- Wedding and festival calendars: orders for Diwali, Eid and the wedding season are placed months ahead, so early enquiries show what is moving.
- Film and celebrity looks: Indian films and wedding photos on social media drive demand among diaspora buyers.
- Your own sales data: sell-through and reorders tell you more than any forecast.
- Maker launches: Rajkot workshops release new designs through the year, and what they choose to sample reflects what their domestic buyers are asking for. See how Rajkot makers launch new designs.
- Marketplace search terms and best-seller lists in your own market.
Ordering so that a miss costs little
Split each order between core styles and new ones. Keep reorders of proven designs as the base, and add new designs at the lowest MOQ the maker accepts. If a new piece sells through, reorder in volume. If it does not, the loss is small.
Ask whether a new design can share moulds, stones or findings with an existing one. A colour or plating change on a proven shape is a cheaper test than a completely new design.
What this means for a buyer
Treat trend pieces as tests, not bets. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing, and helps you plan core and test lines with Rajkot makers so that the first order stays small. Book a free sourcing review to plan your next collection.