Dion Chang

Izimvo is honoured to introduce a man with an eye on the future; Trend Analyst: Dion Chang.

Dion, an innovator, creative thinker and visionary, is a sought-after trend analyst with a unique global perspective. Having worked in various fields in the magazine and fashion industries, Dion is currently a Trend Analyst at Flux Trends, a company which he started in 2007. He has written a book based on his popular cartoon character Gloria, has sat on the judging panel of South Africa’s premier magazine awards, and has faced the nation as a TV presenter.

His trends analysis company, Flux Trends, is responsible for launching the groundbreaking annual Flux Trend Review which is being held in Johannesburg from the 25th Feb 2010.

Website: http://www.fluxtrends.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dionchang
Location: Johannesburg

Dion was kind enough to answer the following questions:

Personal

Q: The all important personal profile. How would a close friend introduce you at a social event? i.e. Name, age, company, interesting fact etc.

A: Dion Chang, Trend Analyst from Flux Trends.

Q: Tell us something that not many others know about you. This could be anything from a phobia to your favorite movie.

A: People who read my column know me quite well. I also release a lot of personal information through online services such as Twitter. The stuff that people don’t know, they shouldn’t know and are not going to know :)

As for my favorite movie of all time, a movie that really made an impression on me is Blade Runner. It was the first movie that was a realistic look at what the future could be.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you want to get away from it all?

A: Three days in the bush for me is like three weeks away. I’ve booked a stay at a tented camp just before Easter and plan to completely disconnect. Something others might also not know about me is that I really enjoy roughing it. The bush is good!

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South  Africa would you like it to be?

A: I’m very happy with the home that I have in Johannesburg but saying that I used to love going down to Plettenberg Bay. I’ve actually been down every year for about 20 years during the off-season in February. A nice little place right on the beach would be great.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property. Be sure to view the video and the virtual tour of this this magnificent R20m property located between Plettenberg Bay and Knysna just of the N2.

South African Trends

Q: Your company, Flux Trends, identifies lifestyle trends that will affect the way we live, work and do business. What was the impetus for starting the company and who was your first client?

A: A lot of people have asked me why I gave up fashion. In retrospect, I got into fashion during a time when there were big design movements from places like Japan, Belguim etc. As we crossed into the new millennium, it became more about getting the look of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and less about actual fashion. Fashion seemed to be chasing its own tail and going in circles.

The reason why I started Flux trends is that I was always interested in the psychology of the trend and not really the trend itself. I was not interested in that grey was the new black but wanted to know why. What did it say about society. If you go back to the purest fashion, which is what I really like, it was always a reflection of the times, the zeitgeist.

In essence that is what Flux does, we look at social trends, consumer trends and social dynamics.

Q: Tell us about the 2010 Flux Trends Review that you will be presenting in Johannesburg from the 25th February?

A: The Flux Trends Review is now in its third year. I kick-started the company Flux Trends with a conference and since then, we have also published two books.  The 2010 Flux Trends Review dove-tails with the launch of the 2010 book publication. We are building a multimedia way of looking at the world.

At the core of Flux Trends is the belief that there is way too much information and not enough knowledge. How all the reviews work, whether in book or   conference form, is that specialists in various fields are brought in to provide an executive summary of the world. From advertising, politics, technology, popular culture etc. Each specialist is given 30 minutes and is tasked with providing only the need-to-know. You therefore, in a single day, are given a complete look at where we are in the world. Our company byline is “The State We Are In” and that is exactly what we try to provide.

This year is special as we have collaborated with a company called Studio 4332 who are linked to Proximity Worldwide. Day two of the Flux Trend Review, which is free,  is called Digital Lab. Previously hosted in New York and London and the first time in South Africa, it is a complete focus on the digital space.

Gloria's guide to fabulousness

Q: You are well-known for your work within the fashion industry. Looking back, what projects or milestones are your most proud of and which of the skills learnt during this time have served you best in your current role as trends analyst and entrepreneur?

A: If I look back at my magazine career, being part of the launch team of Elle South Africa was a great experience. Elle came at a stage when international magazines were just starting to make an appearance on the local scene and to be a part of that was something really special.

The other that served me best in terms of what I am doing now is my experience as the program director and spokesperson of SA Fashion Week. I’d say that while I was there, we witnessed the birth of local design. Holmes Brothers, Stoned Cherry, Black Coffee were just starting to push the envelope. It was a very special time ,watching and being part of that movement. What I learnt most was business, sponsorship and that the creative side, needs a business head.

Q: One of the trends of 2010 as identified by Flux Trends is the rise of social media. It describes how social media is breaking down the conventional boundaries such as race and culture. Are you seeing this locally in the way that South African companies market to their customers or is this trend yet to make a true impact on the South African socio-economic landscape?

A: In South Africa, people sideline social media services such as Facebook, Blogs and Twitter as merely tools. We loose the fact that social media is redirecting the way in which we connect with each other at a fundamental level.

Consumers are using social media tools to breakdown conventional industry pillars such as mass market advertising, print media and ownership. The loan fashion editor is no longer that voice of authority, it is now peer-to-peer. An example of this being how young girls look to magazines for ideas but not for the voice of authority that they once did. Social media is something we cannot ignore.

Q: What is the one trend that will have the greatest impact on ordinary South Africans in the coming years?

A: That has got to be the Seacom cable that landed in South Africa in 2009. The promise of its potential bandwidth will change the lives of most South Africans. Everyone might not have access to a computer but most have access to a cellphone. Once our bandwidth becomes better and cheaper, it will bring a true social revolution.

Q: What can we look forward to from Flux Trends in 2010?

A: More of the same. 2009 was a very good recession for us with 2010 being an incredible threshold of change, the recession breaking the banks of a lot of things that were waiting in the wings.

The increase in corporate interest indicates that people are becoming aware of the change and are starting to embrace it. We are also looking to spread our philosophy that the left brain way of thinking, empirical, linear, charts, stats etc, is becoming obsolete in the 21st century. Stats do not tell the full human story in a digital age. The strength of Flux is that we talk about those human stories.

Dion Chang

Life in South Africa

Q: Have you or any of your immediate family been affected by crime? If yes, has it changed your perception of the country and the way you and your family live your lives?

A: Yes, immediate family have been involved in horrific violent crime including being tied-up, burnt with irons etc. While it has changed some of their perceptions it has not changed mine. I consider myself a global citizen but a proud South African. Where a lot people see doom and gloom, I see positive opportunity. We can’t sit and moan about social problems if we don’t get up and do something about it. There are untold social problems that we tend to sweep under the carpet.

The world is slowly changing from a “me or an I” mentality to a “we or a us”. You see it on so many levels where people are starting to band together. We need to activate that here in South Africa.

Crime has clouded my perception but has not removed my hope.

Q: South Africa’s greatest export is?

A:Besides wooden giraffes? There are quite a few things. Our cultural African roots of Ubuntu, which is ingrained in our population, is ahead of the times in terms of where the world is going.

Life in Johannesburg

Q: What do you enjoy most about living in Johannesburg?

A: I love what I call Joburg central which is in the Parks. Parkhurst, Parktown, Craighall Park etc. What I enjoy about Johannesburg is that it is the World’s largest man-made forest, the kind of high street living it offers and the many little hidden surprises.

Q: What are Johannesburg’s must-see attractions for visitors to the Soccer World Cup?

A: For historic contest then places like the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill. A modern snapshot of contemporary South Africa is the Rosebank area. The mix of people, the rooftop flea market on a Sunday etc.

General

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: A book for everyone is The Art of Power by world-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and national bestselling author Thich Nhat Hanh. It deals with the differences in power between the eastern and western worlds.

Q: Favorite South African brand?

Q: The quintessential brand has to be Mrs Balls Chutney followed Ouma Rusks.

We’d like to thank Dion for taking the time to answer our questions and wish him every success for the future.

For more information on the 2010 Flux Trends Review, visit the Flux Trends website or Giuli Osso at giuli@gocomms.co.za to reserve your seat.