Erica Francis
Future Festival Coordinator
Toronto · Member since Apr 2016
262Published Articles
255.9KArticle Views
Erica is a Jane of All Trades and brings a diverse skill set to Trend Hunter. Education wise, she has earned a diploma in Fashion Business from George Brown College and a degree in Marketing with a minor in Law from Ryerson University. When it comes to careers, she's had the opportunity to work in fashion, analytics, banking, and marketing. She truly is both left-brained and right-brained.
Trend hunting came naturally to Erica. While in university she found a way to connect her love for fashion with her education in marketing. Recognizing the impact of social media in its early stages she capitalized on it in 2009 and launched her first blog based on fashion and lifestyle.
Although Erica is a Toronto native, after moving to the UK for half a year, she now considers England her second home. Her passion for traveling is undeniable and she loves discovering new places and cultures. In her down time you'll see Erica chasing fun experiences like taking dance classes, trying new restaurants or attending one of a kind events.
Trend hunting came naturally to Erica. While in university she found a way to connect her love for fashion with her education in marketing. Recognizing the impact of social media in its early stages she capitalized on it in 2009 and launched her first blog based on fashion and lifestyle.
Although Erica is a Toronto native, after moving to the UK for half a year, she now considers England her second home. Her passion for traveling is undeniable and she loves discovering new places and cultures. In her down time you'll see Erica chasing fun experiences like taking dance classes, trying new restaurants or attending one of a kind events.
Featured Ideas
Athletic Training Cabins
The 'Summer Sport' Cabin Makes Training at Home Easy for Amateur AthletesAt-Home Athletic Training — Athletic training cabins offer a new opportunity for people to train at home with professional-grade equipment.Gender-Reversed Superheroes
Marvel's 'Iron Man' Tony Stark is Set to Be Replaced by 'Iron Woman'Diverse Superheroes — Creating superheroes with different ethnicities and genders opens opportunities for the company to cater to a wider audience and potentially increase profits.Interactive Contortionist Lookbooks
Diesel's Lookbook Shows the Flexibility of Its DenimResponsive Lookbooks — Interactive and customizable lookbooks that allow viewers to engage with the product and see different angles and perspectives.Adult Olympic Ads
PornHub's 'Ooohlympics' Campaign is a Punny Initiative Against the Zika VirusPun-Based Campaigns — Companies can create humorous and tasteful campaigns that go beyond traditional advertising.Geo-Location Dating Apps
The Bod App is a Plan B for Online Dates Gone BadGeo-Location Dating — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop a geo-location dating app that specifically targets users on bad online dates, allowing them to find someone new in real-time.Desexualized Body Portraits
Lovis Osternrik's Photo Series Features Contorted Human BodiesDesexualized Body Portraits — Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing new ways to challenge social taboos around nudity through artistic representations.Artificial Memory Implants
'Neurofeedback' Allows False Memories to Be Added to the BrainNeurofeedback Technology — The development of neurofeedback technology opens up opportunities for manipulating and implanting memories in the brain.Multi-Use Sleeping Bags
The 'Kachula' Sleeping Bag Can Turn into a Pillow and a HoodieMulti-Use Outdoor Gear — Designing outdoor gear that serves multiple functions creates opportunities for compact, versatile and sustainable products.Fashionable Disney Characters
Disney's 'Inside Out' Characters are Recreated as Fashion QueensDisney-inspired fashion — Opportunity for fashion brands to create collections based on popular Disney characters.Oceanic Luxury Car Designs
'Garage Italia Customs' Designed a Wave-Inspired Alfa Romeo 4CHand-painted Car Designs — There is an opportunity to disrupt the traditional car painting industry by offering customized hand-painted designs like Garage Italia Customs' Alfa Romeo 4C Hokusai.Anti-Body Shaming Letters
Plus-Size Model Ashley Graham Speaks Out in an Essay for 'Lenny Letter'Body-Positive Movement — There is a growing demand for body-positive messages and representation, creating opportunities for companies to cater to the needs of body-aware women.Video Game Olympic Outfits
'Overwatch' Features Characters in Limited-Edition Olympic GarbLimited-Edition Video Game Outfits — Incorporating limited-edition outfits into video games for a short period of time can entice players to spend more and increase engagement.Q&A with Erica
What is unique that's not in your bio?
My love for travel has taken me to every majorly inhabited continent in the world.
What's your favorite accomplishment?
Being able to pay for my first car and my education, including my university exchange to the UK, and still graduating debt free.
How do you define cool?
I think the concept of "cool" is really subjective but the underlying aspect for me is a level of confidence exuded by a person or brand.
What is your secret to uncovering trends?
Curiousity.
What do you enjoy most about Trend Hunter?
The insane amount of content that shows you how innovative and diverse humans are.
What is your favorite trend?
Divergent fashion
What are your tips for writing a juicy post?
Research! You need to take the time to understand your topic.
How do you reset to be creative?
Recently I disconnected myself from social media for a month and in doing so I found new ways to keep myself busy.
What inspires or excites you?
Seeing opportunities where I can be creative and be able to learn about topics I find appealing. Music, being with amazing people, traveling....really the list can go on.
Predict something awesome for 2020?
Digital passports (one can hope)!