What's the trendy colors, fabric and styles for the coming
season? Barbara Kennington, creative and editorial director of
WGSN, the world's leading trend analysis and news service for the
fashion industry gave a seminar in Beijing recently which was
attended by Chinese designers, manufactures, buyers, retailers and
marketers.
In terms of colors, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, red and
new neutrals of mustard, camel and wolf grey, will be big for the
coming season, according to Kennington, who came to prominence in
the early 1980s and set up her own fashion design label straight
out of college as one of the London "new wave" of designers.
The fabric of this model's dress is likely to
be hot for the Autumn/Winter season.
The hot fabric for Autumn/Winter 2007/08 is velvet. As one of the
"must-haves" in Autumn/Winter 2007/08, Kennington says: "Plush
velvets are perfect for updating smocks, pinafores, casual jackets
and party pieces. We particularly love Balenciaga's shrunken
Napoleonic velvet blazers, working perfectly into the season's
uniform-inspired mood."
Other must-haves include the plaid coat, while necklace-effect
collars will become the new hot embellishment for both day and
evening wear. Elsewhere, expect to see classic biker jacket
reworked with metallic leather finishes, softer silhouettes and
cropped lengths and puffa jackets using innovative quilting
patterns.
In regards to styles, WGSN cited the following five major themes
based on its early research on consumer attitudes, lifestyle
influences, cultural moods and shifts:
The '40s femme fatale: 1940s-style military-inspired shapes such
as sherling flight jackets and plaid coats. Styling has squared
shoulders, sweetheart necklines and flippy hemlines with bow-tied
satin blouses.
Young sophisticates: Long and lean, featuring minimal detailing
for a chic, sophisticated look. Styling takes reference from the
languid elegance of the late 1920s. Short hemlines and boyish fits
keep the look young and fresh.
Fairytale folk: A rich interplay of print and textures is key to
creating this look while decorative details, such as delicate
pleating and softly gathered effects, add to the romantic appeal.
Soft lofty knits, felted wools and plaids, and woollen embroideries
are important too.
Barbara Kennington, creative and editorial
director of WGSN.
Medieval: Look to lustrous fabrics such as tone-on-tone
brocades, glossy satins, plush velvets, high-shine leather and
synthetics to modernize the look. There is a strong trend for
surface dimension informs quilted, ruched, dimensional pleating and
armor-like decoration combined with heavy metal hardware and
leather trims.
Ethnic eclectic: Key to creating this eclectic look is the
confident mixing of print and pattern references and symbols for a
mixed up, multi-cultural effect. Surface embellishment is key,
hence frogging, brass buttons, toggles, plaited braids, decorative
medallions and crests.
In addition to the coming two seasons, Kennington also revealed
that techno intimacy, desert art and knitted tags are the three
things that may be hot in the future.
Techno intimacy is a project in development with London's Royal
College of Art that considers future human behavior and interaction
and designs new products around the findings.
Kennington showed two examples of techno intimacy: One is
"biojewellery", a wedding ring made from one bone that was
lab-nurtured from bone cells of two people. The other is a "hug
shirt" that lets one feel the embrace from a loved one far away.
Via bluetooth, a mobile phone can trigger sensors in the shirt,
which in turn gently "hugs" the wearer.
Desert art is the second major inspiration.
"In recent months, we've noted a growing trend for eco-conscious
art, highlighting artists who are re-evaluating our relationship
with nature," says Kennington,
"With green issues at the top of the political agenda -and
increasingly of importance to the consumer, especially where home
and fashion products are concerned - art and objects that reflect
the beauty of the world's great landscapes are becoming
increasingly inspirational and influential."
Knitted tags was an idea launched by two American textile
artists who decided to use leftover yarn to brighten their home
city of New York.
"Now these crazy tags can be found everywhere warming a stone on
the Great Wall of China, hugging a Parisian street sign or
decorating the Manhattan subway - just delightful," she adds.
(China Daily September 7, 2007)
