FASHION BUSINESS
Fabric Forecast
Spring 2019
Fabric is the bare-bones that can make or break any garment . Designers and product development teams go on legendary hunts to procure materials that can translate the season ’ s concepts well into reality .
For Spring 2019 , the trends focus on a sanguine fluidity . The consumer wants products that appear feathery light and enticing to touch . However , this does not mean that s / he is willing to sacrifice on quality .
Rather the move is towards materials that last longer , perform better and have a sense of natural protection embedded in them . As the conversation around sustainability gets louder each year , the product teams will have to devise ways of hybridising all the options available to them like regenerated , ethically produced , natural or man-made synthetics , to get the best results .
Going forward , designers are moving towards clothing that is transitional , can be worn across seasons . Gender-specificity has already been discarded by some of the big names in the luxury industry . While this may not be a trend for mass market yet , it is surely going to define the way people perceive clothing .
Brands and retailers have to cater to a wide range of demands as always and thus , crossbreed mishmash is a key theme . Adding a little adventure to city life , nature to synthetics or just a little glamour to day-to-day clothing for a ‘ jack of all trades ’ approach is non-negotiable .
From the more basic sportsloving performance wear , to how textile designers are reinventing minimalism , here are some of the most directional trends for fabrics and materials for Spring / Summer 2019 .
SUMPTUOUS SIMPLICITY
It is no news to anyone that value addition has gone down in the last couple of years . Trends fixate more on basics , and similarly Spring 2019 is a season of visual simplicity that is still rich on a closer look . The focus is moving towards suave suppleness and quality , wherein the idea is to bring back the archives and add a modern twist .
Isha Jain , Senior Designer , ITX Services agrees with the theme , adding , “ Fashion has become much cleaner . You will not see a lot of embroideries ; it is more about the crepe , textures and heavy jacquards that you usually see in upholstery . We are also into very fine Turkish and Moroccan fabrics that are doing well . Even the styling has changed to make silhouettes cleaner so that the fabric is in focus . Details like draped neckline , contrast pipelines or neckties are what we are focusing on …”
Everyday fabrics in tonal earthy shades with subtle slub or nepping to attain a bucolic textured noise quality will be the go-to way to achieve a hand-woven feel . According to Ariane Bigot , Deputy Fashion Director of Premiere Vision Paris , “ It is a season of noble plains and sophisticated mélanges , and density is a gauge of luxury .”
Surfaces with effects like dobby stitch for a folksy appeal , hazy powder-like to touch as well as dynamic patterns that channel a crafty mood , together finish this hybrid neo-vintage story .
Opaque silks with the roundness of organza , seersuckers with more
38 Apparel Online India | JUNE 1-15 , 2018 | www . apparelresources . com