Vaccine record checks, hand sanitizing stations and mask mandates were routine this week at Coterie’s return to New York City. The Informa Fashion Markets-owned trade show gave women’s contemporary brands a chance to interact face-to-face with buyers looking to stock their stores with existing bestsellers and the top Spring/Summer 2022 trends.
Though in-person events have not returned to a level of total normalcy, apparel brands in attendance compensated with vibrant colors and bold statement pieces that spoke volumes about their post-pandemic attitudes.
Extravagant colors
Many trend forecasters have pointed to colorful denim for the spring, citing key hues like purple, green and pink as the most in-demand. In fact, product intelligence company Trendalytics recently reported that Zara’s colorful wide-leg jeans helped the fast-fashion retailer take the No. 1 spot in terms of search growth after the style went viral on TikTok.
Women’s brands took note, as indigo was almost hidden in a sea of vibrant tangerines and kiwi throughout the show floor. Brazilian label Andreza Chagas offered a range of matching sets, with lime green short-sleeved button down shirts paired with coordinating shorts accented with handmade lace trim along the waistband. The range was complemented by bubblegum pink shorts and blue-and-white striped denim co-ord pieces marked by puffed sleeves and the designer’s signature double and triple buttons.
Mavi’s display also centered on its extensive range of colors, showcasing bestselling kick-flare silhouettes in peach, lavender, green and mustard. Similarly, Tractr showed off its penchant for purple with lilac skinny mid-rise jeans with a frayed hem, along with electric purple skinny jean coupled with a matching shacket. Also on display was a denim mini-skirt and high-rise skinny jean in a white-and-gray camouflage print.
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Los Angeles-based brand The Nu Vintage broadcasts owner Jacques Artine Kevorkian’s background in denim washing with tie-dye and acid-wash jeans anchoring the collection’s vibrant display of reconstructed vintage.
Two-toned denim was a top feature for brands such as Siwy, which offered a cropped straight leg in faded black denim with brown side taping and a light-wash straight-leg jean with dark-wash reinforcements along the knee. Dip-dye techniques and destroyed hems featured throughout the collection.
L.A.-based Black Orchid also showcased an array of shorts and skinny jeans with pink-and-white tie-dye effects.
Lounge meets denim
Loud statements balanced relaxed, loungewear-esque elements.
Italian denim company Shaft Jeans showcased its range of soft denim, including its “Japan” and “silk stretch” fabrications that use proprietary wash techniques to achieve its lightweight, buttery hand feel. Key pieces included an extreme flare jean featuring a floral print that nodded to the brand’s popularity in the ’70s. Since then, it has undergone several rebrands and switched ownership, but remains “true to its DNA.”
Mavi also showed off its soft denim as part of its Organic Blue and Recycled Blue collections, which are made with organic cotton and recycled fiber fabrics. The rigid-looking styles have a surprisingly comfortable drape. Lightweight shackets in a range of light and dark washes showcased the brand’s versatility.
Lingerie merged with denim to create the denim corset tops, statement pieces that can be styled with anything from jeans to skirts to sweatpants.
The style was adopted by a number of brands including Brazil-based Amapo, which presented the look in both dark and light washes, featuring gold hardware and overall buckle elements. Fellow Brazilian brand Andreza Chagas presented a similar piece in a light-wash denim.
Amapo’s comfort-focused range also featured lightweight denim gauchos with button detailing along the leg. The airy fabric is part of its greener approach to fashion, which includes partially recycled fabrics made with water-saving methods.
Black Orchid showcased a buttery soft fabric from its “Liquify Denim” range featuring stretch Italian denim blended with Tencel. Styles included bell bottoms with an exposed button fly and cargo pant joggers, all featuring the lightweight, eco-friendly fabric.
Elastic waistbands were another comfort-focused element on display, favorited by New York City-based Ser.o.ya, which paired the element with authentic-looking denim that was soft to the touch. Many of its jeans and denim jackets also featured snap buttons that allow the wear to adjust the fit. For example, snaps placed at the hem of jeans transforms a straight leg fit into a tapered fit.
Denim also honored past decades, with ’90s-inspired washes a main element of Siwy’s denim shorts collection. Its expertly faded denim combined with destroyed hems and strategically placed rips to tap into the decade’s greatest hits. The brand also featured fringed shorts reminiscent of the ’70s—a key decade for many of the contemporary brands.