Blue is back.
That was the message Tuesday during the trend presentation by Monsieur-T creative director Tilmann Wröbel at Bluezone in Munich. With a show theme centered on a brighter future, Wröbel said new opportunities lie ahead for the denim industry to emerge from the bleakest days of the pandemic with a new level of energy and fashion that appeals to young consumers excited about wearing jeans.
Here, Wröbel shares four themes to watch in the coming seasons.
Re-Turn
Don’t discount the value of a simple product. Re-Turn is about the beauty of simple denim and knowing its quality from fiber to final product. Classic blue denim is coming back in a “big way” and it is yet another reason why the industry needs to set the right sustainability standards, Wröbel said.
The goal, he added, is to fight against fast-fashion’s low prices by making a strong case for durability and timeless design.
Here, new sustainable fibers like Tencel, Refibra, hemp and Coreva, Candiani’s 100 percent biodegradable stretch denim, challenge the conventional ways to produce traditional-looking denim. Fabrics that offer multiple solutions as it adapts to diverse demands also gain value.
The theme also underscores the importance of undoing the damage caused by greenwashing marketing gimmicks. Buyers, Wröbel added, need to implement and follow sustainability standards that are defined by experts on the topic.
Big Party
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While denim’s “new cycle” is rooted in Gen Z’s adverse feelings toward the millennial staple, Wröbel said the hedonism that people yearn for in a post-pandemic world will open the flood gates to sexier and tighter silhouettes.
Described as a “right now” trend, Big Party is a celebration of having fun in denim. A new energy is driving consumers to take back the time they lost during the pandemic, evoking revenge spending and physical connection.
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Sparkling effects, metallic coatings and embellishment combined with rebellious and sexy flare to create these party-ready looks.
Hyper stretch fabrics are used to create the body-hugging silhouettes and to offer one-size-fits-many sizing solutions. And as fast as high rises rose in the past decade, Wröbel says the next generation will set them low again. The result is a genderless approach to “sensual seduction” through fabrics and bodycon fits that relates to sexual freedom.
Informal Mutants
The pandemic stalled the fringe-filled Roaring 20s trend many had forecasted for 2020. Denim designers, however, can re-create the polished yet subversive look of the prohibition era.
Think “The Great Gatsby” reimagined for the home office. A demand for a more sartorial dress code is met with a twist and rebellious interpretation, Wröbel said.
Joggings with tailoring details, dropped waistlines and an emphasis on longer torsos are key. Edgy shoulders paired with slouchy bottoms sum up the trend’s “sharp softness.”
Game On
From Zoom to Alexa, our lives are increasingly being shaped by digital tools and experiences that, on one hand help us stay connected, and the other escape to another world.
The $159.3 billion and growing gaming industry is an example of both. A recent Statista survey found that 11.6 percent of respondents in the U.S. said they play video games for more than 20 hours a week.
In other words, the virtual world surrounds us, and it will inform how we dress.
In Game On, Wröbel said comfort is supreme. The theme calls for knitted and knit-like denim, dobby constructions and fabrics with a “mellow thickness” that gamers can sink into. Bolt graphics and intense fonts pack a punch to trims and embellishments. There’s also an opportunity for mills and designers to experiment with 3-D textures and marketing with an AI component.