Textiles will be taking a turn for the natural and raw in a nod to perfect imperfection for Autumn/Winter 2015-16.
Three major trend forums displayed the elements set to shape the coming season’s textiles at the Javitz Center this week, one forum belonged to the Texworld USA show, one represented the International Apparel Sourcing Show and one for the Home Textiles Sourcing Expo.
At the Texworld USA trend forum, Paris art directors Louis Gérin and Grégory Lamaud presented “Impulse,” this season’s directive on textiles, aesthetics, image and style.
The two describe the theme as such, “We doubted and unlearned. We withdrew and observed ourselves. We erased everything. But inertia is not part of this universe. Without taking this decision, without even realizing it, we gain momentum. A sudden impulse to jump off the edge. A joint, uncontrolled and instinctive impulse. The past has ceased to hurry us along. Henceforth we are attracted by tomorrow.”
Impulse is about the human desire to go out of their own condition to make their lives better, but with a sense of reality, Gérin said. “It’s about the fragility of how we are as humans, about the environment and how nature builds us.” The four stories that make up Impulse are: Spontaneous Attraction, Brutal Poetizing, Innocent Appropriation and Anonymous Quintessence.
SPONTANEOUS ATTRACTION
The idea behind this textile trend story is the defiance of life, Gérin explained, it is about going outside of oneself and taking a risk. The story is inspired by Kirill Oreshkin, or the “Russian Spiderman,” known for scaling impossible structures and posting photos of life lived literally on the edge.
Colors are vivid and represent the fire and burning and destruction that describe the trend. A red named “Fervent Plunge” and a marigold called “Instinctive Combustion” take direct cues from fire, and a deep gray known as “Carbon Swiftness” grounds the palette, while a mint called “Oxidized Hope” brings the scheme back to light.
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Fabrics in this trend have burned and scratched effects, voluminous qualities and destructed elements like a synthetic embroidered with digitally printed sequins, once the sequins are ruffled, the pattern is no longer controlled.
Faux furs covered in metallic that give the appearance of an animal with oil stained feathers are featured, and neoprene that gives the idea of protective wear has become more refined and comfortable.
“There’s something between the art and the fire of destruction,” Gérin said. “But also that, after the fire, something new is coming.”
BRUTAL POETIZING
This trend is about leaving things as they are; nature defines them and they cannot be changed. “Even if we find things that are ugly, they are as they are and we have to take them as they are,” Gérin explained.
The trend is inspired by Japanese artist Azuma Makoto whose work has surrounded placing plants in unexpected places, like outerspace, to reflect their beauty in a new light.
Colors in this story appear dissonant with muted mauves alongside a vivid chartreuse and radiant pink, but the concept is that just as we find colors in nature that may seem disconnected, they are natural and, according to Gérin, “Nature never makes mistakes.”
Fabrics falling under this trend are natural, with feathered elements and patterns that mimic butterfly wings, as they are designed as a direct imitation of nature, a representation of life as it is. Light tulle hand embroidered with pheasant feathers and subdued floral prints with nearly neon accent highlights also express the trend.
INNOCENT APPROPRIATION
In the trend guide for this story, the art directors note that creation is vital, but to limit our impact, matter is no longer processed, it is composed and takes shape.
This story is inspired by Motoi Yamamoto, a Japanese artist who structured a labyrinth made entirely of salt, and the idea that a simple passing breeze could erase the whole creation. “It’s about how fragile we are,” Gérin said. “It’s the idea between visible and invisible structures.”
Colors are sensitive and delicate with a subdued mauve called “Intra-Violet,” mild mints and a subtle, almost gray version of purple named “Quartz Fog,” because like fog in nature, it is present yet intangible.
Fabrics are transparent with structured effects, lace-like patterns, geometric elements and abstract prints. Some will appear printed like a two-way stretch fabric with a linear knit pattern, and volume and dimension will be present in textiles with embroidered window pane patterns. “We are playing with geometric illusion,” Gérin said.
ANONYMOUS QUINTESSENCE
“We chose the erasure of the material being and the hope of change of the immaterial, of imminent identity,” the trend guide notes. The social environment has provided too much pressure but the idea behind this trend is to remove social appearance and let visual differences become blurred, according to Gérin.
The color palette features blues and pinks representing traditional masculinity and femininity, but tinted with flesh colors. “In-Carnation” pink sits alongside a rich blue named “Impassive Smalt” and a pale gray called “Evanescent Reflection.”
Fabrics are shaded and comfortable with yarn dyes using tri-blend threads and double layer mesh, where one layer is slightly offset from the other to create volume but maintain transparency. Gérin said, “There is a vague structure, things are not as clear or defined but much more fluid.”
In an effort to further bring these trends to life for attendees, the International Apparel Sourcing Show featured a trend forum of finished products, called Fusion, that reflect the Spontaneous Attraction, Brutal Poetizing, Innocent Appropriation and Anonymous Quintessence stories.
Show exhibitors were able to submit finished goods that represent the themes and highlighted colors, or have unique characteristics trending toward the Autumn/Winter 2015-16 season. Items featured in the forum were tagged with vendor names and booth numbers so that those interested in a particular product could locate the exhibitor on the show floor.
Bobby Cole, marketing manager for Messe Frankfurt USA, said the idea was to showcase the best that the exhibitors had to offer, accessorized with complimentary elements so that attendees could truly grasp the capabilities of those on the show floor. “We wanted to highlight the finished goods from apparel sourcing companies and put them under a spotlight so they stood here versus in their individual exhibitor booths,” he said.
In terms of home textiles, the trend forum at the Home Textiles Sourcing Expo assembled by Mark Woodman of Mark Woodman Design and Color, brought the coming season’s home trends to life with four room displays: one multi-purpose living room, a dining room, a home office and a bedroom.
According to Zeitgeist’s Trend Insight, Woodman said, “We want to show trends as useable, accessible and relatable to everyone and every room. By seeing the multitude of patterns and textures come alive in a space, it makes it easier to translate the concepts to other areas.”
The two overarching themes for home trends are “Progress” and “Revive.” The idea, according to Woodman, is that, “We are always rushing, but let’s not forget where we came from.” Combining the now with elements relished from the past is key to this concept.
Progress looks at the technology and digital elements that combine with our materials and Revival has a foot in the past, a little bit of reminiscence, but not melancholy, Woodman explained. “It’s looking at what we used to have and saying maybe let’s do that again but make it modern.”
REJUVENATE CRAFT
Part of Revive, this trend revisits craft and heritage and looks at practices that may have been part of someone’s family to make things more personal. Embroidery is prevalent as is quilting, yarn bombing of unexpected elements like identical dining chairs to lend them individual characteristics.
Colors are rich and expressive like a spiced orange, eggplant and a golden yellow.
Fabrics may be machine made but have a hand loomed look like Mexican sarapes. Elements like floral finials and wood textures are also key to completing this trend.
EXALT PURITY
Also part of the Revive concept, this trend is all about purity of fiber and natural elements. Some sequins will be present, but only as they reflect nature like pillow shams in blue sequins designed to resemble a midnight sea.
The color palette is on the darker side with deep blues and sages, but lifted with mint and light tan.
Fabrics will have the texture and softness sought from nature with brushed cottons, embossed bed covers with texture that resembles bamboo and floral detailing. Layering, with bed linens for example, will also be key.
ENGINEER NATURE
Part of the Progress trend, this concept touches on using nature as a source and a resource, Woodman explained. The idea is to connect nature and science to see what new elements can come to be. “Can’t the root system of plants become a new lace?” Woodman asked.
The color palette is overwhelmingly green, but according to Woodman, the greens are “living” and “energizing” as opposed to eco greens that tend to be more grayed out. A pinkish red and a chrome accent the palette.
Fabrics mimic natural greens like lettuce-effect pillow shams and bonsai reminiscent prints are present.
GENERATE COLLISION
The second portion of the Progress trend on display was about technology and how digital plays into the home. “We like technology, but every once in a while it goes wrong,” Woodman explained. “It’s the glitching of things that becomes the artwork.”
Colors are bright and energetic with very strong digital prints that are obviously digital, not posing as a traditional print, Woodman said. Striped wall accents are not perfectly straight and finishes may be a mixture of matte and sheen.
Fabrics include vivid elements like a cotton viscose with velvet dots and woven crossover throws that channel handicraft but are made up of colors that could match a motherboard.