Whether home or apparel, trends for the 2020-21 season will center on all things local, drawing on what makes countries, cities, communities and consumers tick, what makes them diverse.
Today, identities are multi-layered and so are the textiles that adorn them. And as inclusivity and localization continue to shape the modern market, forcing brands to focus more on the individual shopper and experience, textile treatments are following that lead and endeavoring to offer a sense of belonging.
“This season is not just about the latest trend in textiles, but where we feel comfortable,” said Anne Marie Commandeur, director of design agency Stijlinstituut Amsterdam, speaking at the 50th edition of Heimtextil, taking place in Frankfurt this week.
The overarching theme for the show’s Trend Space, which Commandeur is responsible for, is “Where I Belong,” drawing on a 2014 Ted Talk by writer/photographer Taiye Selasi who addressed the modern meaning of identity.
“Identities are now formed through experiences that take place simultaneously, on different levels. Locally, nationally, globally, both online and offline. Identity therefore can consist of many different layers,” Stijlinstituut Amsterdam noted in the Heimtextil trend book. “The fluidity of society is a fact and the offering of interior textiles and design must flow with that.”
Here are five key trends set to define home textiles for the coming season.
Maximum Glam
Maximum Glam is the season’s ‘more is more’ trend, where decadence and indulgence will be celebrated for interiors.
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“This theme places the art of textiles on stage. It’s an ancient practice that continually reinvents itself, taking the medium from handcraft to technology driven,” Stijlinstituut Amsterdam said.
As bespoke experiences gain interest, there will be more room for immersive home textiles and materials as consumers seek “sensory stimulation.”
“It’s about all over decoration, it’s all about adornment. It’s about…layered techniques, lots of finishings, special coatings, a lot of digital technology used in the patterns,” Commandeur said.
Materials and Treatments: Fluffy hairs, iridescence, jacquard woven, fantastic fake furs, metal gloss, abstract motifs, collaged textiles, juxtaposed patterns, 3D printing, beading, embroidering, encrusting, print and lamination.
Colors: Rich true red, a full-bodied orange, a shocking pink, a luxurious deep turquoise, all balanced by a muted beige neutral.
Pure Spiritual
Channeling the spirituality of balance and tranquility, Pure Spiritual exists to counter the increased anxiety stemming from increased global uncertainty. As such colors and fabrics are nature-inspired.
“This move towards nature marks a return to rituals, praising nature’s efficiency and beauty,” Stijlinstituut Amsterdam noted. “Individuals are likely to live longer in a dynamic, fast-paced world, which is inspiring them to live simpler lives that favor both the essential and the ephemeral.”
Here, the aim is also to draw on more natural resources, making sustainability an even bigger play.
“We have to find new ways to finish, we have to find new fibers and yarns,” Commandeur said, noting that all of this has to be done to create natural textiles in colors other than beige tones. “We have to find a way to have real color, to have really fun interior design because that is what living is about.”
Materials and Treatments: Crepe materials, pile, linen and linen effects, boucle, plant-dyed fabrics, jute, real and bio-based faux leathers and textiles with soft sheen natural coatings, blends of natural fiber components with man-made matter.
Colors: Mold-inspired acid green, deep seaweed, rust, and a series of neutral hues ranging from dry to moist earth, a white-based beige to a warmer khaki.
Active Urban
Active Urban may be the millennials’ trend. The functional-focused story is geared toward the city-dwelling, active younger crowd.
“Modern urbanites are savvy and aware. Rationalism and realism go hand in hand as individuals search for smart, guilt-free products designed with circularity in mind,” according to Stijlinstituut Amsterdam.
Here, modular and flexible furniture wins out, and these pieces are often upholstered with performance textiles and functional features.
“It’s very much about practical utilitarian solutions for the home,” Commandeur said, likening the concept to footwear. “For young people, their sofa should function like their shoes do: when they buy it it has to be cheap, it has to be functional and work well, but it also has to look cool.”
Materials and Treatments: Bonded materials, voluminous materials, graphic patterns, terrazzo, clean surfaces, bright shades trimmed with text, slick surfacing, fluid curves, recycled and granulated composites that show marl patterns, “overly” padded and quilted qualities, laser-cut foamy textures for enhanced comfort.
Colors: Bold, primary hues like bright tangerine, uniform blue, caterpillar yellow, stark black, asphalt gray, a warm white.
Heritage Lux
The Heritage Lux interiors trend takes tradition and kicks it up a notch for the new generation that appreciates it but doesn’t mind the mild modern refresh.
“Society is realizing the need to embrace and celebrate global heritage. Ancient buildings around the world will be the experiential hotels of tomorrow,” Stijlinstituut Amsterdam explained. “This renewed feel for the ancient coincides with an increasing desire for the magical.”
Nostalgia will come around in its own new way to add comfort in what has become a turbulent time.
“It’s about traditional patterns, craft aspects…gold and bronze, very rich shades,” Commandeur said. “Valuable materials shouldn’t be about duplication, but adding something that will last.”
Materials and Treatments: Jacquard, satin, plissé, organic grainy surfaces, traced jacquards, talismanic crystals and stones, baroque brocades, elaborate damasks, organic ripples.
Colors: Blood red, dark rust, “sensuous” sapphire, lustrous mother-of-pearl, a warm cork.
Multi-Local
Channeling travel and wanderlust, the Multi-Local trend story appreciates all things global and what each locale and its respective local flavor brings to style and design.
“Living in a transient, globalized world, Multi-Local acknowledges what impact cultural influences have on society and what the benefits are in celebrating them,” according to Stijlinstituut Amsterdam. “This means valuing inclusivity over appropriation and adjusting the world’s gaze to embrace exchange, creative integrity and diverse identities.”
In this story, personal perspectives and interior styles blend thanks to multi-local experiences.
“Our spaces will be shaped by all these experiences, materials that come from all over the world, and we can create our own personal totems from what we have seen around the world,” Commandeur said.
Materials and Treatments: Ethnic patterns, classical patterns, resourceful mix, fringe made from raffia, cotton or cane, embroidery, figurative patterns that show a strong nostalgia, indigenous pile knot rugs, pronounced carpet weaves, heritage prints like batik and ikat blend with printed floral velours, jacquard knits and gobelin weaves.
Colors: A “hot and spicy” palette of pumpkin, pepper and honey, cooled by aqua, navy and pink.