Fall/Winter trends for 2012/ 2013: what doth the sartorial crystal ball predict?

Ken de ji: this is how you say KFC in Chinese. That’s what I learnt from one of several business/ bag factory trips I made this summer. It’s been a crazy intense summer of random work as an ‘extra’ on Chinese films and adverts; camping in remote beaches when even at night it is 31C– and by camping, I mean Hong Kong camping, so there were toilets and restaurants nearby, natch; junk boat parties followed by karaoke where I totally KILLED that Ghostbusters theme song [who you gonna call...?!]; etc. So, not much blogging lately.



Somewhere between the time I was a stand-in for Hillary Rhoda on an Estee Lauder TV commercial [clearly I was the natural choice seeing as I am a 5’8.5” frizzy blonde and she is a chiseled cheek boned 6 ft brunette supermodel that looks like THIS] and my umpteenth visit to Guangzhou to peruse bags and check on our orders, I had the pleasure to visit HK fashion week [see the fantastic photography that accompanies this blog] and took the liberty to immerse myself in trend forecasting seminars. Just like Hong Kong’s art fair it’s worth visiting just to see how the fashionistas dress. Lace cape? Check. Sky blue jumpsuit? Check. Bowl-cut hair to swing about in Bieber-like fashion? Check. I left coveting a portfolio clutch and gold brogues. Not from the suppliers' presentations, but from what the stylistas were wearing.





And so behold the sartori`l gems I gleaned from attending Stylesight’s amazing trend forecasting presentation, led mostly by a fiery red-headed trend editrix to rival Grace Coddington. [I kid you not, the first trend seminar I went to that day was hosted by a rival trend forecaster that forced the normally ice-cold and stoic fashion crowd to do a MEXICAN WAVE. TWICE. I have never seen so many batwings and capes billow to full effect before. The awkwardness in the room post-wave was deliciously palpable. Amazing. But I digress…]

These trends move across fashion, interior and product design and often reflect wider socio-political trends. This coupled with a general sense of instability in our economic and environmental surroundings, characterised by extreme current events has led to what some call a modern version of the renaissance era - a rebellion against the establishment, increased awareness of our environment, and an emphasis on knowledge gathering and individuality. This leads to the vibrant power that courses through FW 2012/2013.

THREE OVER-ARCHING 'MOODS' FOR FW

Eco-warrior/ soldier: political instability, social unrest and natural disasters creates a trend of fighting through adversity. Military influences, green shades.

Geomatrix: characterised by asymmetrical, unisex, flexible designs composed of abstract silhouettes.

Ethnic punk: The result of technological multiculturalism where punk from the 70’s is mixed with Middle Eastern influences. Increasing globalisation via enhanced communication leads to unusual blending of fabrics and colors e.g. embellished leather with tweed, structured bags, heavy accessories, bright colors and dark undertones. tribal theme continues through animal prints, but also being reinterpreted as more wearable stripes

10 ESSENTIAL TRENDS:

1. GO TONAL:

No mixing of different palettes.

Beauty: red, important in nails , lips, hair.

Sensing matter: skin, earth colors. Beige, red. Nuances, cinnamon, mix with grey

Wild craft: traditionally seen as non commercial green up and coming color

Digital dimension electric blue. Whites in winter mixed with blues

2. RED IS THE NEW BLACK:

 Red: berries, rubies, aubergine, ginger colors for hair. Lingerie: red and skin color mixed.

 As a big mood enhancer.

 Fire, smoke inspiration: prints graphics, shadows, ombres. Red used with lots of different textures: lacquer, bouquet, rusty, added value. Red in knit. Thick coarse yarns. Also in men’s market. Denim also becoming red.

 Youth in London, NY, in bright red denim – can be whole jeans or small bits. Rock and roll, Mick Jagger as the muse, for menswear here.

 Designers: Kavakubo. Comme des Garçons,. Yohji Yamamoto

 Rei Kawakubo – Comme des Garçons, store in Paris is all red.



3. THE BEAUTIFICATION OF BROWN:

 Brown used to be seen as ugly.

 Lots of evidence of brown and yellow – mustard seed, honey, rich mustard – on women’s items, top and bottom.

 Sandwash, washed with salt, vinegar, frozen fabric, weathered.

 Designer: Prada



4. ARTISANAL CRAFT:

 Handmade, very pronounced, e.g. knitwear [big revival], hand knitted looks. Yarns from recycling. Rustic. Surface interest/ texture.

 Revisiting old crochet with new tech, doily look.

 Green in lingerie.

 Craft and embellishment. Crystal, fine ribbon. Return of patchwork denim [not a fan] but look at recent denim Chloe shirts etc. Mix denim w/ suede / diff blue shades.



5. SUPERSIZE ME

 Exhibit of Kapor in Paris.

 Crazy proportions/ Voluminous: Extremely big or skinny fits.

 Long languid skirts, shirts like tunics, elongated, exaggerated.

 Knitwear: bigger stitch, gauge.

 Men: drop crotch harem pant. [CHORTLE]. Women: Gaucho returning.

 Men: longer tunics, skinnier sweaters.

 Inspiration from Scuba: legging. Structural, architectural cuts. Slim, thin silhouettes.



6. WILD ANIMAL:

 Texture and skins.

 Fur: fake or real. Long hair fur for men and women. Modified to look unnatural [fur bags] – artificial material. Chemical fur, dyed in new colors. Bright curvy fur [Prada].

 Gorilla look or gillet.

 Key item. Deer skin [insert inappropriate Bambi quip]

 Other animals: insects, etc inspiring prints. In beauty: spotty eyelids. Snakeskin cnlored in blues/greens

 Pony, sharkskin materials [real or print] – Alex Wang

 Example designers: McQueen. Cavalli [who always does animal print].



7. SUBTRACTION/CUTTING:

 New silhouettes.

 Pleats and draping: multi-layering, playing with fabrics, paneling. Angles, geometric cutting. Reflects digital trend. Women: cuts emphasize hips, [think pleated trousers]. Flattering.

 “Design with patterns, rather than creating patterns for design” Yohji Yamamoto.



8. ELEVATED SPORTSWEAR.

 Death of formal wear [suits w tie gone].

 Revolution: from day to night. Less is more, simplifying things, parka.

 T-shirt is woven [as opposed to knit].

 Parka returning especially for women

 Green, small military details. One pc suit. For men – reinventing cargo.



9. TRANSPARENCY/SHEER: BIG TREND.

 V important in women.

 Entering menswear market [apparently?].

 Lingerie: power mesh and organza.

 Beauty: ethereal, pure complexion, subtle color, iridescent texture [mineral inspired].

 Important in various forms of interior/ product design e.g. mobile, vase, furniture: across interiors and products.



10. GO DIGITAL

 Can create intricate patterns, prints, create 3D patterns.

 Tech is changing aesthetics. Motifs. Futurism.

 Futuristic line, angular, zipper, magnetic closures, pleats. Using materials: silver, reflective, temp adjustment, functional.

 Geometric 3D details. Angular, laser cut pockets

 Designers: Jil Sander, Stella McCartney, Derek Lam, Gareth Pugh.



COLOR PALETTE SUMMARY:

Main color trends for FW12 under 4 headings:

CLARITY:

 Clear, clean aesthetic, pure colors

 Oriental influence, east is the new west

 Evolution of digital. Digital prints that copy inside of comps.

 3 diff color groups: TONAL

 Fuchsia and softer pink – link to past blog

 Turquoise and soft blue

 Strong yellow and soft yellow

 Skin colors, more taupe, less nude. Neutral color usage.

 Fuchsia with a touch of turquoise

 Men: blues, turquoise, black color mix

 Interior market: blue, yellow, taupe

 Transparency continues with color injected.

 Angular shapes softened by softness of colors.

ASHEN

 Bringing black back in summertime. Mixed with diff colors: burns, decay. Beauty in decay.

 Surface and textural effects. Nothing clear: opposite of clarity.

 Based on dark and neutral colors.

 Colors: gun metal, eggplant, storm blue. Neutral dark color with light color accents. E.g. grey with caramel and touch of pink. Junior market: lighter palette, accentuated with muted blue and charcoal. Men: grey. Interior: still life colors -Black red caramel.

 Color combo dramatic, widow, black celebrating life [out of death comes life]

 Different shades of ashes



NUTOPIA

 Esoteric, dreamy

 Revival of gypsy, hippie, free, nature

 Connected to nature, meditation and yoga. Anchored in honey hold, melon, citrus, optimistic colors: Combining green and orange reflects flower, nature

 Mix withy blue, navy, black

 Blue, sandalwood, rose w yellow

 Sunset colors: oranges, ochre, touch of aubergine for contrast

 Men: grey, aubergine, pale pink, yellow

 Feminine color penetrates male market. Teal, navy, accentuated w touch of ochre

 Interior: natural material, painted wi intense almost synthetic color, mix of two tones

SUBNATION:

 Youth culture [London]

 Aspect of punk, music.

 80’s punk: freshness to youth culture,

 Took nautical color palette, added green + yellow, very graphic+ vibrant multi color

 Denim blue with 2 shades red and cream

 Multicolor, primary colors blue, yellow red,

 More red, white blue

 Men: khaki, hunter green w other green + touch of yellow. Pink mixed w grey

 Junior market: multicolor palette red pink, blue

COLOR EVOLUTION THROUGH SS13

 Trace evolution of color

 SS12: vibrant . FW12: beige khaki. SS13: softer, acidic

 Reds SS12 evolve into a darker, muted Bordeaux/ wine

 Purples SS12 to SS13 disappearing, become muted lavenders, natural mauves.

 Blue SS12: Turquoise coming back

 Green: SS12 bright greens, teal to softer green to vibrant turquoise SS13

 Pastels: becoming less sweet and more neutralized

 Grey continues to be important: soft ss12 to strong for ss13

 Brown: important, but now ss13 more softer



KEY COLORS S/S13

 Yellow: many shades, nudes, taupes

 Pink: light to fuchsia for men and kids

 Greens: emergence of teal

 Blues: navy, indigo

 Faux black:hunter dark green. Grey muted green.



So in an [au courant] nutshell: Wear something sheer, red and voluminous. Think an intrepid Red Riding Hood.

Toodles. I have a pool party at the Venetian tomorrow that I have to prepare for. I always welcome any excuse to wear neon....

xxx

Look what I got in the mail today...

emotional [bag]agge

Top with print: Lanvin by H&M. Side satchel: Marc Jacobs

This is Priscilla. She's an awesome friend of ours from Holland, and was visiting Hong Kong for a few days en route to Australia. I had literally just got back from Beijing and our routes overlapped for a day and a half, and so I rose to the challenge of trying to show her as much of the greatness of the 852 as possible. It definitely was a sprint, not a marathon , in this case. Knowing she was a bit of a fashionista, I gave her more of an aesthetically biased tour of Hong Kong. And she certainly dressed the part, in a mixture of high fashion and high street.

She being a Hong Kong market neophyte, my sightseeing tour basically went like this: Granville road in TST, amazing bargain quirky finds without the overcrowded mosh pit air of the more famous bargain-filled Ladies Market in Mong Kok. Harbour City mall, then Star Ferry (I love having friends in town so that I have an excuse to ride it). In central, we perused IFC mall and street shops like Maple (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE). The Landmark, where we spent a hefty amount of time in Marc Jacobs. Then, of course, the Peak, where one can get a stunning 360 degree view of the urban jungle I call home. For a well-deserved meal that is literally my favorite dish in Hong Kong: proscuitto and truffle pizza at Cafe Deco. Yum. The Peak is very touristy so I often struggle to convince my friends to make it up there. (Did I mention why I love having friends in town?! Chortle.) So, yeah OK I basically took them on my dream day in my home city, but c'mon ladies, you can't deny it was flawless! :)

I'm still on the hunt for that dream leather side bag in a shade of camel/mauve/coffee/ chocolate/[insert other pretentious version of the color brown here. Damn hair colorist marketing teams, making every hair color sound delicious. Hmmm, honey caramel! Suddenly I have the urge to eat this ammonia and I don't like it! Once again, I digress...]

Here are a couple of snapshots of side bags that I saw out and about and adored.

This one below I actually got in Beijing, at Ya Show market, famous for bargains (and fakes). It's not a famous label (unless you have heard of Dukamou, which apparently is "Spanish" the lady told me but sounds very Asian...? Correct me if I am wrong..). In Beijing, it's a common rule that whatever price you are offered initially is pretty much 3/4 times any reasonable amount, and that one must start haggling at 15% of what they offer. This is sometimes met with a cry of "Kai shenme wanxiao!" Which translates to "You're kidding!".

Anyhoo, I managed to bargain down from 900RMB to a more reasonable 120RMB within about 10 minutes, my somewhat dubious Chinese not adept enough to convey much except "I'm a poor student please make it cheaper". It's pretty much my favorite bag at the moment.

But as always, I'm still on the lookout.

xx

Hong Kong Fashion Week 2011

In my new job as a buyer, I was lucky enough to squeeze in an attendance to Hong Kong fashion week. A whirlwind of trade shows, fashion shows, eclectic cosmopolitans searching for the next shoe/dress/ handbag, it was a very fun couple of days.

Here is a fur fashion show that showcased the work of several fur suppliers. Vegans, vegetarians, aspiring zoologists, and any form of animal lover nefarious or saintly shield your eyes now; being Hong Kong, China, PETA apparently had bigger issues to worry about than storming this show with their usual paint-filled fur protests. It's not normally my cup of tea, but I chanced upon this show as I was wandering around.

As usual I didn't hesitate to take snapshots of any outfits/ accessories that I thought were eye-catching. I love the preppy, boyish style above, especially the leather briefcase a la Alexa Chung.

I saw this girl at fashion week, noting the cropped harem-style jeans and bright orange high tops with a mix of curiosity and awe. Just typing those words out one would think these items and 'style' are mutually exclusive, but here she manages to pull it off. Even rocking a canadian tuxedo in the process. How very Fresh Prince of Belair! Will Smith would be proud. Fashion kudos to you, unknown-stranger-who-I-snapped-from-behind-which-I-just-realised-is-slightly-creepy-I-am-so-not-using-hyphens-correctly-am-I. All in the name of style documentation, of course.

LOVE the over-size (another hyphen, I have a sickness!) cable-knit sweater this girl was wearing as I made my way to the fashion week downtown.

Alas, I was not there in a solely glamorous capacity. I was also searching for suppliers for various apparel we were looking to buy. I rather enjoyed seeing what was out there, the newest textiles on the markets, learning about different fabrics and why polyester is the cheap substitute for nylon ("we can make it in polyester and give you half-price"). Finding out the wholesale prices of items I often purchase was equal parts fascinating, amusing, and brutally painful. Don't think I will ever be able to shop properly again! As if my overwhelming fear of shopper's remorse isn't acute enough already, I have to find out that that scarf for [insert common high street brand] is actually around 2 USD at wholesale price?Often the same manufacturer would supply various shops, of varying industry standings, say Debenhams and Walmart. When I wasn't absorbed in product hunting, I was privy to new season collections to some of my favorite labels like Topshop, that had not even arrived in stores yet. THAT, was cool. There were several trend forecaster companies there too who warranted a bit more of my time than was necessary, just to flick through their various catalogues. Sigh. Good times.

See that pink faux-fur lined cape above? I had to fight the urge to ask for random samples for stuff we weren't there to find.

Can't wait until S/S 2012. If like me, you suddenly had a yearning for some Fresh Prince, enjoy. Style inspiration and references can come from anywhere.

xx