Think of wool as an autumn/winter fabrication? Jayson Brunsdon, Gary Bigeni and Romance Was Born beg to differ, as Ragtrader discovers.
All three designer labels have worked with Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) to source a range of lightweight varieties for their Rosemount Australian Fashion Week spring/summer 2009/10 showcase. Bigeni, who has sourced 1870s Sabine fabric for his collection, says the 150gm light weight wool jersey is a perfect transeasonal fabric.
"Most people don't think of wool as a summer fabric, so it's good for me in terms of creating something that's a little bit different," he adds. "A lot of my work involves draping and creating clothes which can be worn several different ways and jerseys can allow you to do that."
So what can consumers expect for the next season? AWI offers a conceptual overview of the four biggest wool colour trends across men's and women's wear. Expect bright colour blocks and chromatic contrasts for 'Fresh', rich and elaborate motifs for 'Sensual', lush floral combinations for 'Bloom' and co-ordinations of warm and cold organic and pastel tones for 'True'.
Fresh
An avant-garde artistic spirit, spontaneous yet clever and witty. Striking contemporary designs reproducing hand-made drawings. High-performing multiple blends for close and full structures matching dense and transparent. A confident use of bright tints in colour blocks within matches or on white backgrounds. Playing with chromatic contrasts and tailored basic pieces to create pert, stylish looks.
Sensual
Using formal style to express our charisma and fascinate other people. Methodical and fierce rhythms, both visual and material. Elaborate vibrant motifs in dramatic contrasts between dark and light. All degrees of complex three-dimensional structures to obtain depth and movement. Light games derived from fibre's own nature. Latin formality as a timeless emblem of intensity and seductiveness.
True
A new and intellectualised sense of natural with a sweeter and kinder minimalism. Refinement and apparent simplicity in combinations of small, regular patterns. Natural fibres with their typical aspects in fine weaves. High-tech eco-friendliness. Tranquil but interesting co-ordinations of warm and cold organic and pastel tones. Mostly menswear weaves for soft tailored garments in relaxed, layered looks.
Bloom
Opulant all-over ornamentation as a symbol of a deep and creative personality. Self-assured eccentric juxtapositions of rich patterns and colours. Collages of flamboyant floral designs and geometric patterns, in which lush accents gently blend in with basic neutrals. Luxury fibres in lightweight simple structures to enhance decoration. Eclectic mixes of high-tech city wear and exquisite one-off pieces.