Looking ahead
With the global credit crunch biting all budgets, trend spotting has never proved more important. With this in mind Ragtrader asked Sydney agency Scout to offer a sneak peak at what fabrics will be most in demand for autumn/winter 2010/11.
Sharp suiting
Suiting is a key trend for autumn/winter 2010/11, with a fitted, sensual silhouette. Leather makes a strong return with a hard edge, in polished or stamped textures. Suiting fabric in sharply tailored shapes, high sheen wool blends, burnished metallics, and couture-inspired wools and crepes all add to a grown-up look, borrowing from the 1940s and the 1980s.
New austerity
The opposite of flashy, show-off dressing, the new Austerity emphasises pared-back shapes in low-key, high quality fabrics. Boiled wools and felted fabrics create sculptural silhouettes, while traditional suiting and checks add to the 1940s mood. Sombre but not downbeat, washed and laundered drills in utility shades denote a practical response to the new global economy.
Cocoon fabrics
The opposite to strict tailoring for winter 2010/11 is soft-touch knits and woven fabrics. Tactile and comforting, it's a personal approach to luxury, featuring fine cashmeres and wools in a highly individual, slightly eccentric colour palette, inspired by 1970s interiors and the post-hippie movement. Blanket stripes, Missoni-inspired patterns, subtle plaids and checks and hand-knit textures are mixed and layered.
Glamour fabrics
Highly tactile and sensual, these fabrics emphasise drape, form, sheen and lustre. The opposite of stiff, and sculptural, they caress and follow the line of the body. Soft wool and cotton satins, silk satins and jerseys, chiffon, tulle and soft velvets, conjure up a mood of film noir screen sirens and femmes fatales.
'80S Retro fabrics
They're back. Marbled and acid wash denim; wools and techno outerwear fabrics in bold and neon brights. Marled sweat shirt and sporty jersey fabrics used for everything from casual wear to suit separates. Leather makes a big return in black, along with off-beat, 80s colours like grey, burgundy and teal.
Shine and sci-fi fabrics
Inspired by technology and all things modern: futurism with an urban edge. Shiny nylons and cirés are used for avant-garde shapes that run from early Mugler to Star Trek. Stretch cottons and satins, nylon knits and lycra all add to the futuristic feel of casualwear. Marled and solid jerseys add a sporty, leisure element in softer shapes.