The good life
Whatever the reason for their presence at Hong Kong Fashion Week, a sneak preview of future fashion, retail and consumer trends provided invaluable insights for attendees.
The week saw leading trend research companies - the Worth Global Style Network (WGSN) and Carlin International - present on trends for 2007, directions for 2008 and cutting edge developments in retail.
WGSN head of trends Catriona Macnab predicted apparel for 2007 and beyond would be suffused with "cosmetic-style nudes and neutrals, often highlighted with sharp contrasting manmade colours". Echoing this "wellbeing" theme, the sports luxe category looked set for continued growth, with sportswear attaining high-end sheen while remaining both slick and functional. Meanwhile, fashion textiles would be used in unusual ways, with plaid appearing in evening wear while layering and contrasts would offer sumptuous levels of comfort and style. A counter trend would see black and white 1960s style fabrics, often in the form of exaggerated hound's tooth or "pop art" graphics, while denim looked set to enter "a new subversive phase, splicing aristocratic chic with a fetishistic edge".
Day and night wear would become increasingly interchangeable, while urban styling would take on a new gloss in the form of high shine textures such as satin, spandex and PVC contrasted with fake fur in vibrant manmade colours.
Macnab identified four over-arching trends influencing fashion and lifestyle - 'Warped', 'Coast', 'Good Life' and 'Primary'. The first took its influences from art, film, music and fashion to wacky effect, with de"Consumers are turning closer to home for their leisure and this will be reflected in fashion and lifestyle, with a colour palette and sense of texture that is both fresh and vibrant but also slightly sun bleached and naturally eroded."
The new jet set would continue to hold sway however, with luxury deRegarding developments in retail, Tokyo store Mercibeaucoup stood out for having "made shopping a completely engaging experience through its innovative and light-hearted approach to design," Macnab claimed.
The store's outlets were each uniquely different in design, including one that replicated a face with eyes that blinked when customers entered. Meanwhile New York's cutting edge pop-up store from retailer Larok + 7 For All Mankind had changing rooms enhanced by projected images; while London store Emperor Moth, where every surface except the floor was mirrored, featured cheeky humanoid "puppet" hangers.
Macnab ended on a happy note, citing Dover Street market in London, which showcased numerous designers claiming the pursuit of happiness as their ethos, while high fashion label Comme des Garcons had created its own "playbox" - "a space purely dedicated to fun".
Echoing many of WGSN's observations, Carlin International's Martin Lehec identified five categories for womenswear trends; 'Iconic', 'Lifestyle', 'Living On' and 'Edenland'. 'Iconic' took the human body as its starting point, with organic structures in a palette of soft fleshy pinks and beiges, and clothing defined by a round shouldered silhouette, cowl necks, tulip skirts, oversize sweatshirts, hooded blousons and oversize sleeves.
'Lifestyle' was defined by a streamlined look; and a palette of rusty bluey greys and neuturals contrasted with bright tones, blues and purples would point to an urban aesthetic. Coats would feature shorter sleeves and maxi pockets, while A-line or pea jackets and body hugging dresses would prove defining silhouettes.
'Living On' fused the notion of ancestral roots and the present in the form of floral softness and an old fashioned palette of soft greys, purples and pinks punctuated by creams. 'Edenland', would bring a sense of paradise and fantasy to modern urban life in the form of bright colours and playful contrasts of hot and cold tones. Finally, 'Opposites' would see ethnic and techno influences graphically contrasted.
Must-haves included belted coats for early spring, vests worn over tees, bouffant sleeves, straight or tulip skirts, tapered pants, loose slacks or cropped trousers with gathered bottoms.
Turning to retail, companies were "restoring meaning to consumerism" by offering more than just product, Lehec claimed, citing H&M, which recently joined the Fair Labour Association and New Look, which had launched a "love the environment line". Meanwhile - in a more obvious swipe at consumerism - service retailer Denim Therapy promised to customize and repair and revitalise "over-loved" jeans.
Meanwhile, savvy retailers had realised the internet's ability to empower consumers, with recent data showing that 40 million Europeans decided not to buy a particular brand after reading negative blogs about it, Lehec claimed.
"Such is the power of bloggers that [sportswear giant] Nike recently recruited bloggers into its ranks, sweetening the deal with free Nike product and an iPod mini. Blog monitoring reaps high rewards for companies that know how to use the information."