European techno fabrics lost in translation
Could Australian designers be sending out garments laced with LEDs or mohair knits boiled with silky overlays next Australian Fashion Week?
It might have been the case during the recent European autumn/winter fashion collections, but local industry experts are sceptical the trend for techno-fabrics will translate down under.
Speaking at the Fashion Group International's latest trend seminar, Fashion Flash 2007/08, Sun Herald writer Glynis Traill-Nash and circa75 founders Paul Higgins and Samuel Calla agreed that conceptual fibres and fabrics would not make their mark on the Australian retail scene anytime soon.
Instead, continued innovation in traditional areas such as wool and cotton would see Australia establish its own niche in wearable textiles.
The panel's comments came after leading designers across London, Paris, Milan, New York and Los Angeles sent out ground-breaking collections for the upcoming autumn/winter season.
Avant-garde designer Hussein Chalayan used light emitting textiles (LEDs) to flash abstract films and graphics across his effervescent womenswear range. The textiles, which are embedded with coloured light emitting diodes, allowed Chalayan to manipulate the colour, print and patterns of each surface.
Luxury-wear brand Prada also broke new ground; sending out a dark grey woollen dress bonded with a silky, blistered material in shades of gold and olive.
Traill-Nash, who attended New York Fashion Week for the first time last year, said the financial cost of creating such fabrications would limit mainstream consumption in Australia.
"It's very high-end and I still think it's very conceptual, especially when you consider the price points."
Instead, fellow panellist Higgins said Australian designers such as him and his business partner Calla would continue to experiment with traditional fibres and fabrics.
"It could just be as simple as re-working fabrics we're familiar with but not to the extent that Prada did. That's very high-end and specialised. We'd look at working with wools and working with fabrics customers readily understand."