SYDNEY: Africana looks set to be the biggest trend for spring/summer 2008.
A week after international trend forecasting agency WGSN confirmed 'Global Tribes' as the key theme of its Australian seminar series, another global fashion group has singled out the exotic look as "the next big thing" for summer.
Narrating an audio-visual presentation at the biannual Fashion Group International conference in Sydney, American fashion commentator Mary Lou Luther described the trend as crossing over the Milan, Paris, Los Angeles, New York and Australian catwalks.
"Appropriating safari clothes from the real jungle to the asphault jungle was…major," Luther said, adding that Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler, Versace and Aurelio Costerella all offered adaptations.
The trend was not contained to neutral trenches, pale chinos and layered dresses, however, with brown, black and white tribal prints appearing at Oscar De La Renta and double-processed 3-D abstractions at womenswear brand Marni.
Calvin Klein confirmed the trend with flat crocodile sandals while Phillip Lim offered an adapted version of the Birkenstock.
Fashion Group International, which stages seasonal trend conferences across the globe, is a non-profit industry organisation comprising of 5000 global members.