AUTUMN/WINTER 2013 - MACRO TRENDS

Courtesy of Pure London

21st Century Romance (Photo courtesy of WGSN)

LONDON, UK - Global authority in trend-forecasting, WGSN, will present its predictions for Autumn/Winter 2013 daily at Pure London. Here we unveil their macro trends with an insight into their context, helping you understand the key formalwear, casualwear and occasionwear directions for the season.

Hack-tivate - bringing inspiration from ideas of DIY by readapting original products and highlighting goods that are functional with retro lo-fi details and bold brights.

Hack-tivate, WGSN’s first macro trend for A/W13, elevates traditional ideas of DIY, deconstruction and customisation. Unexpected styling and layering, inventive cutting and colour-blocking are all key here, creating a sense of eccentricity. Earthy tones of slate, mushroom, stone and port sit alongside metallic shades of pale and antique gold, enhanced by undertones of bright white, cerulean and midnight blue.

Formalwear takes a feminine and modernised approach to military tailoring by splicing garments and mixing finishes. Key items include the tailored biker jacket, the spliced pencil skirt and the utility shirt.

Occasionwear has a minimal aesthetic, with simple sporty shapes transformed into understated occasionwear pieces through luxe fabrics. Plasticised, wet-look coatings and sateen or metallic finishes are also key here, creating tone-on-tone contrast.

Casualwear combines retro pieces with street-glam styling. Sequins and metallic surfaces update classic varsity garments such as the bomber jacket and the cropped hoodie for a glamorous tomboy look. The youth market will embrace the skater skirt in metallic leather and the sweatshirt dress in all-over sequins.

Details: zips, tags, colour blocking, customised pieces/panels (Courtesy of mischadesigns)

21st Century Romance - Romanticism coupled with technology which focuses on putting beauty above all with dramatic painterly florals and colour homage to the old masters. We love this street style snap that captures the detailing on these flashy gold flares.

Our second macro trend, 21st Century Romance, looks at classically romantic themes around craftsmanship, luxury and beauty, and updates them with a contemporary sharpness. Colourwise, delicate shades of nude, ivory, putty, lilac grey and soft sage offset a variation of blues and midnight black, while silver and antique gold add opulence and glamour.

For casualwear, soft romance contrasts with grunge styling and street influences as lace, embellishments and painterly prints are layered up and mixed with vintage references. Watch out for the jersey bomber reworked in new elongated silhouettes and all-over embellishment, and the luxe skinny jean which is revamped with brocade prints and metallic foils. Look out also for placement embroidery and jewelled appliqué on casual raglan t-shirts.

Occasionwear has a dark and opulent feel as historically influenced silhouettes such as the baroque dress and clerical shirt become the canvas for intricate, gothic prints and religious motifs. Decorative techniques such as devoré, embroidered mesh and luxe geo brocade are worked across the peplum top, the leather skirt and the body-con dress. Heavyweight velvet and high-shine leathers are contrasted with delicate sheers and tone-on-tone prints.

Tailoring is more pared down, with a minimal, architectural look. Domed shoulders, sculptural shaping, architectural darting and sharp pleating add a new direction to knitwear and tops.

Details: ornate, encrusted, decorative, metallic finishes, opulence (Courtesy of mischadesigns)

Living Design - mixing elements of human/animal and technology with amplified colours and a strong focus on textural fabrics.

Our last macro trend, Living Design, merges the animal and the technological. An urban palette of midnight navy, metallic grey, mushroom and blue-green provides the base for this trend, punctuated with burnt sienna and black through graffiti-inspired prints.

In casualwear, this trend translates as an 80s-inspired thrift-store look, with heavy wool and flannel worked into bulky oversized silhouettes such as the Crombie and the buffalo dirndl skirt. Meanwhile, outerwear options including the collarless jacket and the duffel coat are updated with brushed bouclé and fur accents. Watch too for the puffa jacket, which will continue to sell well as it’s an easy transition silhouette-wise from the bomber. Here, youth market retailers can tap into the same street sportswear look that fuelled bomber jacket sales while for the 35+ customer there is the option to introduce more sophisticated, silhouette-enhancing shapes.

Tailoring is clean, modern and sculptural in this trend. Smooth, rounded lines create voluminous garment shapes such as the sculptural coat and the full, gathered skirt.

Occasionwear combines delicate fabrics such as chiffon and viscose with metallic leather and iridescent silk jersey on items such as the layered dress, the cropped jacket and the fluted skirt. Oil slicks and rippling water reflections inspire prints and colour. Detachable feathered collars are important here, bringing an animalistic quality to a look while retaining that ethereal prettiness.

Details: brushed textures, fur, knits, woven, comfort (Photo courtesy of mischadesigns)

Other Highlights for A/W13

As trend life cycles continue to spread across two to-three seasons, understanding when is the most relevant and appealing time to back these looks is the fashion buyer’s biggest challenge. When these trends will have the most commercial impact is becoming increasingly bound up with your customers’ lifestyles.

The coloured skinny jean was huge for A/W12. Customers will be looking for a similar item that will perform for them in the same way but with an element of newness that will excite them to buy. With that in mind, watch for the coloured skinny cord for A/W13; it provides an update on the ubiquitous skinny jean and has real investment purchase appeal.

The customer’s increasing focus on key items rather than trends marks out the need to provide her with updated wardrobe solutions. Watch the pencil skirt again this season as it moves into partywear in metallics and all-over sequins for A/W13. The oversized blazer also moves forward from 2012’s sporty styling with an unstructured, androgynous appeal.

Source: Laura Saunter, Assistant Editor – Retail, WGSN

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Key macro trends for S/S 2014

Neo-Geo - Drawing inspiration from man-made and recycled materials mixed with earth and the blending of stone age processes. Think high fashion nomads travelling through the desert.

Details: desert elegance, natural excavated materials, future explorer, earthy tones

Next Nature - living technologies embedded into the design, representing the new version of flower power and the sensuality of nature. Aim for carefree beach styling with vibrant colours.

Details: illuminated bright hues, amplified floral tones, acidic accents, explosion of energy/colour

NDA New Digital Aesthetic - an evolving trend belonging to the virtual world, where animated GIFs are becoming big in fashion editorials.

Details: pixels, digital prints, fantasy, resolutions

(Source: Angelia Teo, Content Director of WGSN and courtesy of mischadesigns)

Read more: WGSN MACRO TRENDS AW 2014

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