This got me really excited about next year...bye bye 2007! Go to the VIEW slide show for some fresh looking prints, I love the ones from KBC Germany.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/08/news/rfabric.php
International Herald Tribune
New season will put the daring back in fabrics
By Katie Weisman
Published: February 8, 2007
NEW YORK: If the futuristic looks now on their way to the stores are not to your taste, you may want to wait for spring/summer 2008. Based on the trends seen at the recent Preview New York fabric show, next year's styles will be something quite different.
It "will be a positive and energetic season," said Sabine Le Chatelier, the associate fashion director for Première Vision, the giant Paris-based fabric show that also organizes the New York event. After two seasons of "getting rid of the superfluous," Le Chatelier said, fabrics for summer 2008 are more daring, with weavers showing more personal, even risky collections.
Translation for the consumer: Summer 2008 will have a neat, fresh look with intense and radiant colors. Sure, fabrics will continue to boast new technical innovations. And yes, an urban landscape with its architecture and rhythm will continue to inspire, according to the trends identified by Première Vision's industry consortium. But the clothes that the fabrics will make apparently are destined to be pretty, elegant, handsome and casually smart.
Futuristic looks are not going to disappear, but they may be less literal. The abundance of metallic or shiny fabrics exhibited by 140 companies at Preview New York, held on Jan. 24 and 25, attested to that and appealed to designers ranging from Reem Acra of New York, best known for her evening and bridal gowns, to Mayren Viray, fabric designer of the Bebe women's retail chain.
Metallic fabrics often get their shine from coatings or laminates, but in the past, the technique has left many with a rough, crunchy or stiff feel. Now the fabrics are soft and supple, some even looking like molten metal, as seen in the 100 percent polyester gold fabric from Olmetex of Italy.
Olmetex makes functional fabrics, like cloth that is water repellent or waterproof. High-end outerwear companies, like Moncler, are clients and the company supplies fashion brands like Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic. But Luca Breschi, the executive vice president, said the company was moving increasingly into daywear fabrics, like the 100 percent linens laminated with silver, gold, bronze and gunmetal metallics.
To achieve the effect, a coating process is followed by an enzyme wash, which makes the fabrics soft, even those with a wrinkled effect. The crinkled and waffled effects throughout the show were complemented by a rich assortment of colors and patterns.
"For prints, there are new geometrics, small and big, which play together," Viray of Bebe observed. "There are a lot of bright colors — emerald, bright red, fuchsia — and new color combinations, like pairing neon pink or neon yellow with neutrals."
The geometric patterns were bright and graphic. Some patterns were reminiscent of 1970s wallpaper, the kind that used to be paired with brown or avocado kitchen appliances. And while olive green, brown and yellow are not instantly appealing, the fabric displays show this kind of quirky color combination will prevail next year.
One print house, Confetti Textile in Turkey, showed a variety of prints, from geometrics to micro-florals on a wide range of fabrics, from thin knits to slinky polyesters. The company, also an apparel maker, supplies fabrics to big fashion chains like Zara — and its co- owner, Ertugrul Arikonmaz, says that one of the challenges is keeping up with, and ahead of, fast-fashion retailers. "Up until some seven years ago, everyone was producing two fabric collections a year," Arikonmaz said. "But the Zara effect means that we have to evolve our collection all the time. Sure, we do two big collections a year, but now, each month, we are injecting new things."
Retro prints, however, were not stuck in the funky geometrics of the 1970s. Vintage florals often evoked "flower power" or the kind of motifs seen on upholstery fabrics from the late 1950s through to the '70s, like those shown by the German print expert KBC.
The colors and patterns hinted at the kinds of fabrics that Yves Saint Laurent used in his early work. A highlight at KBC was an abstract floral in a silkscreen over-printed effect on floaty cotton voile, which could easily be seen as a flowing summer evening dress.
There was, however, plenty at Preview New York for those eschewing busy prints and bold colors thanks to a rich palette of neutrals in the official "color card" of Première Vision, which debuted at Preview New York. This fold-out industry guide, which cost $155, showed a subtle range of hues, including various shades of sands, stones and skies.
"We loved all the muted colors, the whites with the beiges, the heather tones like heather gray," said Tina Lutz of Lutz & Patmos, specialists in cashmere sweaters and knits.
Lutz and her design partner, Marcia Patmos, are trying to produce their collections in the most eco-friendly way possible, and organic fabrics are one way to pursue that goal. Organic cotton's casual character was seen at Showa, a Japanese maker of yarn-dyed wovens in natural fibers, which introduced organic cotton into its range for spring/summer 2007.
For summer 2008, the company showed the cotton in its three natural colors — pale almond green, off-white and pale peach — and in different weaves, such as one with a seersucker- like relief or a tone-on-tone gingham check. As soft and delicate as these were, they are definitely reserved for relaxed sportswear, perhaps nightwear.
"The customer is really starting to look for organic fabric," noted Tetsuro Takasugi, Showa's executive director.
In addition to "clean" fabrics, clean styling is hot for spring-summer 2008. Parents around the world will be delighted to know that, at least when it comes to the industry's choice, the on- purpose dirty look for jeans is on the way out and tidier, crisper denim and other fabrics for pants and sportswear are in. With these, high-quality bi- or four-way stretch is making a huge comeback, said Andreas Nowack, export director for Van Delden, a German maker of cotton fabrics for sportswear.
"We are showing cleaner, finer structures for a neater look this season, compared to worn looks which have been trendy," Nowack said. "The consumer will appear casual but well- dressed — even if the fabric has an uneven or slightly wrinkled surface." The company supplies retailers like Talbot's and J. Jill in the United States, and Marks & Spencer, El Corte Inglès and Kookaï in Europe, among others.
Wovens, typically used for men's suits or separates, also are getting a new treatment. Pinstripes, glen plaids and other traditional woven patterns for menswear were displayed in linen, cotton, silk or blends — not just super- fine wool. The adaptation will permit more versatile uses, like in women's wear. But the silkiness and fluidity did not appeal to everybody.
"I like fabrics with a bit of body which molds and doesn't drape," said Steven Cox, co-founder and co-designer of the New York-based Duckie Brown menswear label. "I get a bit scared of fluid. It can be too feminine."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/08/news/rfabric.php
International Herald Tribune
New season will put the daring back in fabrics
By Katie Weisman
Published: February 8, 2007
NEW YORK: If the futuristic looks now on their way to the stores are not to your taste, you may want to wait for spring/summer 2008. Based on the trends seen at the recent Preview New York fabric show, next year's styles will be something quite different.
It "will be a positive and energetic season," said Sabine Le Chatelier, the associate fashion director for Première Vision, the giant Paris-based fabric show that also organizes the New York event. After two seasons of "getting rid of the superfluous," Le Chatelier said, fabrics for summer 2008 are more daring, with weavers showing more personal, even risky collections.
Translation for the consumer: Summer 2008 will have a neat, fresh look with intense and radiant colors. Sure, fabrics will continue to boast new technical innovations. And yes, an urban landscape with its architecture and rhythm will continue to inspire, according to the trends identified by Première Vision's industry consortium. But the clothes that the fabrics will make apparently are destined to be pretty, elegant, handsome and casually smart.
Futuristic looks are not going to disappear, but they may be less literal. The abundance of metallic or shiny fabrics exhibited by 140 companies at Preview New York, held on Jan. 24 and 25, attested to that and appealed to designers ranging from Reem Acra of New York, best known for her evening and bridal gowns, to Mayren Viray, fabric designer of the Bebe women's retail chain.
Metallic fabrics often get their shine from coatings or laminates, but in the past, the technique has left many with a rough, crunchy or stiff feel. Now the fabrics are soft and supple, some even looking like molten metal, as seen in the 100 percent polyester gold fabric from Olmetex of Italy.
Olmetex makes functional fabrics, like cloth that is water repellent or waterproof. High-end outerwear companies, like Moncler, are clients and the company supplies fashion brands like Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren and Banana Republic. But Luca Breschi, the executive vice president, said the company was moving increasingly into daywear fabrics, like the 100 percent linens laminated with silver, gold, bronze and gunmetal metallics.
To achieve the effect, a coating process is followed by an enzyme wash, which makes the fabrics soft, even those with a wrinkled effect. The crinkled and waffled effects throughout the show were complemented by a rich assortment of colors and patterns.
"For prints, there are new geometrics, small and big, which play together," Viray of Bebe observed. "There are a lot of bright colors — emerald, bright red, fuchsia — and new color combinations, like pairing neon pink or neon yellow with neutrals."
The geometric patterns were bright and graphic. Some patterns were reminiscent of 1970s wallpaper, the kind that used to be paired with brown or avocado kitchen appliances. And while olive green, brown and yellow are not instantly appealing, the fabric displays show this kind of quirky color combination will prevail next year.
One print house, Confetti Textile in Turkey, showed a variety of prints, from geometrics to micro-florals on a wide range of fabrics, from thin knits to slinky polyesters. The company, also an apparel maker, supplies fabrics to big fashion chains like Zara — and its co- owner, Ertugrul Arikonmaz, says that one of the challenges is keeping up with, and ahead of, fast-fashion retailers. "Up until some seven years ago, everyone was producing two fabric collections a year," Arikonmaz said. "But the Zara effect means that we have to evolve our collection all the time. Sure, we do two big collections a year, but now, each month, we are injecting new things."
Retro prints, however, were not stuck in the funky geometrics of the 1970s. Vintage florals often evoked "flower power" or the kind of motifs seen on upholstery fabrics from the late 1950s through to the '70s, like those shown by the German print expert KBC.
The colors and patterns hinted at the kinds of fabrics that Yves Saint Laurent used in his early work. A highlight at KBC was an abstract floral in a silkscreen over-printed effect on floaty cotton voile, which could easily be seen as a flowing summer evening dress.
There was, however, plenty at Preview New York for those eschewing busy prints and bold colors thanks to a rich palette of neutrals in the official "color card" of Première Vision, which debuted at Preview New York. This fold-out industry guide, which cost $155, showed a subtle range of hues, including various shades of sands, stones and skies.
"We loved all the muted colors, the whites with the beiges, the heather tones like heather gray," said Tina Lutz of Lutz & Patmos, specialists in cashmere sweaters and knits.
Lutz and her design partner, Marcia Patmos, are trying to produce their collections in the most eco-friendly way possible, and organic fabrics are one way to pursue that goal. Organic cotton's casual character was seen at Showa, a Japanese maker of yarn-dyed wovens in natural fibers, which introduced organic cotton into its range for spring/summer 2007.
For summer 2008, the company showed the cotton in its three natural colors — pale almond green, off-white and pale peach — and in different weaves, such as one with a seersucker- like relief or a tone-on-tone gingham check. As soft and delicate as these were, they are definitely reserved for relaxed sportswear, perhaps nightwear.
"The customer is really starting to look for organic fabric," noted Tetsuro Takasugi, Showa's executive director.
In addition to "clean" fabrics, clean styling is hot for spring-summer 2008. Parents around the world will be delighted to know that, at least when it comes to the industry's choice, the on- purpose dirty look for jeans is on the way out and tidier, crisper denim and other fabrics for pants and sportswear are in. With these, high-quality bi- or four-way stretch is making a huge comeback, said Andreas Nowack, export director for Van Delden, a German maker of cotton fabrics for sportswear.
"We are showing cleaner, finer structures for a neater look this season, compared to worn looks which have been trendy," Nowack said. "The consumer will appear casual but well- dressed — even if the fabric has an uneven or slightly wrinkled surface." The company supplies retailers like Talbot's and J. Jill in the United States, and Marks & Spencer, El Corte Inglès and Kookaï in Europe, among others.
Wovens, typically used for men's suits or separates, also are getting a new treatment. Pinstripes, glen plaids and other traditional woven patterns for menswear were displayed in linen, cotton, silk or blends — not just super- fine wool. The adaptation will permit more versatile uses, like in women's wear. But the silkiness and fluidity did not appeal to everybody.
"I like fabrics with a bit of body which molds and doesn't drape," said Steven Cox, co-founder and co-designer of the New York-based Duckie Brown menswear label. "I get a bit scared of fluid. It can be too feminine."
