NEW YORK — Natural, organic elements abounded during New York's textile shows.
At European Preview, fabrics were soft and earthy, with many featuring small, intricate textures. Cotton and cotton blends that included silk, rayon or linen, as well as linen looks, were important, as were fibers that mimicked the look of raffia.
At Campore, artisan touches included cottons in simple yet sophisticated basket-weave constructions. There were also cottons infused with metal — some gauzy and sheer, while others were more structured and compact. Ulster Weavers showed an array of linens and linen blends, many with touches of Lurex or ones that featured a rustic feel.
"It's important to bring these earthy elements into the collection, but still offer something sophisticated and clean," said designer Lionel Peralta. "We're trying to change people's perception of linen."
Designer Peter Som said, "I've seen a lot of different approaches with linen, which is really important. Something flat doesn't really work for my customer."
Although he initially hesitated with linen because of the "wrinkle factor," Som said blends that include silk and feature allover texture are catching his eye. "Some of the jacquards and fils coupés I've seen are really beautiful and dimensional," he added.
Trends at the Turkish fabric fair centered on natural looks, as well.
At Guney, Effie Zadok, vice president, said, "The look is very organic this season," citing a straw-colored cotton and linen blend that featured a soft hand. "We're investing a lot of money into finishing machinery. The hand of a fabric has become more important than ever. It's a way for us to differentiate our product."
Ipekyolu's natural looks included neutral-colored cotton jacquards with small geometric shapes such as squares and dots. Altinyildiz, meanwhile, introduced looks with bamboo fiber for the season, many of which were blended with wool, linen or Lycra spandex.
"It's loftier than viscose," said Sami Arditti, managing director of Altinyildiz. "It has a great luster and it's a natural fiber, which is great. The response has been very positive."
Novel looks were also key at the fair. Saydam showed some strong examples, the best of which were seersucker acetate and silk blends in preppy combinations of green, blue and white, while Confetti's prints offered colorful takes on botanicals.
