Despite the winter storms and dropping temperatures, we made it to all the apparel fabric tradeshows here in NY. This year we did not only confirm the seasonal colours and fabric trends but we sought after the most innovative fabrics that meet our demand for comfort in our ever evolving lifestyles.
Premier Vision NY and Indigo are the first to open up each season for fabric trade shows worldwide, which gives us a great advantage point. This Spring Summer ‘15 show offered a broad selection of exhibitors showcasing their latest designs and styles to a large customer base which generated a steady flow of attendees.
The most predominant colours were shades of blue tones including everything from indigo, cobalt, and mint to light blue with a continuation into greens of sea foam, teal, and moss. Yellow ranged from citrus to soft pastel shades to a warm mimosa yellow. Candy colours continued to be strong in pale and muted tones along with natural colours which all enhances the brights.
Femininity rules in transparent fabrics, delicate constructed laces, eyelet, tulles and webbed like elements, sheers, transparency effects, sheens, sparkles, pearlescent sheens across knits and wovens. In prints we saw tribal, flowers from dense to open designs, watercolour influences, tropicals, fresh vertical stripes (mostly in knits), textured fabrics in either graphic, linear or circular patterns, and mostly tone on tones to offset the feminine mood. Sportswear fabrics were key in neoprene, nylons, scuba materials, mesh, imprinted, and embossed.
Our picks for the most innovative exhibitors are:
Based in Japan, Mitsubishi Rayon Group is the sole manufacturer of tri-acetate fibre Soalon ™ which provides water absorbency, quick dry, and lightweight properties to womenswear. With these fibres, garments can be machine washed on gentle cycle and ironed. So far such well known brands like Balenciaga, Lanvin, Haute Hippe, DVF, Tori Burch, Tara Jarmon, Miu Miu, Max Mara, and Banana Republic are already working with Soalon.
Established in Istanbul in 1970 with a mere two weaving looms, Ozdoku has significantly grown to specialize in structured wovens and performance fabrics like double faced cotton, poly-blends, stretch and satin finishes. These properties create a nice, comfortable hand which has been purchased by companies like Club Monaco, Express, Chicos, and White House Black Market in the past.
At Indigo we would like to mention an outstanding company that we came across called Prints of Orange. This textile design studio is based in Connecticut and represents numerous designers from around the globe that delivers a range of original and trend driven designs for the fashion, home furnishings, accessories and paper goods industries.
From paint splatters, smudges, butterflies, and watercolor themes in light pastels to geometric hand printed florals in white, blue, or black, the designs from Prints of Orange all reflected a shift towards artistic, abstract notions. Digital influences continued by altering hand painted prints and realistic knitwear designs. Overall, lines were super fine and mirrored effects, specifically in embroidered prints stood out. However, the most popular prints were contrasted against white backgrounds.
Next on our trade show circuit was of course the most innovative denim and sportswear fabric show, The Kingpins Show. While Kingpins continues to expand globally by adding Amsterdam to its roster in May, the show has maintained its neighborly, intimate setting that we've all grown to love.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
Premier Vision NY and Indigo are the first to open up each season for fabric trade shows worldwide, which gives us a great advantage point. This Spring Summer ‘15 show offered a broad selection of exhibitors showcasing their latest designs and styles to a large customer base which generated a steady flow of attendees.
Femininity rules in transparent fabrics, delicate constructed laces, eyelet, tulles and webbed like elements, sheers, transparency effects, sheens, sparkles, pearlescent sheens across knits and wovens. In prints we saw tribal, flowers from dense to open designs, watercolour influences, tropicals, fresh vertical stripes (mostly in knits), textured fabrics in either graphic, linear or circular patterns, and mostly tone on tones to offset the feminine mood. Sportswear fabrics were key in neoprene, nylons, scuba materials, mesh, imprinted, and embossed.
Our picks for the most innovative exhibitors are:
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
Based in Japan, Mitsubishi Rayon Group is the sole manufacturer of tri-acetate fibre Soalon ™ which provides water absorbency, quick dry, and lightweight properties to womenswear. With these fibres, garments can be machine washed on gentle cycle and ironed. So far such well known brands like Balenciaga, Lanvin, Haute Hippe, DVF, Tori Burch, Tara Jarmon, Miu Miu, Max Mara, and Banana Republic are already working with Soalon.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
Established in Istanbul in 1970 with a mere two weaving looms, Ozdoku has significantly grown to specialize in structured wovens and performance fabrics like double faced cotton, poly-blends, stretch and satin finishes. These properties create a nice, comfortable hand which has been purchased by companies like Club Monaco, Express, Chicos, and White House Black Market in the past.
photo via Prints of Orange
At Indigo we would like to mention an outstanding company that we came across called Prints of Orange. This textile design studio is based in Connecticut and represents numerous designers from around the globe that delivers a range of original and trend driven designs for the fashion, home furnishings, accessories and paper goods industries.
From paint splatters, smudges, butterflies, and watercolor themes in light pastels to geometric hand printed florals in white, blue, or black, the designs from Prints of Orange all reflected a shift towards artistic, abstract notions. Digital influences continued by altering hand painted prints and realistic knitwear designs. Overall, lines were super fine and mirrored effects, specifically in embroidered prints stood out. However, the most popular prints were contrasted against white backgrounds.
Next on our trade show circuit was of course the most innovative denim and sportswear fabric show, The Kingpins Show. While Kingpins continues to expand globally by adding Amsterdam to its roster in May, the show has maintained its neighborly, intimate setting that we've all grown to love.
The Kingpins tradeshow was held in a great space called the Tunnel and despite a major snowstorm, the show was absolutely packed. The interior was made up of brick walls and unlike past seasons, the whole exhibition was on one floor. We loved the presentation in the entrance where various denim pieces were on display. This year, the invite-only Kingpins show celebrated 9.5 years and the exhibitors and buyers were just as excited to be a part of it as ever.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
At Invista, we discussed the importance of merging activewear and fashion. Pioneers like Nike and Adidas are now integrating technical qualities into denim to give it more diverse value. This performance denim now has Thermolite ® to keep the wearer dry and warm during cold weather, Coolmax ® to keep you cool and dry, and Toughmax ™ which withstands the rigor of every day active life in a normal weight. And, by adding Lycra, it creates extra comfort.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
While visiting Cotton Inc, we were walked through their various products, one we would like to mention specifically called storm denim. This new innovation combines performance with design in a woven fabric and also offers breathable water repellent protection.
We also had an interesting conversation with Armin Sachathrep, Director of AMC, who along with Viresh Varma from ADL/Arvind confirmed that Coolmax is not yet perfected like its counterpart heat tech. Coolmax still has too much of a polyester feeling. According to Varma, a lot of customers are showing interest in this performance technology in denim but since the hand is not very soft yet buyers really aren't going for it.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
Kurabo Denim carries premium denim from Japan and offers performance denim that creates warmth called Thermal (81% Cotton, 11% Acrylic, 7%Cupra, 1% Spandex). For cold fibers, they use Xylithol a natural chemical, used in chewing gum. With a mill in China and a spinning mill in Thailand, they are able to provide premium denim at a more competitive price point.
Our final stop was Texworld where exhibitors were extremely happy to see a steady flow of buyers especially since the weather was much less harsh on the second day! Overall, the trade shows this week were much slower than usual due to the polar vortex conditions.
Of course we headed to the trend forum first. The set up was very well done and the fabrics were organized by color schemes, which was very refreshing. The themes for each trend were well illustrated and created an easily read story. Pretty much all of what we saw overlapped with PV and further confirmed our S/S 2015 predictions.
photo via Tradegood
As the match-making partner of Texworld USA, Tradegood, is a B2B sourcing community that connects responsible buyers with trusted suppliers from around the world and works to facilitate the buyer's experience. At the show, all participants could partake in the complimentary service by filling out an application during the registration process and once the application is received, Tradegood finds suitable suppliers onsite that complement the buyers' specifications.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
With a drastic increase in fashion performance functionality in the last 4 years, Hyperbola is committed to outdoor, fashion, and casual fabrics. Their 3D embossed foam fabric is doing really well in the activewear arena because it's all about combining fashion and function to address the unpredictable weather patterns. The performance fabrics they carry are: Anti-bacteria, Anti-UV temperature changing fabrics, really new technical materials that change colours according to heat. For instance, in cold climates, fabrics turn into a grey metallic foil material to protect heat.
photo via MBF Trend Consulting
Toray is a manufacturer and fabrics sourcing company that has seen athletic wear cross over to fashion apparel and the other way around. Printing on nylon has become a fast growing trend that is becoming very popular for down jackets as well as microfiber products that are soft and lightweight.
From the most technical, high performance fabric qualities to abstract, watercolor inspired prints, and blue hues from dark to light, we are seeing more of a balance between high fashion and activewear influences. Our lives are more demanding than ever and with that, grows a need for fabrications that are durable, weather adapting, and of course, comfortable.
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