A “new aesthetics” is asserting – reaching from the interior over architecture up to culture. These things that form our ambience also inevitably influence fashion. Clear outlines and new volumes characterize the look. Lengths and widths shift towards all directions. Narrow versus volume. At the same time rouses a “new bourgeoisie” – expression of a reversion to moral values thus creating impulses that enforce a turn towards “old values”. The fundus of “Queen Mum” is all the same plundered like the trunk of a British hunting party.

The contrasts of the new season could not be of more suspense – pure new aesthetics in contrast to historically influenced glamour – postindustrial austerity meets tradition. Values like sustainability and seriousness are also reflected in fashion and are expressed by high value and high class.

Hence, the conclusion are the following four major tendencies:

Purity
Britannia Rules 
Industrial
Historic Glamour

For that reason these topics are to be mentioned separately:

US Youth 
Mix’N Match 
Music Stories
Virtual Reality

Colour topics Autumn/Winter 2007|08

Naturalism    
Bark, wood, roots, and mosses.
Colours as reflection of nature and if taken from British hunting paintings of bygone eras: honey, red brown, leaf green, ivy; mud, peat.

Imagination
Plain, sculptural, solid, polished stone.
Colour spheres between reality and fiction – the aura is pure but also somehow unreal, intangible and smooth. Limestone, ceramics, clay, rock, cement, foggy grey as well as nacre and primary colours to form contrasts.

Industrial Realism
Concrete, asphalt, steel, glass, ”Bauhaus”
A world of colours generated from our everyday urban environment – contrasts of modern architecture full of suspense: concrete with wood, steel with felt:
Concrete-grey, wall-white, deep-black, silver, lacquer-red, steel-blue.

Dramatic Glamour   
Brocade, lustre, gems, splendour.
An array of colours characterized by glamorous sentiments and emotions.
Full of suspense, exciting, mysterious or obscure: Ruby, sapphire green, purple, gold, bronze, black diamond, midnight blue.

Season’s trends

Purity

Mood
Calmness, clarity, perfection.
Androgynous power, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, extensions, sophisticated elegance.
Ultramodern and visionary sculptural shapes in the style of the 60s.

Look
Trapezoid-shaped A-lines as well as X-lines with short lengths are predominant.
Key item is the dress – be it princess-, A-line-, mini-, or etui-dress.
Mini skirts of any version – reaching from the “bum-cuff” to the pencil skirt.
Short coats in blazer shape as well as tulip shapes complete the design.
Some graphic effect is reached by white blouses with black costumes and blazers with bermudas | pencil skirts in combination with leggings. The materials are either soft and flowing, partly with brilliance; or tight “with stand” for exact, sculptural silhouettes. Ornamental elements are almost completely missing; they are taken over from the graphic overall effect.

Bag Styles
Plain in style, puristic in expression and cool in look.
On the one hand big bags with contour of stable leather in a new high-size format and overdimensioned – either to be carried in one’s hand or on a long shoulder strap. On the other hand many slender clutch bags as well as new interpretations of wristlets in all versions of simplicity to luxury. Still trendy are soft horizontal formats and shoppers made of striking material for an outstanding appearance.
The key material is patent leather followed by ultra-glossy and highly polished leather types and leather with reptile embossings.
Plain, high-class clasps demonstrate elegance, diverse grip designs bring new impulses.

Colours: Limestone, ceramics, clay, rock, cement, foggy grey as well as nacre plus primary colours to form contrasts.

Highland Explorer

Mood
Great Britain with all its facets:
urban country, highland explorer, natural glowing, Britannia cool.
Eccentricity meets tradition, punk meets Oxford girls and boys.

Look
Straight to narrow silhouettes characterize the styling. Key items are leather blousons with fur collars, wide tuck pants in flannel, long trench coats, tweed bermudas and pleated skirts, hunting look in punk interpretation.
Coats are still under the influence of uniform details like stand-up collars and double row of buttons. Broad belts with big clasps emphasize the waist.
Classics are modernised by nontypical combinations: chiffon with flannel and herringbone, magnificent materials like lamé and damask with fluffy angora.

Bag Styles
On the one hand ride-, hunt-, messenger bags, weekenders and shoppers in XL format as well as clutch bags of a new shape, on the other hand original hobos as well as “”miniature Miss Marple bags”, also to be used as shoulder bags. The bags are carried in one’s hand or alternately on a long strap.
Materials are sportive natural leather types with grains and brush effects; material contrasts are leather with tweed – checked or plain, smooth leather with braided details, bright polish with mat finish. Golden clasps reminding of official seals or weapons of elite universities, tack like snaffle as decoration and striking golden metal components inspired by the world of equestrian sports.

Colours: Honey, red brown, leaf green, ivy; mud, peat, haws red.

Vision de Luxe

Mood
Realism, urbanity, modernity, Vision deLuxe, Industrial aesthetics - the everyday challenge in the large cities of our world.

Look
New proportions that first of all seem to be accidentally: layers are put on one another in different lengths. Narrow bottom parts, slim fit pants absolutely in combination with creases and voluminous tops in new lengths. Unconstructed knitted jackets compete with quilt blousons and parkas as protecting coats. Sportive high-tech material is utilised and implemented to get suitable for the City.

Bag styles
Soft and casual huge shoppers in XXL format as well as waterskin bags that may be worn at the hand or by shoulder straps. Messenger bags with braidings and extra-wide shoulder strap – both for ladies and gentlemen. Multitask bags in techno nylon appear ergonomically and flat shaped – so to be carried also under the jacket. The leather is oiled, slightly weathered, washed, and crinkled or in a clean brilliance in techno look and water- repellent; accompanied by metallic lustre, quilt stitching, bundled, shrunk or blistered.

Colours: Concrete-grey, wall-white, deep-black, silver, lacquer-red, steel-blue, and as contrast als neon shades.

Historic Glomour

Mood
Dress to impress: opulent, decadent, seductive, dandified. City baroque, night gala, opera.

Look
Victorian severity in combination with a decadent style. Skin-tight pipe- or page-pants. Gorgeous fur collars and cuffs at decorative jackets as well as short capes. Plastrons, jabots and looped neck-tie shawls at elegant blouses. Evening tuxedoes and tail-coat elements are also found in everyday clothing. Couture elements of the New Classic. Ornamental brocades and jacquards, iridescent velvet and lamés, laces, damask and satin. Quilt stitching, bundled and draped design. Gold and copper shimmer for extraordinarily decorative surfaces.

Bagstyle
Medium-sized horizontal formats, solid caskets and wristlets with decorated clasps or completely trimmed with gems. Clutch bags and travel luggage with a bonded style from Victorian times.
Excessively oversized clasps, stitchings with gold-rivet trimming demonstrate what’s it about: more is more. Velvet and velours, ornamentally embossed or printed leather, drapery, brocade and Jacquards with gold or bronze brilliance. Fur bags as new statement for luxury.
Gold decoration lavishly chased and artfully designed. Gold buttons, clasps, buckles, chains, and rivets emphasise the splendour aspect and guarantee the intented opulence up to theatric overstatement.

Colours: Ruby, sapphire green, purple, gold, bronze; black diamond, midnight blue.

Urban Country

Mood
Countryhouse mystery and vintage, military as well as motorcycle club and urban jungle typify the topic Mix’n Match:

Look
A look just as found on a stroll over the flea market – new silhouettes created by wild combinations of for example crochet skirts worn over denim drainpipes. ‘Layering’is the keyword and nearly perfectly describes this look. The materials are of the most different surfaces – holey or plain, velours or satined.

Bags
This is also reflected in the bags: high-sized canvas bags with repair elements or embroideries with a handmade finish, multi-pocket shoulder bags with push-button lock and girded edges, also in a mix of  canvas | leather.  There are also to be seen “shopping bag shapes” in crochet design, “army bags” in tiny formats. Slightly aged surfaces supply the corresponding patina for clutch bags and shoulder bags.

Colours: Aged and bleached-out shades are predominant -vintage olives and beige shades, in combination also ”aged” natural brown.

VIRTUAL REALITY 

Mood
Space nomads meet snow fighters and gothic followers – all is viable in this virtual world. Imaginative figures come to live (Tokio Hotel Look).

Look
The styling is accordingly polymorphic – black slim fits in combination with lenghts and widths, rivets, synthetic leather, and leather, also silver-coloured quilt jackets in combination with slim-fit trousers. Heavy snowwear paired with sexy looks.

Bags
Ultralight polycarbonates allow satchel shapes with protective elements and a sheer non-destructable surface; trolleys for the mobility of space nomads are equally positioned beside futuristic shoulder bags and backpacks in new formats with back protectors.

Colours: Dark, metallic shades with a lot of black and now and then glaring red as contrast as well as silver as brightener.

University Riders

Mood
University riders, American streetlife, skate park.

Look
Sportive styles: denim pants in baggy shapes or straight fits, in combination with casual sweat jackets or hooded sweats with comic art prints, all mixed up with short parkas and bomber blousons, and of course sneakers.

Bags
Sportive zipper shapes like bowling bags, courier bags, and flap bags in high-size and horizontal format and the most different variations. As to the material it alternates between textile leather and tear-resistent nylon. Braids of contrasting colours and distinct logo prints or applications complement the sportive ”heritage look”.

Colours: Plain and sportive colours are dominating, supplemented by white, black, and grey.

Street Life

Mood
Asian Pop meets Neo Disco and the 50’s Underground gives Rock’n Roll dancing lessons.

Look
A look that brings together citations of music history thus creating its own style: legging meets circle skirt with plateau pumps and bike leather jackets; slim-fit jeans are worn with tight-fitting tops along with a leather jacket à la Pete Doherty, extra-long T-shirt dresses in combination with drainpipe jeans and ultrashort little jackets. 

Bags
Straight etui bags in horizontal format that are worn on thin chains over the shoulder. DJ bags of high-tech nylon or leather with broad shoulder straps. Daypacks and weekenders with drive, wristlets in pencil-case format and shoulder bags in shopper style. Metal components are unobtrusive and rather functional. Shoulder straps are substituted by chains especially for the girls, even snake-shaped chains celebrate a comeback.

Colours: Candy colours as well as car metallics with lacquered surfaces are seen beside neutrals like black | white (also as checquer).

23/05/07