Fashion trends, whatever next...?

by Emma Bower

Over the last decade we have seen re-jigs of fashion from previous eras, from the check shirt to skinny jeans; they have all been done before.

It can therefore be quite difficult to predict the trends for the next decade as design has become homogenous.

But studying in London, the fashion capital, makes it important to keep on trend and one step ahead of the game.

So Arts London News brings you fashion forecasting for the next decade.

Rob Phillips, Creative Director for the School of Design and Technology at London College of Fashion, told us: “Consumers have all developed a very aesthetic way of shopping, something that we are comfortable with and from that degree of comfort, it is very difficult to make a shift towards something different or dramatic.”

Staple items

Phillips also suggests that key staple items such the skinny jean will probably not disappear from the fashion horizon for this reason.

“The same goes for military," he says, "‘will military ever go away?’ No it won’t because it is everywhere and every season you see a reincarnation of military."

Designing something brave or different comes with the risk of alienating customers and therefore is not a good move financially.

You can therefore forget the futuristic, silver lamé jumpsuits, the teenies’ fashion will just be the resurgence of previous trends.

So, don’t throw those skinny jeans or blazers out just yet.

For the next decade still expect to see nautical stripes, denim, leather jackets and prints but with teenies twist.

Competition

With the fashion industry being so cut-throat and saturated with competition, emerging designers can be another area that is hard to anticipate.

One moment’s en vogue can be next week’s fashion faux pas.

However, a look at emerging stars currently making an impact on the fashion scene helps predict the household names of the next decade.

“If you looked at knitwear, you could say Mark Fast would be a really strong candidate for becoming something much bigger depending on which route he takes," Phillips says.

"The other one is of course Christopher Kane. He has been going for quite a while.

"He will be one of the biggest names in fashion in 20 years time, I just can’t imagine it not happening because he is just so good at everything he does,” he adds.

Michela Carrero graduated from London College of Fashion in 2007 and since then has made an impact on the fashion industry on a quieter level.

Her work has appeared in several magazines including Vogue and she has a large clientele so she is another designer to watch for in the next decade.

Plus-size models

With the recent issue of American’s high-fashion V magazine devoted to plus-size models and designers, such as Mark Fast, using larger models to display their creations, we can definitely expect curvier figures to bump size zeros off the catwalk.

“We will see a rise in the plus size industry because it is a huge industry and, designers particularly, are taking advantage of it.

"We should see a shift in ethnicity and individuality, where we come from and what we are about. As human beings we can’t all keep looking the same, but plus size is just one issue of that huge umbrella of individuality,” said Phillips.

Crystal Renn is currently the highest paid plus-size model and has recently launched her autobiography Guardian, which documents her battles with weight loss in her earlier modelling days.

Definitely a name to watch for in the future, Renn is sure to lead the fuller figure forward on the catwalk.

Fabric

There are many different types of fabric that are available on the market from microencapsulation of medicines in tights to imitating the skin of a shark.

However, it is very unlikely there will be a shift towards the use of these materials in everyday attire.

Phillips said: “You could have the most advanced fabric on earth but if it is too expensive to make clothes out of no one is going to buy it.”

However, it is likely that there will be a drive towards the use of environmentally friendly fabrics on the fashion market.

Environmental awareness was a key issue throughout the duration of the noughties with the decade concluding with the Copenhagen climate change conference.

Designers started and will continue to look at environmentally friendly ways of producing fabric.

It is likely that we will see a shift towards the use of small mills that were previously losing the battle against larger manufacturers, to produce fabric.

So to stay on trend for the next decade, purchase a pair of Christopher Kane skinny jeans that have been produced in an eco-friendly environment and have appeared on a plus-size model in a fashion magazine.

Team up with knitwear by Mark Fast and stay ahead in the fashion game.