There’s a palpably nostalgic tone set at the Fall/Winter 2018 collections wherein designers are, continuing a long running love affair with 1970s kitsch influences and thrift shop trinkets.
The prevalent hype surrounding streetwear and outerwear is also keenly taken into consideration as designers and high fashion brands seek to appease the dominant millennial and Gen Z clientele.
Fashion houses are taking their cues from an eclectic mix of eras and movies that surpass cultures and traditions; and instead of resulting in a big chaos, the upshot is in fact just the opposite.
Floral embroideries make a comeback but not in the dainty, romantic way you would expect. This season, they take on a more folkloric tone and present themselves as understated muted versions of their counterparts. Floral swirls also make their way into 3D appliqué placements that make use of heretical laces and ribbons.
On the surface front, wide explorations of washes are undertaken over denims ranging from worn out effects to deeper indigo dips.
A sense of reckless abandon, reflective of the current overall societal and cultural mood translates itself via an array of shredding and fraying techniques over shirts, jeans and denim jackets.
All this and more, as FFT takes on the recently concluded menswear and womenswear showcases to reveal the key techniques that would be in focus for the approaching frostier months.
Wide padding
Fashion meets function as arctic-style padded jackets and parkas are treated with a directional aesthetic that focuses on the outerwear aesthetic.
With the emphasis on outerwear- and streetwear-inspired clothing reaching a peak, quilting and padding techniques are redefining themselves for the approaching season.
Puffed up proportions and inflated fabrications lend an insulated quality to jackets and gilets while quilted panels and contrast inserts introduce added warmth to layering pieces. Larger than life quilted panels add new levels of comfort and warmth.
Floral embroidery
Intricate needlework embroideries that follow influences of the American West have been apparent in many winter collections this season. Mostly revolving around floral motifs, these embroideries sit well against fringed detailing that add to the Wild Wild West theme.
Though much of the embroidery on offer this season is of the colourful variety, rather than the in-your-face variety, designers have approached the subject rather subtly by using muted tones highlighted by one or two contrasting hues.
Key pieces include T-shirts, blouses and denim shirts.
Ruching
The technique started gaining momentum from last few seasons with Donatella Versace, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Phillip Lim among others, re-introducing it in their collections.
Designers and brands are reinstating slinkiness with body-flattering, ruched detailing that is not limited to only being incorporated over dresses and tops.
This winter, the ruching technique is showing up everywhere from skirts to sleeves, and also serves as a textural detail in some cases.
Fraying/Shredding
The popular relaxed appeal is being enhanced with textural elements at play for Fall/Winter 2018. The soft-wash, care-worn feel of mid-blue and bleached-out denims are heightened with fraying and shredding techniques selectively applied to collars and hemlines.
Detailing of lighter hued edges set alongside contrast elements highlight utilitarian silhouettes.
Key pieces include shirts, jeans and denim jackets.
Lace-up
The lace-up detail technique reworks itself for Fall/Winter 2018. Shifting away from boudoir associations, the technique finds its aesthetic over more masculine silhouettes this time.
Corsetry inspired lacing and flows through large cut outs bring a feminine touch to masculine proportions and silhouettes.
The ribbons/laces are wider and bolder and often let loose without a knot finishing it up at the end.
Ribbon lace appliqué
Traditional lace techniques gain added interest by being approached in a 3D appliqué manner. The end result comes out to be more of an embellished detail. Lacey ribbon strands are coiled together in arbitrary spirals.
These components are then cut and sewn together over surface panels to create embroidered patches.
Appliqué techniques find themselves working with mostly florals in a wide range of materials ranging from fabric, to leather, to sequins and even beads.
Gathering
Sitting politely between ruffled frills and prim pleats, gathers take on a rougher form this season.
Carelessly collected into tiered formations, the gathers for Fall 2018 come across as carelessly attempted and haphazardly placed. There is no specific placement being followed, rather the focus is on achieving a no-fuss look.
Further detailing includes frayed threads coming undone out of sequenced gathers.
Washed out
Denim’s relaxed appeal is enhanced with textural elements for Spring/Summer 2019. The soft-wash, care-worn feels is brought about over mid-blue and bleached-out denims.
Bleached-out and whitened finishes bring a canvas-like quality to summer denims. Pale, off-white tones have an untreated, natural handle that lends a lighter, fresher feel to durable utilitarian pieces. Cropped silhouettes and rose gold hardware compliment the seasonal aesthetic.
