Cotton Incorporated: SS17 Trend Forecast

Edited by Flora Zhao

Editor’s note: Cotton Incorporated released SS17 Trend Forecast, including such five themes as Second Act, Mundane, Mass Customization, Suspension, and Moral Codes, extracted here to share with our readers.

Second Act

Limitless possibilities flourish as we shatter antiquated boundaries of what we can achieve in our lives. Renewed and inspired to nourish our talents and interests, we take a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach to life, fashion, and creativity. Going back to academia or shifting careers later in life is not seen as a reckless pursuit, but one that appeals to the courageous and intrepid side of human nature. By constantly evolving our interests and expertise we have more to offer and thus become more creative and marketable. In the world of sustainability, we are seeing the repurposing of abandoned golf courses to solar farms, abandoned buildings to libraries and “zero waste” is rapidly catching on as a worthwhile investment. Second Act fabrics have a lot of surface interest and texture such as wrinkled and crepe effects. Vintage is a theme in both denim and sweater knits, while plaids and yarn dyed chambrays are updated as perennial favorites.

Second Act colors universally resonate and give a sense of time and place. This palette remains wholeheartedly nostalgic while also re-imagining uses for these constant timeless colors. Bubblegum pink and Popsicle blue make their youthful presence known alongside more traditional Billiard Green and navy. Statement periwinkle adds a splash of teenage nostalgia while Silver Fox summons a feeling of earnestness and adds a much needed dash of complexity. This palette acts as a springboard for updates to summer plaids and checks as well as reinterpreted florals, colorful gingham, and heritage sportswear applications.

Mundane

Mundane explores the compelling effects, of the routine in life. The focuses here are behaviors or habits that border on the monotonous. Our obsession with watching or taking part in repetitive or ordinary activities gives us both a psychological and creative advantage by soothing our minds, opening us to new experiences, and allowing creativity to flow without distraction. Boredom or zeal for the ordinary also fringes on the notion of “new modern luxury,” as simply having the time to be bored is a statement in itself. Design in both art and apparel is purely functional and beautifully simplistic with no distractions from over conceptualized design or multi-functional uses. Mundane fabrics celebrate subtle hidden ideas like stripe details in double warp shirting fabrics or low key striping updates for sweater knits. Small scale patterns, matte coatings, and bonded fabrics are restrained but impactful details.

The Mundane color palette subtly entices its viewer with colors that are pleasing and functional without the hype. Camouflage and Endless Night are an understated backdrop to sunshine and orange tones, adding contrast, but not overwhelming the palette. Mauve and chambray blue acquiesce into the background giving off youthful undertones. The colors in this palette are not to be utilized in single use options as they are not meant to take center stage. Miniature patterns, accent embellishments such as piping, and embroidery showcase the nuances of these shades perfectly. Print work is enhanced as these shades work well in background motifs or as subtle accents for larger scale color combinations. The palette is an anthology of shades that we identify with, welcoming and slightly mesmerizing.

Mass Customization

Mass Customization explores how technology is allowing individual creativity and choice to be at the forefront of the design process. Through coding and technology, companies are essentially offering a platform for consumers to personalize the design of a product with a phenomenally quick production period. This can be done at the retail level or in the digital sphere integrating the necessary technologies in both realms. This platform also encourages co-creations among various sectors from engineers to designers as this model infiltrates multiple industries.  This personalized approach encompasses everything from Smart Textiles to customized skin cream based on our DNA; its possibilities are limitless. Fabrics in this trend include one-of-a kind looks especially in knit jersey as well as high shine coatings and tonal foil coatings for surface appeal.  Maximizing on the color story, we see rainbow colorways muted by a black base color while repeat or glitch effects are prevalent in both knits and wovens.

The Mass Customization palette balances the idea of straightforward stand out brights and a more personalized approach or interpretation. This trend’s take on the primary colors is uniquely quirky because of the addition of mint green and peach. Bold red, blue, and Canary rely heavily on the black shade as background color to offset their intensity. Charcoal and deep black anchor the palette and add complexity to this otherwise playful aesthetic. The Mass Customization color palette is directional for prints for all markets as these colors are adapted into themes that are uniquely individualistic. While obvious modern design themes are prevalent, seeing touches of these colors in a more traditional story allows for a striking palette.

Suspension

Embracing limbo or an altered state of transition. This sense of Suspension can literally mean being caught between two ideas or worlds as we explore the increasing grey areas of our lives.  As consumers, we can co-exist in both a virtual and physical reality as retail becomes more interactive. Creating atmosphere, or a sense of place that is familiar encourages the consumer through a shopping journey whether that’s in store or online. This state of transition is a reoccurring theme in architecture and design as experimental abstraction and visual trickery leaves us guessing as objects and art seem to perpetually evolve. Suspension fabrics heighten the senses enticing a feeling of serenity with sheer and layerable pieces. Visual motifs in floating yarns and hidden patterns in shirting and knits garner second glances while even the sense of touch is engaged in silky fabrics and more robust pieces with semi-spongy hands.

Light, airy plumes of color create a vaporous, dreamlike environment that transcends sight alone.  A languid mélange of opalescent whites and glistening mint give off a slightly dewy atmosphere.  Faint yellow illuminates the palette rather than overpowering while soft lilac tops off the group with an ambient ethereal effect. Taupe and sand hues give root to the overall story and an appealing base for color combinations. Overall, this is a luminous palette that appeals to understated more ambiguous styling and fabrics. Fresh and timeless, these colors work well in layering and more subtle sophistication. A feeling of weightlessness as a multi-sensory experience prevails.

Moral Codes

We are now facing modern day ethical dilemmas and are compelled to make educated decisions as transparency and awareness are prolific in everything from food, manufacturing, and beyond.  Science, technology, and medicine are moving at warp speed and leave us grappling with moral conundrums as the boundaries of our own conscious are being challenged. As Millennials are the most “involved” generation since the Boomers, we wait and see how emotionally connected we become to design, art, technology, and medicine and how our choices will affect generations to come. Moral Codes’ fabrics have dual identities such as techy or active-inspired lace or reptilian hands in outerwear fabrications. Distressed denim and holographic or iridescent finishes and constructions breathe life into staple fabrics. Dimensional ideas in French Terry and sweater knits keep these fabric favorites inspired.

The Moral Codes palette is both beautiful and emotional with hidden depth and complexity.  Bright poppy and rose are radiant and uplifting, while steel gray adds an undercurrent of stability.  Soft lavender is innocent and fresh, as barely there blue envelopes us with the overwhelming feeling of transparency and virtue. Pear green embodies a sense of novelty and innovation while the spice shade grounds the entire palette and offers a calming backdrop to this artistic array of shades. This graphic palette works seamlessly in the womenswear market and is utilized in creative print motifs as well as iridescent looks. Both the bolder shades as well at the saturated ones fit effortlessly in modern or almost futuristic ensembles.