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EDITOR & CHIEF JESSICA GREENE
Off.
A Future Trend Briefing
MENS & WOMENS
AUTUMN WINTER 2016-17
ARTIFICIAL
AW16 /17 TR END F ORECAST
MEN’ S AN D WOMEN’S
WHERE THE BEAUTIFUL AND CORROSIVE COLLIDE
PREFACE 4 INTRODUCTION 5 TREND DRIVERS 6-7 TREND BRIEFING 8 - 33 PANTONES 34 MATERIALS 35 TREND TAKEAWAYS 36 REFERENCES 37 -
PRE FACE People’s desire to belong — through blending in fuels the growing lack of distinction between different kinds of people, when looking at style and dress. Therefore this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend; Artificial, endeavours to provide a direct antithesis to mainstream fashion, by highlighting counter cultural shifts taking place. By bringing to light these social movements individuals are encouraged to express their inner creativity and thought, and as a result redefine what is considered ‘on-trend’ and ‘off-trend.’
The increasing population of the world means that we are now emitting ten times as much polluted chemicals into the environment since the early 1900’s (WHO, 2014). With more than 500 million nonenvironmentally friendly cars in the world and by 2030 the number will rise to 1 billion. This essentially means pollution levels will almost double (WHO, 2014). Pollution is one of the biggest killers, affecting more than 100 million worldwide (WHO, 2014). This inescapable global epidemic weighs heavily on society and while the mass market focus on highlighting the beauties of nature and the clean up efforts, Artificial’s fearless approach brings to light the rapidly dilapidating state of our environment, making it the central focus for this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend. Trend directions are dark and unsettling and therefore aim to provide an alternative to the serene, peaceful depiction of our environment developed by monopolising trend forecasting agencies.
INTR ODUC T I ON Elemental; the Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend forecasted by trend agency WGSN is an appreciation of nature and the elements but unlike Artificial, it fails to acknowledge the rapidly dilapidating state of the environment’s elements. Elemental is defined as a free roaming spirit - Moving from the ruggedness of the outdoors to the inner calm that can be found indoors. Whereas Artificial is not so free ‌ Artificial is concerned - taking caution and seeking protection in the clothing choices made. New wave consumers are socially savvy, and therefore question what is handed to them - they do not passively consume trends that mask the dangerous realities of society. Artificial is a true reflection of what is manifesting in the environment. It does not ignore the current state of our climate and cloak it in lofty airspun yarn knits laced in a muted colour palette. No, artificial reflects and highlights the problem by making it centre of this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend forecast. Artificial is unnatural yet beautiful. Scientifically manipulated, de-constructed garments are laced with the toxic sheen of an oil spill. It has intensity and friction as the abnormal and corrosive collide.
TREND DRIVERS —
Chimera by Shai Langen: The liquid latex garment is a malleable body, where plastic parasitic substances emulate the immaterial, intuitively revealing its architect.
Smog Couture by Tino Seubert: German artist Tino Seubert dyes clothing with airborne pollution to make invisible harmful toxins visible.
Masha Ma Spring Summer 2015: featuring high-fashion pollution masks as ‘Airpocalypse’ hits China. Ma’s fashion statement in was a rare moment of Haute Couture meeting social consciousness.
Smog Ring by Daan Roosegaarde: Features compressed smog particles, each high-end ring supports the cleaning of 1000m3 of polluted air.
Brass Ringo: A World of Madness (2014)
Silent Ink by Cai GuoQiang: Featured in the The Ninth Wave exhibition. A 250 square meter lake excavated out of the gallery floor that has been filled with 20,000 litres of black ink in order to resemble a toxic oil spill.
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TREND DRIVERS —
Liquefied (2013) by Bart Hess: inspired by the Photoshop filter that allows you to “liquefy” images. Liquefied is a post-digital still life in which the material seems to grow and mutate on the wearers skin.
Iris Van Herpen Autumn Winter 201516
Air Pollution ‘Causing Deadly Public Health Crisis’. There are an estimated 29,000 deaths annually in the UK from air pollution.
Eyal Gever: Israeli Artist uses 3D printing to recreate natural disasters caused by the current climate crisis and rising pollution levels.
Laura Bowker: Jacket that changes colour due to the amount of heat emitted in the atmosphere.
Chromat Autumn Winter 2015-16
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OIL SPILL
OIL SP ILL //
Inspired by the toxic state of our environment, the oil spilt sheen drips from everyday garments to illustrate the disturbing reality of our current climate. Hosiery from German brand URB takes inspiration from the unsettling imagery of natures beautiful wildlife becoming victim to the hazardous oil spills that have taken place over recent years. Exhibitions like the Ninth Wave home to installation Silent Ink also explore the same catastrophic environmental truths. As creativity takes a plunge into an oil infested pool, this tend direction offers an alternative to the serene Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend set out by powerful trend agencies operating in a crowed marketplace.
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LIQUID LATEX
Toxic oil spills are one of the largest contributing factors to the deadly public health and wildlife crisis, with roughly 14,468 tonnes of oil spilt into the world’s oceans from the start of 2013 (ITPOF, 2014).
Chromat’s Autumn Winter 201516 sees a black oozing substance act as an impenetrable shroud, an inky black sheen latex engulfing everything it comes in contact with, much like an oil spill.
This trend direction is therefore profoundly provocative — seeking to make daring statements amongst a society that no longer uses fashion as a catalyst to effect social change and uproar.
LIQUID LATEX //
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TOXIC POOL
The deep colourways provide an alternative to the typically refined colour palette of monopolising Autumn Winter 201617 trends, aimed at a mass market group. Gradient colour manipulations update everyday clothing as materials are edited with a waxy coating — giving effect of a toxic pool.
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TOXIC P OOL
Eerie luminescence and mutating shades of mauve and green blend beautifully to resemble a hazardous oil pool. This trend direction is the perfect example of the collision of toxicity and beauty.
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APOCALYPTIC UTILITY
AP OCALYPTIC UTILITY
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Set in a dystopian future, consequential of the soaring climate crisis, survivors turn to a post apocalyptic utility style. This trend direction offers the antithesis to Elemental’s ‘Soft Utility’ — APOCALYPTIC UTILITY understands the dilapidating state of the environment and therefore prepares consumers to combat its profound forces. The dark under lying tone, in this particular trend direction sees dark colourways, leathers and rigid structures, spawned from a survival instinct.
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WEATHERED WARRIOR
WEA T HERED WA RRIOR //
WEATHERED WARRIOR is also a nod to a post apocalyptic style, set in a dystopian wasteland. Manipulated materials offer a sense of protection from blistering winds and scorching climates. Unlike Elemental, which depicts a free wondering soul, WEATHERED WARRIOR understands and respects the destructive capabilities of the environment. Therefore garments are manufactured using heavy materials which act as a protective shield. Active-wear allows weathered warriors to shift quickly from shelter to shelter, seeking protection from a poisonous environment.
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CORROSIVE CLOUD
CORROSIVE CLOUD // CORROSIVE CLOUD makes the invisible, visible. Air pollution is estimated to cause 29,000 deaths annually, in the UK alone (BBC, 2015) however, in most cases its lingering toxicity is invisible and individuals have become blind to the corrosive cloud that hangs over the environment.
German artist; Tino Seubert dyes clothing with airborne pollution to make invisible harmful toxins visible.
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Off tones of grey resemble that of a corrosive cloud. While Elemental remains blind to the dangers of air pollution, Artificial aims to make consumers aware of the hazardous elements that engulf the environment.
SMOG COUTURE
SMOG COUTURE Also addressing the issue of air pollution head on, is the trend direction; SMOG COUTURE. SMOG COUTURE resembles an unclear outlook, much like the effect of smog in the environment.
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Plastic latex based materials distort and restrict vision, to personify being caught in a smog cloud. This almost sheer material rejects conventional Autumn Winter trends and runs in the opposite direction from Elemental’s cocooning knits.
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MASKED
MASKED / /
Masha Ma’s and Chromat’s Spring Summer 2015 collection saw high fashion smog masks parade down the catwalk, in a rare moment where fashion intertwined with social consciousness. Unlike Elemental; which depicts a free roaming spirit, Artificial is cautious seeking protection in the clothing choices made — this is predominant in trend direction; MASKED. MASKED sees smog masks become a part of everyday attire. Leather, laced and embellished designs provide an alternative accessory driven trend from the restrictive styles set out by trend agencies operating in a crowded marketplace.
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CORROSIVE DECONSTRUCTION
CORROSIVE DECONSTRUCTION // CORROSIVE DECONSTRUCTION brings to life the otherwise invisible toxins in the atmosphere, with clothes falling apart at the seams, a corrosive force takes a toll on winter garments. The deconstructed, weathered clothing brings to life an unnatural acidic threat. With colourways remaining minimal, the material manipulation and deconstruction is highlighted in this trend direction. Elemental takes inspiration from a styled embedded in comfort, whereas Artificial runs from this notion. Weathered materials expose bare skin and therefore offer an alternative to the cocooned, comforting trend direction of Elemental.
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MUTATION
MUTATION //
MUTATION is unnatural, synthetic and disturbing. With increase in pollution levels species are beginning to mutate to produce unsettling realities, and clothing is following in the same path. This unconventional directional trend is situated far outside of the box, and a complete rejection from the norm. Materials become adaptable as second skin clothing appears to mutate on the wearers skin. Bart Hess’s Liquefied and Shai Langen’s Chimera demonstrate a liquid latex garment which is a malleable body, where plastic parasitic substances emulate the immaterial, intuitively revealing its architect.
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EXTINCTION
EXTINCTION
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Wildlife is one of the most sensitive indicators of the current climate crisis, with extinction rates at an all time high (National Geographic, 2015). This trend direction offers a sinister alternative to Elemental’s care-free roaming spirit and therefore provides an Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend for the opinion formers and those who see the world through a different lens. Large headpieces, animalistic styling and netted materials come to the fashion forefront, in this accessory driven trend direction. Gareth Pugh’s Spring Summer 2015 collection along with Barbara Gongini’s Autumn Winter 2013-14 collection, both draw inspiration from the unsettling truths of extinction caused by pollution, with designs depicting wildlife caught in nets and animal skull head pieces.
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DECAY
DECAY // Once a beautiful product of nature now sees a dark, decayed end. This unnatural direction comes laced in deep colourways and a rustic colour palette. Florals have crept their way into trends of every season for years, this direction is considered the ‘death of florals’ and encourages brands to be innovative and think outside of the box, when considering print trends for the creative muses.
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MARBLED POLLUTION
MARBLED POLLUTION Even though deadly and toxic, MARBLED POLLUTION celebrates the exquisite imagery produced in a toxic pool. Marbled effect print in shades of green, burnt orange and blood red resemble a pool infested with deadly substances. MARBLED POLLUTION is where beauty and danger collide to produce an unexpected matrimony of fluidity as alluring imagery is composed.
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PANTONES — Predominantly comprising of black tones, this trend also sees dark colourways and mutating shades of mauve and green, which resemble a toxic infested pool. While electric accents of mustard and orange inject colour into this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend.
ONYX
DEEP GREY
MUSTARD
TEAL
BRICK RED
ACIDIC ORANGE
INK
INDIGO
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MATERIALS — Materials range from robust leathers, indicative of a sense of protection, to fragile, deconstructed fabrics. Waxy coating and latex resemble the sheen of a toxic oil spill. Whilst mutating malleable materials, such as liquid latex offer an unnatural, unprecedented approach to material trends.
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TREND TAKEAWAYS —
• Dark colourways and mutating shades of mauve and green are essential to Artificial. Whilst the use of electric accents inject colour into this defiant Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend. • Artificial uses materials, such as a latex, to resemble the toxic sheen of an oil spill. • Materials range from the robust and protective to the fragile, deconstructed materials that have become victim to the corrosive atmosphere. • In Artificial mutating-like materials come to life on the wearers skin, creating a disturbing visual and sensory experience that is unprecedented when discussing future fashion trends. • The dilapidating state of the environment is monitored by the decay and death of its wildlife and elements. Therefore the death of florals sees a reliable print go extinct from the fashion lexicon, as consumers demand innovation and creativity.
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REFERENCES —
URB Hosiery
Gosia Baxczynska Spring Summer 2014
Gloria Coelho Spring Summer 2013
Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2010
Minoar Spring Summer 2015
Lily Gatins Street Style 2014
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Off. Off, the online fashion forecasting agency that sees the fashion industry through a different lens. Challenging the views of some of the most powerful trend agencies operating in a crowded marketplace — offering an alternative to the early adopters and opinion formers. ‘Off’ encourage people to run from what is comfortable and reject what the crowd is doing by questioning the views and trends of those in power. ‘Off’ is an online trend forecasting agency for innovation, consumer, and cultural research. -
www.off-fashionforecasting.co.uk off-fashionforecasting@hotmail.com -
Editor & Chief Jessica Greene
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