ISSUE TWO -
EDITOR & CHIEF JESSICA GREENE
Off.
A Future Trend Briefing
MENS & WOMENS
SPRING SUMMER 2016
DISCONNECT DISCONNECT IS A SUBLIME STORY OF PURITY AND A RETURN TO A SIMPLER TIME
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SS16 TREND FORECAST
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 Spring Summer 2016 trend; Disconnect, endeavours to provide a direct antithesis to mainstream fashion, by highlighting key counter cultural movements taking place. By bringing to light these cultural shifts individuals are encouraged to express their inner creativity and thought and as a result redefine what is considered ‘on-trend’ and ‘off-trend.’
In the last decade, digital technology has transformed the way we live, work and communicate. But a handful of people who see the world through a different lens believe that the over-dependence on devices like smart phones, tablets and laptops have a negative impact on our behaviour. In an age that is becoming increasingly reliant on the digital world where there is no delete button from the inescapable claws of the matrix. Nor is there a guarantee that the privacy software being utilised online actually works to protect consumers identity. It is becoming increasingly difficult to disconnect from the digital world — with 72% of all Internet users now active on social media. 89% of those between 18 and 29 years old are social media users. 72% of individuals aged 30 to 49 are engaged in social media. 60% of people between 50 to 60 years old are active on social media (BBC, 2014). Although, smart devices aim to increase the efficiency of everyday tasks, they infact obliterate entire swaths of cognitive functions. No longer burdened by such paltry mental tasks, we rely heavily on our mobile devices to handle such inconsequential details. As a result this Spring Summer 2016 trend aims to provide an alternative to the hyper connected lifestyle that people have become accustom. Disconnect acts as an antithesis to the technologically driven trend curated by powerful trend forecasting agencies operating in a crowded marketplace.
INTR ODUC T I ON Visceral the Spring Summer 2016 trend, forecasted by trend agency StyleSight is a dark technologically driven future that overloads its consumer with hybrid machinery and technology. However Visceral fails to acknowledge the cultural shift that is taking place against the landscape of the digital world. Visceral abandons human connection in favour of the digitally constructed world. However, Visceral’s inability to reject the ever mutating world of technology, leaves consumers in a state of dismay — Therefore Disconnect is a solution to this social knot. Disconnect directs its attention to the rejection of technology, and a return to a simpler time. Visceral highlights the overwhelming volume of the digital world, whereas Disconnect discusses its detox from it. Disconnect is not just an ethereal seasonal trend, but rather a true reflection of the fearful cultural reaction to the unknown, rapidly evolving world of hybrid technology. Disconnect is a sublime story of purity and a return to a simpler time. Lofty yarn spun fabrics are laced in calming shades of sand, tangerine and apple green as this Spring Summer 2016 trend provides an alternative for the innovators and creative thinkers who drive society forward by looking at life through a different lens and questioning what is handed to them.
TREND DRIVERS —
East London clothing brand The Affair have designed ‘Big BrotherProof’ clothing that allows the wearer to go undetected by ‘Big Brother’ using the UnPocket.
Architects Jagnefalt Milton have designed a woodland refuge, designed for a sense of escapism from the modern world.
Loewe Spring Summer 2015 Readyto-Wear
A new lamp designed to make people concentrate is among the latest products created to help us switch off from our phones.
One to One: Caroline Slotte
A series of six artists’ studios designed by Todd Saunders on various Fogo Island locations aimed to provide space for personal reflection and escapism.
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TREND DRIVERS —
The Row Spring Summer 2015
People are becoming exhausted with the hyper connected digital world - Once based on a FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is beginning to see a new counter-opinion emerging called JOMO, the Joy of Missing Out.
If You Leave is a collective collection of contemporary photography. Defined by its founders as “capturing the beauty of solitude”, the blog is visual retreat that features beautifully intimate, personal photographs.
H&M’s Conscious Collection
Marc Jacobs Spring Summer 2015
A consensus is forming in the technology world that the computing revolution of the past 20 years has not been beneficial to human wellbeing.
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WOODEN STRUCTURE
WOODEN STRUCTURE
// A nod to nature, but not in the ethereal aesthetic that we have become accustom to. Instead this trend led concept focuses on the hardened shell like structured of a tree bark. Unlike most mainstream fashion trends when talking of nature reference lofty materials, this particular trend relies on an unconventional direction inspired by structured and unorthodox materials. Influenced by Iris Van Herpen’s Spring Summer 2012 cathedral dress and Manish Arora’s Autumn Winter 2012-13 structural wooden designs.
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WOODLAND
WOODLA ND
// This trend direction offers a darker approach to prints for Spring Summer 2016. Dark woodland landscapes and deep forests flood elegant garments and update everyday key items. However the dark imagery is juxtaposed when placed on flowing gowns and chiffon materials. Natures imagery provides an alternative to the technologically enhanced robotic inspired Spring Summer 2016 trend, that promotes a digitally unnatural world and as a result deflects attention from natures beautiful manifestations.
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APPLIQUE FLORALS
APPLIQUE FLORALS //
This trend direction draws inspiration from the natural manifestations of the environment — flowers. However florals are not harnessed for print in this trend direction, instead they are used as material manipulation. 3d applique florals are infused into materials, bringing life to warm rustic colour palettes that provide an alternative to Visceral’s darkened colour ways and intense colour accents APPLIQUE FLORALS highlights the living whereas Visceral operates purely in a non living digitally based world.
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TRANQUIL
TRANQUIL
//
Digital photography looks to the beauty of the natural landscape for key prints and graphic overlays. Deconstructed landscape stills are used to create a peaceful serenity which reminds the wearer to disconnect from their digital counter-part. Inspired by prints from ThreeASFOUR’s Autumn Winter 2012-13 collection, this Spring Summer trend direction provides an alternative for the counter culture, who are moving against the landscape of the digital world.
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GO DARK
GO DARK //
Earthy shades allow the consumer to become undetected from the unwanted intrusion of the ‘Big Brother’ effect. Frank M. Ahearn’s novel; How to Disappear From BIG BROTHER (2014), also discusses people’s desire to ‘go of the grid’ and adopt a live of tranquillity, by returning to a simpler time.
This trend direction does not just manifest in colour and print, for example, east London clothing brand The Affair have designed ‘Big Brother-Proof’ clothing that makes the wearer digitally untraceable using the UnPocket. The off-grid stealthware offers an alternative to Visceral’s desire to stay connected. This trend direction allows the wearer to escape from the era of global spying.
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RAGGED PATCHWORK
RAGGED PATCHWORK
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Due to the time spent in the great outdoors, clothing becomes worn and deconstructed with patchwork ragged material manipulations. RAGGED PATCHWORK is an extremely tactile trend direction. Rustic hand-loom materials provide an alternative to the sleek, second skin-like materials of Visceral. Inspired by Loewe’s Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear collection, that is home to a number of ragged deconstructed suede designs laced in honey tones. This trend direction provides an alternative for the early adopters and opinion formers who reject what the crowd are doing.
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WOODLAND NYMPH
WOODLAND NYMPH
//
This trend direction is set against a peaceful backdrop — an ethereal soul roaming through the forest, truly at one with nature. This trend direction highlights the connection with nature and therefore the need to detox from the hyper connected digital world that we thrive upon. WOODLAND NYMPH comes laced in a calming colour palette. Relaxed, ethereal silhouettes offer an alternative to Visceral’s more aggressive, unnatural approach to Spring Summer fashion.
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ORGANIC
ORGANI C //
The greatly anticipated digital detox comes with a removal from a hyper connected, materialistic world, and therefore clothing follows in the same footsteps. A return to a simpler time is culminated with an organic approach to Spring Summer fashion. This effortless approach to styling comes wrapped in unconventional detailing and a hessian material. Inspired by Gareth Pugh’s Spring Summer 2015 collection, this trend direction offers and alternative to the unnatural, technologically enhanced Spring Summer 2016 trend, aimed at the mass market, who passively consume the trends handed to them, without questioning their relevance.
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WRAP-AROUND ROPE
WRAPAR OUND RO PE
// Relaxed silhouettes and everyday key items are updated with unexpected materials. An effortless accessory adding volume and an organic essence of nature. Natural fibres used for making rope fastenings include cotton, jute, hemp and coir which offer an alternative to Visceral’s synthetically enhanced, unnatural approach to Spring Summer materials. This accessory led trend direction is inspired by rope fastenings used in Isabel Marant’s Spring Summer 2015 collection.
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THE ADVENTURER
THE ADVENTURER
// An accessory driven trend direction sees a curious adventurer exploring the hidden corners of nature. Earthy shades, deep chocolate leather holdalls and archaeologist inspired hats are essential to THE ADVENTURER. This method of disconnect from the digital world provides an alternative to a new wave of consumer, who is more curious about their natural surroundings and living environment and therefore encourages brands and consumers to disconnect from the digital, online world.
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SOFT UTILITY
SOFT UTILITY
//
Utility and function take a softened, modern approach through the use of pure, delicate and padded fabrics. As well as offering a comfortable yet protective framework, tailoring is also fused together for a soft, ethereal approach to utility dressing. Inspired by Kenta Matsushige’s 2014 designs, which provide the antithesis to Visceral’s Spring Summer 2016 trend directions. SOFT UTILITY provides an alternative for the opinion formers — a quiet statement, but once placed amongst a crowd of people cloaked in dark colour ways fused with intense accents and technologically enhanced materials — this quiet trend makes noise by rejecting what the crowd is doing.
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MANIPULATED KNITS
MANIPULATED KNITS // Thin summer knits are updated with the manipulation of materials. Delicate wools wind and intertwine with one another to create either subtle or voluminous shapes.
Inspired by the material manipulations of Stella McCartney’s Spring Summer 2009 collection, this trend direction offers a tactile, soothing alternative to the rigid Spring Summer 2016 trends forecasted by trend agencies operating in a crowded marketplace.
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TACTILE TASSELS
Weathered materials become frayed from the ruggedness of the outdoors. Bohemian inspired fringing offers a boisterous tactile alternative to the flattened shapes and silhouettes of Spring Summer 2016 trends, set by monopolising trend agencies. Deep, vintage colourways in shades of plum, raspberry, and scorched orange inject zest into this trend direction.
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TACTILE TASSELS
//
PANTONES — This palette gathers warm neutral tones, intertwined with vintage rustic colours. The soothing colourways provide an alternative to the Spring Summer 2016 colour palette already determined for brands to passively pass on to consumers.
SAND
TANGERINE
PLUM
SCORCHED ORANGE
APPLE GREEN
FOREST GREEN
EARTH
LAGOON BLUE
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MATERIALS —
Rustic hand-loom materials provide a tactile approach to Sprig Summer 2016 materials. Hardened structures offer an unconventional trend direction for those living outside of the box. Whilst following fabrics and tactile materials place the wearer amongst the great outdoors.
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TREND TAKEAWAYS —
• Disconnect’s colour palette gathers warm neutral tones, intertwined with vintage rustic colourways. The soothing colour palette provides an alternative to the Spring Summer 2016 colour palette already determined for brands to passively pass on to consumers. • Camouflage inspired clothing is taken to new heights in Disconnect as consumers are able to go undetected from the unwanted intrusion of the ‘Big Brother’ effect — making the wearer digitally untraceable. • Digital photography looks to the beauty of the natural landscape for key prints and graphic overlays. • Rustic hand-loom materials provide an extremely tactile approach to the flattened shapes and silhouettes of Spring Summer 2016 trends, set by monopolising trend agencies. • Disconnects return to a simpler time is culminated with an organic approach to Spring Summer fashion.
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REFERENCES —
Iris Van Herpen Spring Summer 2012
Manish Arora Spring Summer 2012
Zuhair Murad Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2013-14
A Detacher Spring Summer 2015
Bally Milano - Collezioni Autunno Inverno Autumn Winter 2013-14
Kenta Matsushige Autumn Winter 2014-15
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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