ISSUE TWO -
EDITOR & CHIEF JESSICA GREENE
Off.
A Future Trend Briefing
MENS & WOMENS
AUTUMN WINTER 2016-17
MODERN PURITY AN ETHEREAL SOUL BASED IN THE FAR FUTURE
MEN’S A ND WOMEN’S AW16/17 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 Autumn Winter 201617 trend; Modern Purity, endeavours to provide a direct antithesis to mainstream fashion, by highlighting key 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.’ Looking towards a technologically enhanced future, whereby technology is no longer just the problem. It is becoming part of the solution. Microsoft’s personal digital assistant Cortana, for example, can impose digital silence on a user, allowing only selected close contacts to get through. Similarly, smart bracelet; Olive, which helps to manage and monitor stress levels. This trend encourages brands to use technology to empower consumers to solve meaningful problems, promote their own self-efficacy, raise capacity to communicate with others, and encourage physical interaction between individuals. Modern Purity’s extremely minimal style that draws inspiration from a technologically enhanced, utopian future — provides an alternative to the Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend that is set in the past and does little to effect positive change to the lifestyle of consumers. Whereas, Modern Purity focuses on a utopian style of future technology — which allows brands to learn more about consumers, and consumers to learn more about themselves.
INTR ODUC T I ON Shotgun Sass; the Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend forecasted by trend agency Trendstop.com, sees a 1920’s & 30’s inspired trend return to the fashion forefront. Whereas Modern Purity does not rely on 20th-century inspiration but instead looks towards a utopian technologically enhanced future. Shotgun Sass lacks ambition and therefore does not relish in the prospects of a pristine future. Modern Purity encourages brands and consumers to embrace the vast and expanding world of technology and to integrate its powers in everyday life, in a manner that effects positive change. The pure pristine take on Autumn Winter 2016-17 fashion offers an alternative for the early adopters and opinion formers. Modern Purity is a story of an ethereal soul based in the far future. The fusion of hybrid technology, modern minimalism and purity blend together to create an immaculate style that belongs to a utopian future. The awakening of technology is celebrated as the distinctions between man and machine continue to blur, resulting in a fashion spectacle for Autumn Winter 201617.
TREND DRIVERS —
Mind-Reader: Swarovski gems headgear visualises brain activity, the colour of each stone evolves throughout the day, this fluctuates according to the area of the brain in use. When worn, the headpiece becomes a reflection of the inner human thought.
Akris Spring Summer 2015
Morphe by Lucy McRae: Combining elements of biotechnology, beauty, life sciences and innovation, McRae crafts speculative narratives that imagine the future of our bodies.
Paul Jung Photography
Giopato Coombes Editions Bolle Blown
The Row Spring Summer 2015
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
TREND DRIVERS —
Numero Russia June 2014
Amanda Wakeley Spring Summer 2015
Make Your Maker by Lucy McRae: The visual narrative explores the notions of genetic manipulation and human cloning
Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini directed by Tarik Abdel-Gawad sees a symbiotic ballet between man and machine.
Neil Harbisson: an artist who was born completely colour blind. His life changed when he decided to have an antenna surgically implanted into his skull that enabled him to “hear” colour.
Anouk Wipprecht: The 3D printed and smart dress synapse incorporates latest Intel Edison Microcontroller
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
MEDICAL MINIMAL
MED IC AL MINIM A L/ /
MEDICAL MINIMAL is an extreme take on minimal styling. An immaculate fashion that sees pristine whites, sharpened silhouettes and a carbon copy approach to this trend direction. MEDICAL MINIMAL offers an alternative to the accessory trend led; Shotgun Sass. Attention in Modern Purity is therefore directed at the quality, rather than quantity. This quiet Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend makes loud noises when surrounded by people adopting the same camel colour palette, demure silhouettes and furs that Shotgun Sass comprises of. The trend direction is inspired by photographer Paul Jung, whose surgically minimal style of photographer provides the antithesis for monopolising trends set out by powerful trend agencies operating in a crowded marketplace.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
STRUCTURED ARCHITECTURE
STRUCTURED AR CHITECTURE // Shotgun Sass talks of demure silhouettes and chiffon fabrics, whereas Modern Purity, in particular STRUCTURED ARCHITECTURE takes inspiration from the far future with 3D designs taking lead in this trend direction. Gareth Pugh’s Spring Summer 2015 collection sees voluminous structured shapes and origami folds, which create a bold statement for stark white garments.
In a season of relaxed silhouettes this trend direction does not conform to the mass, but instead does the complete opposite — a style that separates itself from the mainstream.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
3D PRINTED SKELETON
3D PRINTED SKELETON // Improvements in 3D printing mean that 3D printed garments are becoming a more commonly sourced fashion statement. Anouk Wipprecht’s 3D printed and smart dress synapse incorporates the latest Intel Edison Microcontroller This trend direction offers an alternative to the relaxed silhouettes of Shotgun Sass. Structured shapes and technologically enhanced materials take inspiration from a futuristic utopian. With colourways remaining minimal the focus turns to the attention to detail and the intrinsically linked structure of the garments.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
WEARABLE TECH
Technology is no longer just the problem. It is becoming part of the solution. With an increasing variety of wearable tech which aims to effect positive change to the wearer aswell as monitor stress levels and bodily behaviour. For example, wearable emotion monitors were used at the 2014 Cannes Lions advertising festival, where attendees at the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase wore silicon wristbands to measure their biometric excitement.
//
With the pace of peoples lives rapidly accelerating wearable tech is moving towards the forefront of the fashion industry.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
WEA RABLE TECH
The continuous strides being made in the technological industry and the increasing demand in the wearable tech market, results in wearable tech becoming a dominant trend direction for this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend.
BIO-HACKED BODIES
BIO-HACKED BODI ES //
Bio-hacked bodies blur the line between man and machine. As robots become more human-like, some humans are biohacking their bodies to become cyborgs. In 2014, the work of colour-blind British artist and cyborg Neil Harbisson, who has an antenna surgically implanted into his skull that enables him to “hear” colour, featured in the Barbican’s exhibition Digital Revolution. The misleading dystopian facade of a ‘cyborg’ fails to explain the immeasurable impact bio-hacking can have on an individuals life. Designs see metal structures fuse with the human body and take over bodily elements, like designs from Stephane Rolland Spring Summer 2012 Couture collection.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
COCOONED COMFORT
COCOONED COMFORT
//
Cocooning comfort and soothing consolation of the blanket for design reference , driven by Mert and Marcus’ 2014 shoot for W Magazine; ‘Pillow Tweets’. The nature in which fabric folds and falls is key, while voluminous designs, merino wools and thick, enveloping layers also help create an inner sanctuary. Colourways remain pristine white and soft structural shapes propel COCOONED COMFORT into the far future, offering an alternative to the demure silhouettes and historical references of Autumn Winter 2016-17 trends passively adopted by the mass market.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
TECH ENHANCED MATERIALS
In a world where consumers are demanding more, it is not satisfactory for materials to just hang meaninglessly off the body, therefore this trend direction offers an alternative sensory experience for brands to pass onto a new wave of consumer.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
TEC H ENHANCED M ATERIAL
// Technologically enhanced garments see the rise of e-textiles and smart materials, from designers like Richard Nicoll, who, for his Spring Summer 2015 collection created a slip dress using e-textiles.
MINIMAL MONOCHROME
MINIMAL MONOCHROME
//
Styling remains extremely minimal, promoting a surgical approach to fashion. Stark white clothing is updated with thin black piping and black block geometric shapes. Statements in this particular Autumn Winter trend are minimal, however when placed amongst a crowd of camel coloured coats, demure knee length skirts an relaxed tailoring, this sharpened, structured, minimal style offers an alternative to the creative muses of society.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
MODERN TAILORING
MODERN TAILORING //
Tailoring takes a relaxed approach, but not in the same direction of Shotgun Sass. T-shirts are paired with laidback luxe suiting, however, with colourways remaining stark white this creates a modern finish to a relaxed tailored approach.
Inspired Reiss’ Spring Summer 2014 collection, which promoted a slouch sleek suiting style.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
White on white styling stands out against the refined colour palette that the mass market will passively adopt for the Autumn Winter 2016-17 season.
ETHEREAL
ETHEREAL //
This trend direction sees an ethereal soul based in the far future, unlike Shotgun Sass which depicts a rebellious approach to styling. Colourways remain minimal as this innocent trend direction sees draped fabrics, chiffon layering and feathered garments exuding an angelic presence for the Autumn Winter 2016-17 season. Material detailing, voluminous shapes, and a immaculate colour palette propel this trend direction into the far future.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
PURITY
PURITY //
Taking Ethereal’s trend direction on a more eccentric route, is this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend direction theme; PURITY.
With religious connotations PURITY sees a pure soul moving from the ruggedness of the outdoors to an inner sanctuary.
Inspired by The Row’s Spring Summer 2015 collection, which saw soft structural garments glide down the runway, resembling religious clothing.
Styles are updated with voluminous, sharpened silhouettes. Large structural headpieces offer an alternative for the opinion formers that drive the creative industry into an unpredictable stimulating future.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
URBAN WHITES
URBAN WHITES
// URBAN WHITES sees a sports inspired trend direction at the forefront of this Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend. Inspired by photographer Karla Majnaric, this trend direction literally runs from what the crowd is doing. Colourways remain minimal and therefore URBAN WHITES is updated with a modern aesthetic and propelled into the far future.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
STATUESQUE
STATUES Q U E //
Statuesque is solitary, still and silent, making bold statements with minimal effort. Stark white clothing and beauty trends create a regal statuesque approach to fashion. Yuki Hagino’s 2013 designs personify the minimalistic, structural elegance — like that of a statues. With voluminous shapes and sharpened silhouettes this trend direction updates an historic muse — unlike Shotgun Sass whose historic references are left to linger in the past .
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
PANTONES — Modern Purity is defined by its extreme minimal colour palette, immaculate whites and pristine shades of ice blue and metallic silver are vital to this quietly bold trend.
STARK WHITE
ICE BLUE
SILVER
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
BLACK
MATERIALS — Materials range from soft ethereal chiffons and feathers to more rigid, structural materials creating definition to an otherwise calm Autumn Winter 2016-17 trend. Technologically enhanced materials are vital to Modern Purity, and propel this trend into the far future.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
TREND TAKEAWAYS —
• An extreme minimal colour palette, immaculate whites and pristine shades of ice blue and metallic silver are vital to this quietly bold trend.
• Extreme minimal styling but not in the ‘normcore’ approach. Modern Purity propels minimalism into the future, updating it with structural designs and sharpened silhouettes • Technology is no longer just the problem. It is becoming part of the solution. The rapidly accelerating pace of consumers lives sees wearable tech effecting a positive change to the wearer. Wearable tech does not just enhance the ease of everyday tasks — wearable monitors can detect stress levels and encourage consumers to detox from the digital world. • Modern purity highlights the blurring of the line between man and machine as it discusses bio-hacking. As robots become more human-like, some humans are bio-hacking their bodies. The misleading dystopian facade of a ‘cyborg’ fails to explain the immeasurable impact biohacking can have on an individuals life.
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
REFERENCES —
Iris Van Herpen: Spring Summer 2010
Hannah Soukup: Necklace that monitors the wearers mood
Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2011-12
Mario Testino: Towel Series (2014)
Lucy McRae: Becoming Transnatural
Yuki Hagino: Central Saint Martins BA Graduate Fashion Show 2013
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY
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
ISSUE TWO MODERN PURITY