2014 FASHION TRENDS
ALIBABA
.com
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WELCOME TO ALIBABA.COM’S FIRST EVER FASHION LOOKBOOK. From fashion wholesalers to independent boutiques, we hear the same questions – what are 2014’s fashion trends and what should I source?
So we’ve collaborated with fashion designers from across the world to bring you this lookbook as a reference. You’ll find the industry trends and specific pieces that your customers will demand this year. Inspire yourself and rest assured our thousands of apparel suppliers can meet your every need.
Visit alibaba.com/fashion.
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CONTENTS
p 07
p 06-07
Sports Luxe
p 08-09
Monochrome
p 10-11
Embellishment
p 12-13
Color Trend: Gray
p 14-15
Applique
p 16-17
Digital Prints
p 18-19
Geometric
p 20-21
Tribal Prints
p 22-23
Leather Bodice
p 24-25
Floral
p 26-27
Palazzo Pants
p 28-29
Sheer
p 30-31
Did you know?
p 32-33
Apparel sourcing markets to watch
p 34
Apparel sourcing tips
p 35
Packaging sourcing tips
p 36-37
Designer profiles
p 38
About Alibaba.com
p 15
Disclaimer: This lookbook is for promotional purposes only, illustrating the fashion trends for 2014. None of the designs are available on Alibaba.com and copyrights to
p 13
the designs in this lookbook are held by the fashion designers.
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Sporty chic, sports luxe or luxe athletic – it’s all about a revolution in sportswear. Hi-tech fabrics, cutting edge design and crossover styling are the hallmarks. Efficiently sourcing to create added value, revitalize your sportswear.
Sports Luxe
DESIGN BY LISA ASTOR 6
DESIGN BY TOMAS LAI
Is Sports Luxe your new product line? Source at alibaba.com/fashion 7
MONOCHROME The minimalist aesthetic is notoriously difficult to achieve. This level of simplicity requires just the right fabric, the right cut. The stitching must be discreet perfection. Source monochrome pieces carefully, build relationships and cultivate them. This style will last forever.
DESIGN BY MILDA CERGELYTE
Do you do minimalism? Find apparel suppliers at alibaba.com/fashion 8
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EMBELLISHMENT Extravagant ballgowns. Delicate touches on outerwear. Individual cutomization for shoes. Embellishment is an invitation to creativity and an open door to sumptuous grandeur. Source authentic metals and stones finished precisely to your requirements, styled to make clients dream.
Embellish your profits with FREE quotes at alibaba.com/fashion 10
DESIGN BY JENNIFER HAYES
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COLOR TREND: GRAY Color trends are just one of the facets of the industry you need to master. Grays and matte silvers have been consistently dominating the runways, moving from menswear staples to Spring/Summer womenswear collections. A neutral shade that looks great with patent leather and clean lines, grays are also made for daring new cuts.
DESIGN BY VANDANA TALWAR
Looking for gray clothing? Find suppliers at alibaba.com/fashion 12
DESIGN BY TS LEE
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APPLIQUE Heritage craft techniques applied to new concepts and cuts will be stronger than ever in 2014. Applique and lace add a flattering complexity, to contrast with flowing drapes and oversize cuts. Look for quality threads and discuss after-sales care with your supplier. As ever though, design is crucial.
DESIGN BY LISA ASTOR
Sourcing can be delicate. Find trustworthy suppliers at alibaba.com/fashion 14
DESIGN BY POOJA UPADHYAY
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DIGITAL PRINTS Technology is democratizing finishes and structures once the preserve of haute couture. Innovative production is bringing new sensations and experiences to the runway and the high street. Digital prints can be romantic or cyberpunk, geometric or symbolic. Use your imagination, and consult the experts.
DESIGN BY AISLING DUFFY
Electrify your collections and source from alibaba.com/fashion 16
DESIGN BY STEPHANIE OLIVER
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GEOMETRIC Geometric fashion is about beautiful prints and the latest cuts. It’s about provocation and harmony. Sourcing geometric style requires a keen eye for detail and close knowledge of design trends. Sourcing with Alibaba.com makes fashion-forward design simple and rewarding.
DESIGN BY VANDANA TALWAR
Sourcing new trends is simple at alibaba.com/fashion 18
DESIGN BY MILDA CERGELYTE
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TRIBAL PRINTS As tribal prints become ever more sophisticated, with new materials and garments each season, it’s time to get serious about how you source them. It’s a global mash-up of cultures and ethnicities, carefree modern and vibrant. It’s the 21st century urban village in your store. Get it right.
DESIGN BY MARIKO KADI
With members in 200+ countries, the world is sourcing at alibaba.com/fashion 20
DESIGN BY TOMAS LAI
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Appealing to a new generation of demanding, fun-loving young women who proudly assume their femininity, the leather bodice is the statement piece. Source soft leathers like goatskins in somber hues and strong primary colors. Demand rigorous structure and striking design.
LEATHER BODICE
DESIGN BY KATYA ENCHEVA
Find leather suppliers at alibaba.com/fashion 22
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FLORAL Floral romanticism is a direct line to the heart and the retina. New techniques in embroidery and printing mean floral says youth once more. Energetic, graceful and elegant. Source pastels and bold shades, outerwear and lingerie. Create a standout retail experience.
DESIGN BY MILDA CERGELYTEÂ
Go floral with your stock. Get FREE quotes from suppliers at alibaba.com/fashion 24
DESIGN BY MARIKO KADI
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From Anita Pallenberg to Kim Kardashian, palazzo pants are a celebrity style inspiration. Saving millions of women from the obligatory skinny jean, this flexible piece appeals to a huge demographic.
PALAZZO PANTS
DESIGN BY POOJA UPADHYAY
Source in comfort and find quality suppliers at alibaba.com/fashion 26
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SHEER Black, white or pink. As evening wear or office attire. Blouses, long draped skirts and slinky tops. Sheer potential. Sourcing sheer requires guaranteed quality, true-to-life colors and professionally executed, inspired design.
DESIGN BY VANDANA TALWAR
Sheer luck? Or did you find the best apparel supplier at alibaba.com/fashion 28
DESIGN BY LISA ASTOR
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DID YOU KNOW? Over 9.8 million t-shirts were requested in 7 months on Alibaba.com. That’s one t-shirt for every person living in Sweden.
GLOBAL BUYING REQUESTS FOR T-SHIRTS & DRESSES January - July 2013
Over 9.8 Million T-Shirts
Over 125,000 Dresses Source: Alibaba.com
BUYING REQUESTS ON ALIBABA.COM * % buying request comparison from 2012 to 2013 (January – June)
228%
Children’s Clothing
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247%
Underwear
317%
T-Shirts
356%
Sportswear
451%
Ethnic Clothing
FASHION BRANDS INDITEX
H&M
> 800 Million Garments
> 700 Independent Suppliers & Factories
produced in 40+ countries worldwide 2011
in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Far East and South Asia Source: ystats
MOST RESPONSIVE CHINESE REGIONS
Chinese Suppliers sending the most quotes to buyers in the apparel industry via Alibaba.com
CHINA
5 Alibaba’s most active suppliers are in Guangdong
Shandong
4 2 3
1
Jiangsu Zhejiang Fujian
Guangdong
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APPAREL SOURCING MARKETS TO WATCH
MARKETS SUCH AS INDIA, TURKEY AND BANGLADESH ARE SHOWING HUGE POTENTIAL FOR APPAREL SOURCING If you’re running your own business, sourcing the right products at
fortably pass the $17 billion mark over this financial year. In fact,
the best price has to be a priority. It’s vital for keeping your cus-
AEPC’s chair says India could be the world’s top sourcing destina-
tomers happy as well as saving time and money in the long run for
tion for apparel and knitwear within the next five years.
you. Although there can be advantages to sourcing locally, it’s often more economical to look further afield - as the continuing growth of the world’s emerging markets becomes more and more important to the global business landscape, there are a few vital regions where the pickings are particularly rich. China is traditionally seen as the workshop of the world, but it is far from your only option if you’re looking to outsource overseas. Some of the world’s most promising destinations for apparel sourcing show no signs of slowing down. Here’s our guide to a few of the most promising markets.
INDIA For its sheer size alone, India should be high on your list of places to source products. Its apparel production industry is vast and varied, so the chances are you’ll be able to find whatever it is you’re looking for and more besides.
markets in recent years, as wages have risen and new standards have been rolled out. But high levels of compliance and quality have kept demand high. As ethical sourcing becomes increasingly important to consumers, you may find that procurement from producers that meet regulatory standards is a vital string to your bow. Changeable yarn prices have fuelled some concerns about manufacturing costs, but for now the government remains confident that a healthy supply of raw materials will make sure India can meet the rising numbers of orders on their books.
BANGLADESH As the second most popular exporter of apparel in the world, Bangladesh has an established reputation as a sourcing hotspot. Low labour costs and high production capacity mean that large quantities of garments can be produced at extremely competitive prices.
But it’s also expanding rapidly, which will increase the opportunities
No wonder, then, that the country’s $20 billion apparel industry was
available to you: in the first five months of the 2013-14 financial
recently ranked as the most promising destination for future sourc-
year, apparel exports shot up by 14 per cent in US dollar terms, ac-
ing in a study by McKinsey & Co, coming ahead of smaller but rap-
cording to the country’s Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).
idly expanding economies such as Vietnam and Cambodia.
The council’s own figures suggest that apparel exports could com-
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India has been seen as slightly more expensive than some other
With as many as 5,000 factories in the small and densely populated territory, Bangladesh has more than twice the number of facilities in Vietnam and 20 times more than fast-growing Indonesia, but high production volumes can often mean that bigger businesses get the best deals. The McKinsey study also found that large multinationals will “bundle” volumes with a small number of suppliers, meaning that entire factories end up clogged with their business - but less established businesses may still be able to find facilities that can meet their quantity requirements. The country’s biggest drawback is its compliance record - highprofile industrial accidents in recent months and a traditionally poor safety record have earned Bangladesh a dubious reputation. Though the government has recently vowed to raise the minimum wage ahead of a national election, concerns have been raised that growing labour costs could make production less affordable. There are also concerns about the relative scarcity of local raw materials, which leaves Bangladesh dependent upon imports and therefore more susceptible to changing prices. But in spite of these challenges, the country’s apparel export industry continues to perform well and could well offer your business some excellent op-
TURKEY It may be one of the less publicised sourcing destinations, but Turkey offers a wide range of sourcing possibilities. US and EU buyers currently make up the majority of the country’s apparel exports , which amounted to $10.65 billion between January and July of 2013. Of this, shipments worth $1.2 billion went to the UK, $2.2 billion to Germany and another $824.7 to Spain, according to data from the Istanbul Textile and Apparel Exporters’ Union. When it comes to European buyers, it is easy to see how sourcing here could be more convenient than looking further afield. Shipments can be delivered more quickly than from more distant countries, and good proportion of skilled workers means that qualified labour is in fairly good supply. Significantly, there are also plenty of free trade agreements in place with different countries to keep additional costs from tariffs low. Perhaps one of Turkey’s biggest advantages is the abundance of raw materials - as one of the world’s ten biggest cotton producers, it rarely struggles to find these key resources and does not have to worry about import costs.
portunities.
TURKEY
BANGLADESH
INDIA
Looking for quality apparel suppliers? Source from www.alibaba.com/fashion 33
APPAREL PRODUCT SOURCING TIPS
PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS/ SPECIFICATION
TIPS
The purpose of product requirement is to clearly articulate the product’s purpose and features with your suppliers, which facilitates suppliers to prepare quotation and give you advice on the entire production process.
Product: Suit for women, plain, no logo, blue color
Material: 100% cotton Size: Small, Medium, Large
Fabric Weight: 250 grams
Destination market : Australia
Looking for quality apparel products? Source from alibaba.com/fashion 34
APPAREL PACKAGING SOURCING TIPS
PACKAGING
TIPS
Packaging plays an important role as a medium in the marketing mix. If you’re getting ready to create packaging for a product you’re selling, you have to consider the following requirements when you source online.
Regulation of destination market: e.g. Environmental Legislation in Australia
Size: 150 mm (L) x 50 mm (W) x 200 mm (H)
Quantity: 250 per carton
Material: Recycled paper with main label
Looking for packaging suppliers? Source from alibaba.com 35
DESIGNERS Thank you to all the designers that participated in Alibaba.com’s fashion 2014 lookbook.
AISLING DUFFY
LISA ASTOR
Aisling is an Irish designer based in London and her profes-
Lisa is the creative founder of Obradoiro Studio, Inc., a design
sional background is Textile design. To date, she has three scarf
house that creates unique and classic pieces with an edgey, classy,
collections stocked at the Irish Design Centre in Dublin.
and elegant style.
Email: aisling.duffy@hotmail.com
Email: bastor10@gmail.com
Telephone: +44 7427635911
Telephone: +1 347 964-9006
Website: cargocollective.com/aislingduffy
Website: obradoirodemoda.com
JENNIFER HAYES
MARIKO KADI
Jennifer lives in Paris, France, and has a vast experience in fashion
Mariko is a Nigerien fashion designer and created her brand
design. She works for Textures, a fashion brand emphasizing on
“K’MARIKO art” in 2007, which is a collection of unique handmade
creating timeless fashion pieces by combining vintage and luxury
clothes for men and women.
styles. Email: kadidiatoum@yahoo.fr Telephone: +91 9414962441
Telephone: +227 96966256
Website: texturesfashion.com
KATYA ENCHEVA Katya studied at Middlesex University and London College of Fashion. She recently finished her MA in Design Management for
MILDA CERGELYTE Milda is an award-winning designer, famous for making luxurious garments for the naturally elegant woman. She founded Mimi.c, a London based demi-couture womenswear label in 2009.
the Fashion Industries and has since worked for Tze Goh and Marios Shwab.
Email: info@mimicfashion.co.uk Telephone: +44 7842741962
Email: kat_encheva@yahoo.com Website: katencheva.wix.com/proudtobedifferent Telephone: +44 7517850728
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Website: mimicfashion.co.uk
POOJA UPADHYAY
TS LEE
Pooja created her clothing label, aiming to provide bespoke hand-
TS is a Hong Kong based menswear designer. He specializes in
crafted pieces. Her designs are mainly focused on womenswear
contemporary constructed menswear and has a passion in using
including elegant evening, day and occasionwear.
merino wool.
Email: poojaupadhyay92@gmail.com
Email: lts.lee@hotmail.com
Telephone: +91 8424948639
Telephone: +852 64343459 Website: tslee.com
STEPHANIE OLIVER Stephanie is a Fashion and Printed Textile designer based in
VANDANA TALWAR
London. Her work has been consistently inspired by foreign cultures
Vandana graduated from Raffles Design Institute Singapore,
and wildlife, leading to her current project ‘Emas For Indonesia’.
majoring in Fashion Design and established her own label in
Email: s.oliver22@hotmail.co.uk
2011. She focuses on balancing classic tailoring with edgy use of silhouette and colors.
Telephone: +44 7772677475 Website: stephanieoliver.weebly.com
Email: vandana.agragrami@gmail.com Telephone: +65 90048406
TOMAS LAI
Website: agragramifashionhouse.myshopify.com
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Tomas is a graduate of BA Fashion Design in Nottingham Trent University. Contemporary menswear is where his design focuses on, across modern, casual and sportive styles. Email: tomasdeslai@gmail.com Telephone: +852 64273018 Website: airtinci.wix.com/tomasdeslai
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ABOUT ALIBABA.COM Alibaba.com is the largest global e-commerce platform for small businesses. More international trade is conducted on our platform than any other. Our apparel suppliers offer all the expertise, skills and technology required to create beautiful, quality garments. These skills are based on experience gained serving the most prestigious and demanding international fashion houses and retail chains. Fashion represents the dovetail of creativity and craft. The global industry has evolved beyond fast fashion to a challenging blend of sustainable quality and short product lifecycles. Only the most responsive supply chain can hope to meet the challenges of fashion in 2014. Only at Alibaba.com do you have the tools to deliver groundbreaking new product lines, season after season.
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“The industry has evolved beyond fast fashion to a challenging blend of sustainable quality and short product lifecycles.”
EDITOR:
CREATIVE EDITOR:
PHOTO EDITOR:
Kit Chong
Pan Lau
Juan Pablo Costanzo
kchong@alibaba-inc.com
panlau@alibaba-inc.com
jcostanzo@alibaba-inc.com
+44 2072585102
+1 4083522218
+1 4083522206
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