In today’s world, life is not always pleasant. Pandemics, war, inflation – the bad news has piled up in recent months. When Dutch trend researcher Lidewij Edelkoort is at a loss for words, she prefers to delve into the past. “Then I look at what humanity has done. We designed a way of life, invented tools, invented clothing and developed weaving techniques. Man is so inventive.”
What happened shows resilience while being a source of beauty, both necessary for surviving in troubled times, says the trend forecaster during the online seminar where she presented the trends for Fall/Winter 2023.
For this reason, Edelkoort takes the viewer into the story. Archeology is the leitmotif of her presentation, in which Edelkoort refers to excavated objects but also to the practice of excavation itself. The trends are divided into different historical periods, from the Stone Age to the future – each period represents a different aspect of Edelkoort’s trend history. FashionUnited has summarized the most important trends.
Sand and stones: earthy tones and rough edges
If you are looking for old treasures, you often have to work your way through layers of sand and stone. But it’s easy to forget that sand and stones can be treasures in their own right. There are infinite combinations of colors and textures in pebbles and boulders. The earth can also contain minerals suitable for making pigments, such as yellow ocher or red ocher—those warm earth tones used in wall paintings as far back as prehistoric times. These hues will be back in style this coming fall, especially in knitwear and chunky fabrics.
The glow of metal: bronze, iron and gold
The Bronze Age (c. 3000 to 800 BC) is so called because it was during this period that ways were found to process metals such as bronze into tools, weapons and jewelry. The subtle glow of bronze will be seen on the catwalks in Fall 2023.
The Iron Age followed the Bronze Age. Iron is also making a comeback in fashion, both as a material and in the form of deep, grey-blue tones. A third metal that comes into play is gold, which has played an important role in historical cultures around the world. This material is also returning in various forms: as a gold-colored weaving thread, for example, or in jewellery.
Antique sculptures and classic jackets
In contrast to the hard, deep shine of the metals, Autumn 2023 features a soft, tactile minimalism that Edelkoort derives from ancient sculptures and portraits of the Greeks and Romans. Loosely woven, pleated or quilted fabrics refer to the lines of classical statues and columns.
Edelkoort refers specifically to the type of sculpture made between 4000 and 1000 BC. on the Cyclades, a group of Greek islands. They are stylized sculptures of human figures that appear both cool and friendly. In fashion, their abstract forms emerge as carefully tailored garments in bright white or warm gray.
The jacket in particular will be a popular piece this fall, predicts Edelkoort. Not a stiff jacket meant for the office, but a comfortable one that makes you feel ready to face the world.
pigments from plants and animals
In addition to the rich earth and metal tones, Edelkoort also lists color charts and designs based on pigments from plants and animals. Designers like Ilfa Siebenhaar and Laura Luchtman are already experimenting with using bacteria to dye clothes.
Into the Future: Fashion from the Metaverse
At the end of her presentation, Edelkoort hurls the viewer into the future: a future in neon colors, which for once are not depicted as angular, geometric surfaces and lines, but in free combinations and drawings. Bright colors, playful shapes and optical illusions invade fashion from the Metaverse, a virtual world where, Edelkoort hopes, people are actively experimenting with fashion.
This translated and edited post previously appeared on FashionUnited.nl. Translation and editing: Karenita Haalck