From May 31 to June 1, 2023, the Denim Première Vision trade fair in Berlin focused on the work of the jeans professionals: Know-how, autumn/winter trends 2024-2025 and environmental awareness were combined to meet the diverse requirements of the fashion market to be fair.
Wednesday 31 May 2023 at 10 a.m.: the Denim Première Vision fair organized by Première Vision (GL Events) opens its doors. This time the traveling fair (which has already taken place in Paris, London, Milan and Barcelona) will take place in the Arena Berlin, not far from the East Side Gallery. The organizers describe the fair as a “denim community”, which means 67 exhibitors who specialize in denim fabrics: 50 percent produce denim, 20 percent process it into clothing, 20 percent design accessories (buttons, zippers, etc.) . The remaining 10 percent are involved in recycling, supply chemicals to dye the fabric or are service companies.
The Arena Berlin is a huge hall that is a mixture of industrial architecture and chic building. The scenography designed by Denim PV show manager Fabio Adami Dalla Val corresponds to this cool dimension inherent in the Berlin spirit: “Berlin is a city full of energy, where people are free to express themselves,” he tells us over lunch . The result: no partition walls between the stands, hostesses in jeans, outdoor areas on the banks of the Spree, numerous events and a trend forum where the public can photograph the fabrics on display (which is not the case at PV Villepinte).
Selvedge tradition at the heart of the pedagogical concern of the Denim Première Vision
The first installation at the entrance is an exhibition of men’s creations designed by the Italian designer Stefano Chiassai. They are the result of his book “Blue Coloring”. Combined with other materials and refined with unusual techniques that are somewhere between craftsmanship and new technologies, denim unfolds its full potential here.
Further back, a workshop led by Alessio Berto invites visitors to create patterns out of denim. But be careful, not just any fabric. This is about the “selvedge” fabric known to those in the know, a combination of the English “self edge”, an abbreviation for “self-finished edge”. Technically, this means that one and the same weft thread is used to achieve greater strength. Visually, this leads to an even processing, which is expressed in a – sometimes red – border.
After Japanese manufacturers bought up the old looms on which selvedge linen was produced in the 1950s, they became specialists in this high-quality know-how. This also applies to the Kurabo company, which is represented at the fair. This workshop is about showing that after the Italian companies, such as the exhibitor Berto, the Turkish company Sharabati Denim is now also positioning itself with this fabric, which is appreciated by purists.
The denim business is mostly dominated by volume from Turkey, Pakistan, Brazil, Bangladesh and China, and Denim PV aims to represent the streetwear, casual wear, sportswear and premium luxury markets. However, the selection made by the exhibition management relates to the ability of the companies represented to be “innovative, creative, sustainable and transparent in relation to their supply chain”.
“Adaptable”, the denim trend for Fall/Winter 2024-2025 that focuses on sustainability
In order to do justice to the sustainability dimension, the structure of the trend forum, which was created in cooperation with Rikkert Pauuw, was built from recycled wood from waste materials. The three proposed trends for Fall/Winter 2024-2025 are: Adaptable, Digital Interference and High Contrast.
“Adaptable” focuses on classic products that stand the test of time. There is the famous selvedge fabric, but also jeans made from 100 percent cotton, meaning without stretch. The reason for the return to these stiffer fabrics is that any material with elastane, even if it has a small percentage, is not recyclable. Manufacturers are therefore looking for flexibility through polyester, which is naturally stretchy, through the way the fibers are woven, or even through bio-based solutions such as Lycra T 400. Viscose towels are also featured as part of the trend.
Nevertheless, cotton, even if it is renewable, is the basic material for the production of denim. Because indigo (today chemically) and cotton have no affinity for each other, the fabric has irregularities (ring spinning process) that cause a vintage effect when washed. This is in contrast to the ‘flat’ aspect of piece-dyeing, which is done by those who receive the fabric, sew the models and then dye them (Pacific Jeans). For Autumn/Winter 2024/2025, the presence of “warm denim” is worth mentioning, with velvety, reinforced and brushed jeans and wool/denim blends.
“Digital Interference” between acid dye, plant inspirations and recycling
The Digital Interference trend is a sign that the real world is meeting the digital. Visually, this is reflected in irregular weaves such as bouclé, micro-washing to create structures, tears or scratches, mixed forms between knitwear and denim or speckled acid dye effects.
In terms of colors, in autumn/winter 2024-2025 the yellow seen in summer 2023 will be replaced by green, influenced by mineral and plant life. “We’re moving away from the ‘dirty’, yellowish side, towards braid and deconstruction colors, towards dusty greens,” explains Lorenza Martello, Trends Manager at PV Denim.
Most striking, however, is the vintage nostalgia that comes with the recycling/upcycling trend in denim. So far, this seems to be the positioning that best aligns with fashion’s environmental stewardship. The Denim PV illustrates this through the sewing workshop “Therapy Recycling”, the suggestions of young designers: inside, the sculptures “Monkeys” hanging from the ceiling by designer Michiko Koshino as well as a small vintage market where stylists can get inspiration.
“High Contrast”: When denim becomes premium through sophistication
“High Contrast” stands for 3D resin, ice cream and laser effects (reminiscent of lace), grooves, flocked, naïve or narrative motifs, decorations, lurex threads and much more. Because even denim does not escape the desire typical of the fashion world: innovations to attract attention.
Baroque-inspired jacquard weaves (see image) embody the glamorous aesthetic of Y2K (2000s). Denim manufacturer Outside by Fabritex from Prato (Tuscany) owns 24 jacquard looms. Thanks to his remarkable technical skills, he is able to meet the demands of luxury brands (Balmain, Louis Vuitton).
And since the general idea is to offer denim a world that makes it alluring, it’s not surprising that the pink party, hosted on the floating pool in front of the arena on the first night, culminates in a fashion show hosted by the Academy for Fashion and Design in Berlin. The creations also exhibited at the fair represent what the exhibitors have to offer and correspond to the guidelines set out by the organizers: “To realize a collection from the points of view of transparency, sustainability, cooperation and creativity”.
The more than 1,250 visitors, who came mainly from Germany but also from Europe, Turkey and the USA, got an insight into the future of denim.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.fr. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.