It was the second edition of Munich Fabric Start/Bluezone under new management. In March last year, the new managing director Florian Klinder took over responsibility for the trade fairs from his brother Sebastian Klinder, who had managed them for 17 years.
“We consciously chose the motto ‘Pleasure’. It’s about enjoying fashion, even when the challenges are great,” explains Klinder. Because the fashion market is currently anything but fun. Consumers are in savings mode – and so are fashion companies. Design teams are being reduced in size, order budgets are being adjusted and trade fair visits are being reduced. The area booked is around 20 percent smaller than at the last trade fair, says Klinder, although summer trade fairs are often weaker than winter trade fairs.
Bringing the fair forward
A lot is moving. Also at the trade fair dates. The upcoming autumn edition is to be brought forward from the original date in September to mid-July. “Then we’re back at the start of the season,” says Klinder. “We surveyed our exhibitors and visitors and 80 percent are in favor of bringing this forward.” Finally, the lead times have also been extended. Here too, cost pressure would require greater efficiency in the supply chain, which would mean less warehousing and more efficient logistics, which often also results in longer times.
The follow-up trade fair for the SS28 season will then start in December instead of the current end of January.
Print providers in particular preferred keeping the September date, as prints are usually scheduled as late as possible. But denim supplier Isko also has concerns. “July would actually be the worst date for us,” says Fatma Korkmaz, Product Development Manager at Isko. She would prefer to start even earlier, in June.
Trends SS2027: Denim relies on imperfection
Tilmann Wröbel, Creative Director & Founder of the Denim Studio Monsieur-T., also addressed the topic of pleasure in his trend lecture. Not everything used to be better, as we often hear today; 50 years ago the denim industry was much smaller and there were no denim trade fairs at all. At that time, denim was not yet a natural part of fashion collections. “We should think positively,” says Wröbel. “We have to focus on whatever opportunities there are.”
His central trending theme was “Imperfection”. In a world that appears increasingly perfected, polished and interchangeable through mass-produced AI images, it is the imperfection that draws attention and enables identification. Studies also show that Generation Z is increasingly bored by idealized body images, flawless self-portrayals and stylish campaigns.
“We can serve this longing for imperfection very well with denim,” emphasizes the designer. He sees increasing interest in imperfect surfaces and stronger textures. Everything simple and smooth becomes too boring. “People look for things that create breaks that are not easy to understand and maybe not easy to find.” At Isko, for example, the trend is implemented with colored flock prints or a crinkle look. This is created by parts of the yarn shrinking when exposed to heat.
SS27 trends: Rise of more formal looks in fashion
Trend researchers are also recognizing the growing importance of textures and haptic experiences in fashion. According to Volker Orthmann and Katharina Majorek from the style office o/m Collective, natural fibers, craftsmanship and real patina are experiencing a new renaissance as “status markers”. “There is a strong cultural need for raw material experience,” says Majorek. “Real creativity will take on a new importance because people are tired of AI mush,” adds Orthmann. Fringes, knits, clinkles and loop yarns remain important, while lace and embroidery are still gaining in importance. “Embroidery and lace are a growth market. This allows higher prices to be justified,” says the expert. New silhouettes that play with balloon shapes, ruffles and peplums can also be seen.
“The last few years have been characterized by oversized looks, now the waist is coming back,” is the credo. The fashionable presentation of the Trump administration also has an influence on this, says David Shah, Publisher & CEO of View-Publications, in his keynote. Not only do the women around him dress in a formal and classic way, he also expects the men to dress correctly.
At the same time, the influence of sport with its overly technical looks will be reduced. “Street style and sneakers are on the floor, everything is becoming elegant,” Majorek is convinced. In terms of color, next summer will be dominated by various shades of yellow and orange.
Sustainability has no alternative and remains an important issue
“Sustainability has lost its sexiness,” says denim designer Tilmann Wröbel, referring to the hype in recent years about more environmentally friendly denim production. “But there is no alternative.” The image of denim and the entire fashion industry is negatively affected, and there is also a lot of false information circulating. This is precisely why the industry must continue to move forward consistently – even if regulations are weakened or delayed. There is always exciting design potential in new technologies, for example in the area of digital denim. Cotton twill is printed with a denim look – without the disadvantages of classic washing or used techniques in terms of durability and resource consumption. Labels like Acne are already taking this approach. Acne not only printed trousers in a denim look, but also printed the matching accessories, such as chains or patches.
The German cotton specialist Cotonea, which has just launched fabrics made from organic Pima cotton, also continues to focus on sustainability. The project was created together with US cotton farmers who were willing to grow this rare and particularly high-quality cotton fiber with GOTS certification for a fixed purchase quantity. The goods are woven in our own weaving mill in the Czech Republic, where there is also a clothing factory. The target group are designer labels that value sustainability and are looking for special quality.
The first Demeter-certified textile from the Loads brand also premiered. It emerged from the cooperation between a Dutch Demeter farm and the NGO Dirt from Great Britain, which was responsible for developing the standard for the textile sector. The textile is made from biodynamically grown cotton from Egypt, which was dyed with biodynamically grown vegetable dyes from the Demeter farm. The cultivation and dyeing process took place in the Netherlands. A total of five dyes are available for launch. Loads, in turn, is the name of the brand under which the Dutch farm sells its products. Demeter differs from GOTS in that it completely avoids synthetic chemicals and regenerative land management, for example plowing to protect the soil. The aim is to develop plant dyes for other types of fibers, including dyes for leather.
Further plans: More formats for knowledge transfer and exchange
The next Munich Fabric Start / Bluezone for the fall-winter season 2027/28 will take place from July 14th to 16th, 2026. Klinder already has some new ideas for this. There could be more events for exchange and knowledge transfer, for example in the form of round tables or workshops. The website should also be revised. Florian Klinder continues to see the need for trade fairs. Especially because designers often take on more tasks in the office due to smaller teams and no longer have any time for creative phases. “I hear from many people that they really enjoy being able to spend a day walking around the trade fair undisturbed and really just being able to occupy themselves with it.”
