Première Vision Denim has compiled the latest denim trends for the spring/summer 2024 season. At the heart of the new collections is a desire to experiment with denim’s past and with a spirit of authenticity. Quality, durability and sustainability play an important role. Everything in the SS24 denim world will revolve around these five themes:
Eco highlights
The denim weavers have more and more denims made from 100 percent recycled fibers in their program for the summer after next. How the fiber mixtures are produced and combined varies greatly. Recycled fibers from mechanical and chemical recycling, or various types of recycled fiber blends, such as Refibra – a cellulose-cotton blend in which the cotton is obtained from cotton waste – are increasingly being proposed. There are also recycling solutions for accessories, such as recyclable metal buttons. The industry even relies on recycling when it comes to finishing.
Less chemicals and more environmentally friendly equipment are other tasks for which more and more manufacturers are looking for and finding solutions.
Clean looks work with high-quality materials made from 100 percent organic cotton that are designed to last.
New plant fibers that replace cotton are also very popular, such as kapok. Kapok is an extremely light cellulose fiber that uses less water in its manufacture. The same applies to cellulosic and biopolymer fibres, such as soybean fibers or fibers from recycled food waste such as Agraloop. These fibers are also used in ingredients such as labels and hang tags. Even stretch fibers now have greener alternatives: Ciclo, a textile additive that makes polyester compostable, or Repreve, a certifiable and traceable fiber made from plastic bottles.
When it comes to colors, the designers continue to focus on undyed qualities, with structures such as natural irregularities being used intentionally. Pastel shades made with natural colors and using little water also remain important.
Revised Essentials
The weights of the denim fabrics are becoming lighter and play with strong contrasts up to and including transparency. Alternatives to traditional cotton include abaca fiber, pima cotton, linen and hemp. Yarn effects, chambray, fancy fabrics and mercerized parts ensure sophistication.
Shirts hark back to super classic ’90s-inspired authentic looks. There’s a move away from the overshirt look and a return to classic cuts, weights and uses.
An inspiration from the 80s are short jackets with volume. Tracksuits and casual cuts for separates are combined into new layered looks and flowing silhouettes for a casual urban style.
Workwear elements help return to the classics and search for a timeless look. Strong and distinctive work-inspired weaves, such as panamas, beckon with new proportions and distinct yarn effects. Very straight, versatile and functional cuts set the tone here. For example, cargo pants with straight legs and no superfluous pockets, made of dense, structured fabrics. Technical denims, such as extremely abrasion-resistant fabrics or water-repellent surfaces, are also used here. The ingredients and accessories here are more than just unimportant accessories, but deliberately set accents.
Opulent Expressions
A new mineral-inspired color palette dominates this theme. Thanks to different layers of washing and dyeing, the colors acquire strong contrasts. Indigo is never pure, but always infused with experimental dyes and washes.
Mineral aspects are softened by irregular layers of saturated colors and luminous shimmers. The color palette ranges from indigo to gold to enhance visual aspects.
This theme also includes dusty denims, whose color effects express the passage of time. Spray and pigment effects make surfaces look worn or dusty. Lasered finishes, openwork textures and fade-outs also play a part as the indigo color fades away to make way for overdyed base fabrics. There are also mixtures and variations of techniques that conjure up stain effects in earthy and reddish tones on the surfaces. Feel free to overdo it! Irregularities are also used in the accessories, for example with irregular edges, sanded surfaces, aged, discolored metals and fading colors in rivets and details.
Fashionable highlights are also baroque looks, which with their large, floral patterns are reminiscent of upholstery fabrics and play with the Gothic style. Geometric patterns tend to be playful and exaggerated, often combined with embroidery and bold colours.
Clean nostalgia
This season, shades of gray and blue are very close. Black is saturated with light and lightened by irregular luminous washes.
Bleaching effects, acid and ice washes are used in variations of pure indigo and vibrant tones. This creates cloudy, almost abstract effects and patterns in different scales. Faded effects, marbled, irregular patterns, floral and botanical inspirations can be used in both men’s and women’s fashion. White nuances and spots also adorn this theme, combined with revised and authentic sewing techniques such as piping.
Indigo plays a new role in accessories: buttons, ribbons and labels are indigo-colored or washed-out. The silhouettes are inspired by heritage looks and 80s outfits with heavy and stiff fabrics. 3D contrasting stonewashed effects and creases accentuated by stitched details.
At the same time, dark denims remain an important quality for the summer, sometimes accentuated by light knots or with a variety of twist yarn effects, sometimes as vertical light lines. In general, yarn effects are further exploited through washes and as subtle textures
The new denim styles were presented at the Denim Première Vision, which took place on November 23 and 24, 2022 in Milan. The next Première Vision Denim will take place in the Arena Berlin from May 31st to June 1st, 2023.