The first trends for spring/summer 2024 were unveiled at the Première Vision textile fair. The fashion trends were divided into three segments – decoration or design elements, essentials and leather. FashionUnited was there to capture the trend forecasts.
Design Elements: The Influence of Plants on Fabrics in Spring/Summer 2024
‘Natural’ was the word most frequently used by the material experts who presented their fabrics at Première Vision in February. We can therefore expect a spring/summer 2024 season in which natural materials (linen, silk, wool) will prevail. But as there would be no fashion without the human imagination, this ‘naturalness’ is ennobled in textures with slub effects, wickerwork and other forms of craftsmanship. The power of the plants is also expressed in the patterns. While the summer season is very often bucolic or country, the summer 2024 plant trend is all about the leaf and sometimes even the tree.
Anyone who says ‘naturalness’ also means the influence of the earth on fashion. In weaving patterns and prints, this leads to effects reminiscent of the earth’s crust, seismic waves and bark. Even in the outdoor area, performance fabrics are wrapped in mineral surfaces and volcanic textures.
What about animal motifs in this jungle of the fashion world? “Spring/Summer 2024 has less animal motifs compared to other seasons,” says Ariane Bigot, deputy fashion director at Première Vision. “But what’s interesting about the representation of zebra, panther or snake prints is the use of gradient colors or enlarged patterns”.
“In the entirety of the offer, we noticed the excessive proportion of drawings corresponding to those normally used in the furniture industry.” According to the expert, the influence of the Home sweet home related in some designs to the “desire for visual attention on social networks”. The bigger the picture, the more visible we are. A classic flower, when scaled, or a unique placement in the garment’s cut, allows it to stand out.
A digital dream, an unreal Garden of Eden
The trend around digital aesthetics influences the designs. They evolve into even more pastel, vibrant hues, with contemporary pearlescent tones and unreal waves. Vectorized leaves and flowers reach fantastic new heights. These motifs are more or less enlarged and lined up randomly. From a mostly metallic note (gold, copper, silver) they cover lace, jacquards and embroidery with a colored, iridescent and transparent sheen.
Gender fluid tailoring in soft tones
This trend towards naturalness is reflected in a range of natural, light, neutral, even somewhat muted tones – this is the first impression conveyed by the Forum Essentials. The color palette corresponds to the classic range of dresses, trousers and jackets, but there is also a touch of freshness and vitality, which is expressed in somewhat acidic, bright colors and even pastel tones. “Beige has taken over grey, there is a little less black,” said Ariane Bigot. “But the surprise is the draping of real, flowing wool in lilac and pale pink. Never since working at Première Vision have I had the opportunity to exhibit fifteen beautiful, classic drapes in such a sweet color palette.”
This movement corresponds to the emergence of a gender-biased look, which has also been seen in recent menswear shows. It is accompanied by a revival of blue, a color traditionally associated with the male gender and symbolized by the classic work shirt or sailor suit. Blue frees itself and becomes a spectrum: ‘International Klein Blue’ by artist Yves Klein, turquoise, sky blue, royal blue.
Great as a new addition to Forum Essentials
This new sophistication goes hand-in-hand with the addition of lace to the Forum essentials. “Our visitors primarily come for ready-to-wear or couture, but they also have special needs in their collections, such as lingerie,” says the expert. “So we wanted to focus on the top. The fabric is a newcomer to the show but fits seamlessly into the area of the forum dedicated to sports, swimwear and lingerie”.
Wild Feline, Opulent seduction, a new area opens up for the industry, which has experienced lockdowns in pajama mode and is now looking to adorn itself again with more seduction and sophistication. This is to be achieved with flowing knitwear, cotton molton that is cozy on the inside and soft and supple on the outside, or with more subtle embellishments that oscillate between the world of swimsuits and lingerie.
A turning point takes place: the idea of comfort is combined with chic and seduction. Poplin and satin are formed into intricate structures that break through their linear side. Linen or hemp make uni colors shine. In search of added value, the iconic textures of the silk fabrics are embellished with horizontal stripes in ottoman or faille
Leather Forum: The comeback of leather
Of course, the notion of naturalness legitimizes the use of leather over its synthetic alternatives. “Visitors ask the tanneries many questions about traceability, sustainability and animal welfare, but they no longer question the material as such,” says Carine Montarras, Leather Product Manager at the Première Vision fair. She notes a renewed demand for leather accessories – shoes and leather goods – and leather clothing, “both winter and summer.”
The leather industry has refined its methods: free metal tanning with vegetable tanning agents derived from mimosa, chestnut and the Latin American Quebrachos trees; Nubuck and embossed leather made with bio-based polymers derived from hemp oil; tumbled leather that is naturally colored with wine waste – there is a lot to discover.
Fashion or the art of playing with contrasts
“The most striking thing is the dichotomy that can exist in fashion trends,” says the expert. There is a tremendous inspiration towards more naturalness, diffused colors that are patinated to emphasize the liveliness of the materials and their natural patterns. On the other hand, there’s this digital light that you see in the nail art or in the multicolored paintwork of cars.
Leather is refined with precision. This is also shown by a piece on display at the entrance to the Forum Leather, embroidered with a leopard’s head and sequins. In contrast, the ‘naturalness’ mentioned at the beginning is replaced by naturally grained leather, machine-dyed, without a pigment finish to better reveal the textures. Here the color is rich and absorbing. It ranges from indigo to terracotta to violet or the famous Klein blue – named after the painter Yves Klein, who made it the emblem of a search for immateriality and infinity – and that as the trend color par excellence for the spring/summer 2024 season.
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This article was published on FashionUnited.fr. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ