California Apparel News

From raw indigo to embroidered allover prints, the style and fit for denim is in constant flux. Amy Leverton, senior denim editor at Stylesight, recently outlined four key “megatrend” themes for Fall/Winter 2014, including men’s and women’s trends in color, fit, construction and finish.

With an appreciation for opulence and vibrant hues and a passion for fusing cultures, “Sentiment” is a trend story that lends itself to embroideries and is dense in color.

“Embellishments are not going away; and more is more in the Sentiment story,” Leverton said. “Color blocking, especially denim with fabric or leather inserts, [is] key right now. But leather is sleek and minimal; however, pairing denim with jacquard knit creates a new take on fabric blocking, creating winter coziness, almost like a ‘cabin-in-the-woods look.’ For Fall and Winter 2014, in particular, mixing up knits, jacquards and wooly surfaces with denim will be key.”

Creating a rich appeal with print techniques is part of the trend story. The “Gypset flare” is a key item in the Sentiment story, offering a bohemian sensibility. Allover boho prints on a skinny leg with a bell flare creates a strong, ’70s-inspired look for women.

Texture is emphasized, Leverton said. “Jacquards are becoming increasingly important with over-the-top engineered weaves,” she said. “These weaves easily fit into a couple of our megatrend stories but into Sentiment particularly.”

In contrast to Sentiment, another trend story, “Quietude,” has a pared-back sensibility in which minimalist details are paramount. “Quietude is a sparse and serene story with minimal branding and a no-nonsense tonal look. However, within that simplicity, surface and texture continue to be key for denim weave and construction,” Leverton said.

Tone-on-tone and subtle 3-D techniques are emerging, Leverton said, adding that Australian-based brand Ksubi has several examples of the trend in the current collection. “For Fall, Ksubi is offering a beautiful collection that is very ahead of its time, experimenting with a silicone print on the reverse of the denim, giving it a clean yet a 3-D surface that fits beautifully into the Quietude story,” Leverton said.

“Rapture” is a trend story emerging for more-youthful markets. “We explore a youth-inspired story almost every season,” Leverton said, “as youth markets are integral to emerging looks and styling.”

In this trend, tactile surfaces are key. Classic denim pieces are reworked in new fabrics such as a trucker jacket in bouclé or velour. Print is also updated with glossy and almost puff paint–inspired techniques. “This story is playful, bold and brash, with an almost ‘bad-taste’ element,” Leverton said.

The final trend for Fall/Winter 2014 is “Allegory,” a subversive trend that speaks of the darker side of life and myth, magic and mystery, Leverton said. “Deep and saturated black is a core denim shade for Fall/Winter 2014,” she said. The premium-denim market has become so essential that more men are becoming familiar with selvage denim. Denim mills are moving this trend forward by releasing black-on-black selvage jeans for Fall/Winter 2014.

In addition to Stylesight’s Fall/Winter 2014 themes, Leverton discussed other key innovations in the denim industry.

Premium denim continues to be important. “I have been tracking the raw premium-denim market for many seasons, which is growing—especially in the menswear arena,” she said. “selvage used to only be associated with serious ‘denimheads,’ but now there’s a large group of guys wearing Japanese selvage denim.”

For example, Missoni recently featured premium rigid denim pieces in its latest collection, which is something new for the Italian brand. “There is a reworking in the fashion perspective where premium looks are coming to the fore but are reworked with a more directional, fashion-forward handwriting,” Leverton said.

From a technical standpoint, technology in the denim market is also driving new trends. “Digital print is being used as the new laundry and is a trend that many brands are starting to pick up on. It is also better for the environment than multiple wash processes,” Leverton said.

“Laser laundry” is the most important innovation in the laundry process, Leverton said, describing a process that removes indigo from the denim surface using laser technology. “It can offer camouflage print, marble effects, a photo-realistic scene. ... The possibilities are endless,” she said.