LA Textile Show Trends

Today was the first day of the LA Textile Show and you could feel the excitement of the designers getting ready to pick their fabric choices for the Fall/Winter 2010/2011 collections.

There was a steady buzz around booths that specialized in lavish embellishment, jeweled trims and metallic shine. Several mills are creating dazzling textiles such as reverse sequin fabrics, chunky jewel border trims or jewel-on-felt appliques. This idea of soft, homespun yarns mixed with treasured trinkets ties in perfectly with WGSN's Emotive trend direction.

A few new fabric treatments caught my eye. One was a new spin on the traditional tweed. It was a rather chunky wool tweed treated with a laminate. It had the look of a Chanel suiting fabric but had the durability of a rain jacket. Imagine the possiblities. At WGSN, our Inventive trend direction looks at the idea in which art and science merge to create groundbreaking aesthetics.

Our last trend direction is Useful. Looking at practical, functional and durable fabric, there are several new fleeces out in the market. Cotton Inc. is the first to create a Stormproof fleece which repels water. Comfort fabrics are also becoming increasingly important as more people are staying at home. This need for comfort dressing looks at fur-like microfibers that are as plush as a teddy bear and would make a great lining for a jacket or bath robe.

More information on the trends and textiles featured at the show will be featured in my full report on WGSN, coming soon.

LA International Textile Show

WGSN will be at the LA International Textile Show starting tomorrow. We are the official trend partner for the show this season and will be displaying trend boards in the California Market Center (CMC) lobby, as well as in our booth on the show floor. Follow Christy Wu, West Coast Associate Editor as she blogs about the show and register to attend our seminar on Friday morning, where Sally Lohan, West Coast Content Director, will be presenting information on surface texture, textiles, and fashion inspirations for the Fall/Winter 2010/2011 season.

To register, click here.

Buttons for all

During the downtime from International Designers Mexico, I'm updating WGSN's City by City guide for Mexico City. Yesterday, I spent my time wandering the streets of Polanco, a wealthy area most famous for its Avenida Presidente Masaryk, Mexico City's equivalent to Rodeo Drive or Madison Avenue. The area is home to global luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Roberto Cavalli.

While wandering off the main thoroughfare, I came across La Casa de los Botonones, or House of Buttons, a small hole-in-the-wall shop filled from floor to ceiling with buttons and other notions. The owner travels all over the world to gather vintage designer and novelty buttons and also customizes her own in stores. Yesterday, the store was packed with customers looking to create their own covered buttons using the in-shop machine.

Since the recession, we've noticed a lot of DIY stores become more popular as people look for new, budget ways to update their wardrobes or make their own clothing. La Casa de los Botones is a great example involving customers in retail by making their shopping experience personal and interactive and putting product design in their hands.

WGSN loves Clara Gonzalez

Winner of Mexico's Project Runway equivalent, Mexico Diseña, in 2006, designer Clara Gonzalez presented at International Designers Mexico on Tuesday to a packed crowd of socialites, celebrities, and friends. Though I was weary of the party-people crowd, I was pleasantly surprised when the young designer showed an edited collection that was both youthful and sophisticated.

Gonzalez's shapes were simple and traditional, but her fabric choices and colour combinations offer a surge of playfulness. Chartreuse, teal, salmon and blush were seen on 40s inspired cocktail dresses and draped skirts, while metallic silver and bronze gowns were paired with black tailored vests and tuxedo jackets. Sexy details like racerbacks, ruffles and braided straps added to the relaxed evening look.

Its no wonder that the 24-year-old designer has won the recognition and mentorship of Carolina Herrera. Gonzalez's spring/summer 2010 collection exuded the timeless elegance that Herrera is often associated with -- high waists, simple shift dresses, strong shoulders and easy menswear separates.

WGSN's full coverage of Mexico Fashion Week will appear in the Magazine Directory early next month.

The art of craft

The LA River is one of many contradictions in Los Angeles. In a city often accused of having no real center, it's not surprising to find a river with hardly any water; a seemingly dry bed flowing nowhere.

It is perhaps these tensions that make the LA River a point of fascination for the city's artists and designers. And this was very much in evidence at this weekend's riverside artwalk.

In an area known as Frogtown, nestled between the 5 and 2 freeways on the banks of the river, there are numerous studios and workshops, many of which opened their doors on Saturday night, giving visitors the chance to turn the handle on letter presses, see screen-printing in action and watch artists honing their craft.

Apart from the inspiring work on show, the studios themselves offered a first-hand look at the art of the creative process. And in tune with WGSN's panel discussion at NYFW last week, what we saw was a lot of "soulful" design from artists who "know their craft from beginning to end".

Two of the projects that struck a chord with trends we've been tracking at WGSN recently included LaLa Press and Operation Trash Art.

LaLaPress is the very cool letterpress and design company run by Mable Lee. What I loved about her studio was the fact that all her old presses are named after the daughters of the men Lee purchased them from, adding an emotional connection to her equipment and extending the story and provenance of it too.

Meanwhile, at Blake Lofts, photographer Paul Redmond's Trashy project is right on track with our Connectivity trend. Redmond turned the annual LA River cleanup into an exciting art project, asking all the volunteers to save and document the trash they found in the shallow, murky waters. He then photographed and mapped all the discoveries, from rusty wires to hard hats, skateboards and a myriad of other potential stories.

WGSN recently hosted a discussion panel at Parsons The New School for Design entitled Trends In The Creative Process, where our guests talked about inspiration, the state of the industry and how they use trends to build their businesses. In case you missed it, here are some discussion highlights:

Steven Faerm, Director of BFA Fashion Design, Parsons:
Students are asking themselves ‘how do I remain relevant within the industry and offer something that’s not out there,’ and I really like what Nicole said about people really responding to a mood because within our own curriculum students are designing less [in terms of] reinterpretation, inspiration and physicality but more [in terms of a] mood – [asking] how does this mood generate a certain emotion that then inspires a consumer to spend.

Jeff Madalena, co-owner/co-designer, Oak:
We’re seeing a change in how much people are willing to spend on fashion these days, they still want the crazy, asymmetrical hood top but they want it for a fraction of what they paid for last season.

Shana Tabor, owner/designer, In God We Trust:
I think moving away from our identity just because it has become popular for other people would be a very bad idea. I think a lot of growth in trend, not just from a fashion, is sort of organic. It’s like you change, and all can change with it, but I think we need to keep a grasp on where we come from and what is the actual foundation of our business.

Nicole Fischelis, Group VP and Fashion Director, Macy’s:
Learn your craft. Know what it is from the beginning to the end. What are fabrics about, understand the textiles, understand prints, how do you do a print, understand what tailoring means, and know how to do it yourself. Being a designer is not just about making pretty sketches, its learning and knowing your craft, it's following that voice of intuition, it’s going with your intuition and doing it, and being humble at the same time.

Helen Ficalora, owner/designer, Helen Ficalora:
I’m one of those people who wants to stay true to what they’re doing, and not be so concerned with what other people are doing, and I just did a charm that has the word “soul” on it, and that to me feels like what is [inspiring to people right now]. You’re going to find a lot more people longing for stuff that is soulful, I feel that is an upcoming trend, I don’t exactly know how its going to be interpreted, maybe in music or art, soulful productions or movies and things that have more meaning.

Lovely rice pudding again!

I was recently in San Francisco, where it was interesting to see what appeared to be a very recession proof restaurant culture.



Mid-week at 7pm on Fillmore and diners were jam-packed inside the numerous eateries that the neighborhood has to offer, with even more customers waiting in long lines outside. The once tight-packed boutiques were not so busy. In fact many had actually closed down, or been turned into, yes, you guessed it, yet more restaurants.

At WGSN, we've been talking a lot about comfort, home and cocooning in this time of economic uncertainty. Could this be part of the trend? Rather then spending their money on new clothes and products, consumers are using their hard earned dollars for good times with friends, eating out, socializing; the feel-good factors.

Which brings me to another food-related trend spot: rice pudding. That stalwart of school dinners has been reconfigured as only a Frisco foodie knows how into a gourmet treat at cute store Loving Cup. The place offers numerous flavors of rice pudding, from eggnog to pistachio freshly made every day, and it's beginning to garner something of a cult following since it opened late last year. Could rice pudding be the new Pinkberry?

Norma Kamali Talks Tech at Apple

If you buy a dress online from the Norma Kamali Collection and you’re not sure it fits into your current wardrobe, you can Skype Kamali’s customer service and get face-to-face style advice. If you’re not convinced it looks good, return it within 48 hours for a full refund.

That, and other internet-enabled functions, are changing Norma Kamali’s vision of business, and today she visited Apple’s Soho store to discuss technology: “I was around in the 60s, and the iPhone is next revolution!” Kamali just launched an iPhone application and her eBay diffusion line Normakamalibay, everything under $250 (and pictured here).

Some more choice quotes from the event:

“Trendy should not be expensive.”

“[In researching to create the eBay line], we found that people wanted Norma Kamali design, so it’s the antithesis of the Walmart line, it’s Norma Kamali design at affordable prices.”

“Everything in the Norma Kamali Collection is now completely made in the USA, I’m happy to say…by doing production domestically, we’re able to fill that order much faster, and give our factories a chance to survive and keep production in the USA. You can download the collection for free and shop from your iPhone and everything is available today and not three months from today, which is another thing that needs to change in our industry.”

“My thinking is, let me reach this customer and give her the wholesale price, because there’s so little open-to-buy right now.”

“This is the hardest but most exciting time to be a designer. The internet is giving you a platform. If you’re a talented person you better get to learn about technology and speaking to people this way, and you will never need to open a showroom.”

“I would never not have a store but I think it has to be a tech-based store, I have ideas about it and I really see myself moving and re-thinking my retail presence.”

“The Walmart t-shirt I’m wearing, I designed the graphic in a cab on my iPhone. There are so many fun applications that you can change your lifestyle with.”

Low-key at Halston, but not for long...

Marios Schwab will make his debut as Halston's creative director next season for autumn/winter 2010/2011, and it's sure to be a hot ticket. The brand's spring presentation was small and low-key, inspired by Halston's fragrance re-launch with asymmetrically draped dresses in soft ivory and pale silver, some meant to resemble the shape of the original, Elsa Peretti-designed bottle.

A couple of looks - one in lilac, and the other in orange - pay tribute to notes in the fragrance. There were many pretty things, with silhouettes referencing Roy Halston Frowick's original patterns from the spring of 1978 and 1981, but come February we'll see a whole new Halston. What a difference a season makes.

Spotted! Iris Apfel at Rodarte

Our trends teams have long been inspired by the eclectic personal style of Iris Apfel, so we felt lucky to spot her at Rodarte, where she sat relatively low-profile in the front row beside the flashing lights chasing Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Jason Schwartzman and Kim Gordon. Check out all that silver and turquoise jewelry.

It was Apfel's first time seeing Rodarte at the invitation of a friend, and she found it "overwhelming," she said. And a favourite designer from NY fashion week? "Well I've always been partial to Ralph Rucci," she said.

Antonio Azzuolo – Back to School

Cuties showed off the new Azzuolo collection in back-to-school mode. I really loved the tube shorts and the simple slacks paired with shirts, waist coats and thin sweaters where the detailing made all the difference. The collection was inventive and playful with preppy favorites layered with deconstructed classics. Thumbs up!

Fashion's Night Out

My top threes during Fashion's Night Out

1. Harlem Samba Ensemble special performance outside of Osklen

2. The taco truck outside of the Smile

3. Asa Ransom performing at D&G

Genetic Denim– for those who missed it untouched

With a two room installment, Genetic Denim presented their new collection in hot and cold. In the windows of the space, cardboard waves formed sand dunes and a denim tree gave the illusion of shade as the models hid under it. "Each branch is hand made and took three hours to do", Kelly Cutrone told me after she saw my jaw drop.

In the second room, Swarowski crystals hung on fishing wire attached to the ceiling. This room was frigid and cool and spectators watched in total silence, as though waiting for something to happen. And just as I was sipping on my drink in the third room, a model fainted and tangled up the "fake" rain…lucky was I to have seen it untouched.

Loving the Leggings at Jeremy Laing

There was a lot to covet at Jeremy Laing but more than a few girls squealed about how much they’d “luuuuv” to get a pair of those tulle leggings.

Laing’s inspiration was “the discovery of perspective” and like last season he focused more on drapery, this time in a much softer (and also well remarked upon) palette.

Intrigue at Altuzarra

Joseph Altuzarra is a designer clearly on his own path, which is what been-there, seen-that fashion people doing the rounds all day are waiting to see. Inspired by the North and Baltic regions for spring, he kept his audience rapt with woodsy leathers and draped, Swiss dot cottons.

Presenting….The Presentation

More than one person said to me this week that he was surprised to find still presentations more satisfying than runway shows, at least in New York where the production value of runway shows is not nearly as high as, say, Paris. At Band of Outsiders it was easy to see why the presentation is getting more popular. Besides getting real time to spend up close with the clothes, we all got a day at the beach.

Easy Being Green?

Susan Woo, who sells in eco-friendly New York boutique Kaight and H Lorenzo in Los Angeles, uses only all-natural, organic fabrics to create tailored, crystal-embellished dresses that retail under $1,000. A vegetable tanned leather jacket is one of the few items priced higher. It’s hard to predict how exactly the market for organic fabrics will evolve, but this is what Woo had to say:

“The countries most ahead right now are in Europe. Germany is really ahead with leather but Europe has a whole system of certifying companies that use eco-friendly processes and materials. I think the US is a little bit slower but it is growing. My wool is sourced from a mill in Vermont, they get their organic wool from Australia but they’re creating a market here.

And it’s important that my clothes are not merchandised differently [on the shop floor]. An item will say on tags whether it’s sustainable or whether it’s organic. We just want the customer to be knowledgeable about what they’re buying.”

Risto’s New York Debut

Fashion’s cool crowd will likely be coveting designer Risto Bimbiloski’s lightning print dresses and leggings come spring. We also loved the knitted golden necklaces -- not as easy to photograph while moving, but you’ll get a closer look soon.

Phillip Lim’s First Dedicated Menswear Presentation

How cool does the Phillip Lim menswear presentation look? He was inspired by beatniks (we love the Ginsberg ankle boot), and the audience was practically snapping their fingers with approval. Some of the more daring pieces – like leather shorts – may be a hard sell for men no matter how good they look. But Lim is savvy about his business and he seems the perfect designer at the moment to make fashion seem more approachable for guys. In his own words:

“The only thing I can do is propose it. This show is important because it is trying to shed the traditional sense of masculinity, trying to shed the power suit and the power ego. It’s more about this vulnerability, intimacy and that’s why we built this house, where poets, writers, friends converge and new ideas are brought forth.”

Fashion Week Favorites

One of our favorite parts of the Vena Cava show is actually this yellow beaded necklace from Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co.

Next up is this navy cap sleeve dress with triangle shapes (or pyramids, rather) laser-cut out, and finally the all-over loop slip dress.

Rachel-go-round

In a remote location on the very tip of the Lower East Side, Rachel Antonoff showed off her new womenswear collection- a feminine black and white collection with the exception of some Liberty-inspired floral prints. The light summer party frock and a soft blouse, high-waist shorts combo caught my eye with their true Lolita attitude.

Models sat center stage while onlookers walked around to admire the "fashion installations" including a young lady playing cards, a line dancer and two ballerinas dancing around a swing. The tone was playful and hopeful. The light yet flirty atmosphere really added to that certain flirty innocence of the collection.

It's All In The Details

Up-and-comer Prabal Gurung attracted an audience of top buyers and editors at his packed presentation, and notably Rachel Zoe. The young designer’s point of view in his own words:

“What retailers are understanding and what customers are wanting are special pieces. The pencil skirt is not a simple pencil skirt but it has a little bit of drapery. As a designer I need to give customers things with enough detail that will last for a little while – not boring, but not over-designed.”

First Signs of Spring

Fashion Week has begun. Off-schedule presentations had editors running pretty and getting a taste of spring trends to come: silver sequins, fanned-out pleats, and the skinny draped trouser.

First up was Nima by Nima Taherzadeh. His first collection launched in spring 2007 and went straight to Saks Fifth Avenue, but the young designer (graduated Parsons in ’06) has laid low on the New York scene since. This was in fact his fashion week debut, with Lydia Hearst modeling – she’s apparently fond of the line. Check out the fan-pleat pink strapless.

New designer Saloni Lodha then wowed us with detail. Her pastel green blazer in draped silk worn over leggings embroidered with silk discs was stunning. She also did a pair of draped trouser-like leggings in chiffon-jersey.

Sachin & Babi for Ankasa confirmed the draped trouser trend with their own version, and then we were on to Jenni Kayne for more sequins and pleats.

So much more to come...

West Coast graphics

I've been photographing graphics and street art in major cities on the West Coast for the last few months and it's great to see some interesting themes and trends popping up.



One of my favourites is the emergence of images that resemble cave paintings. Extremely basic, with little or no colour and often dealing with animals, these styles are a new direction for graffiti. I've also noticed a trend for images depicting strong women, as well as religious iconography, Aztec art and historical scenes. If you subscribe to WGSN, check out my entire report here.

Peace out?

A great turnout at our trend seminars yesterday - this season at the Renaissance Hotel - away from the hustle and bustle of the shows. If you couldn't make it, click here for a quick recap of Spring/Summer 2010 trends.

I gave three presentations and it was really good to chat to clients and fashion industry folk about what they're tracking now.

One of the questions I'm being asked by a lot of people right now is "What's the next big trend after the peace sign?"



What do you think? Answers on a postcard please.

A great idea from Project

We are always interested to hear about innovative initiatives at WGSN and we love Project's limited edition lines this season.

Special Cut is an exclusive run of merchandise by 18 Project exhibitors, who have all designed one special piece to be sold only during the three-day run of the show.

What a great idea. The economic downturn means buyers are looking for individuality, innovation and exclusivity and this is a really interesting way of ensuring they get just that for spring 2010.

Celeb-fave T-shirt brand Nation Ltd. created a burn-out, tie-neck option, footwear designer Matt Bernson presented a flat jelly sandal and Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. line showed a satin platform heel. Other brands involved included Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent, Grenson and Initium.