Trends

Clothing trends to look out for

Fashion continues its affair with sporty clothing. Techno fabrics in sharply contoured shapes are charged with flashes of neon, while sportswear detailing gives feminine pieces a street-smart edge. Mix a racer-back mesh dress with a bright T-shirt or shiny nylon with silk or jerseys. The jersey dress is a comfortable everyday casual option.

The trend known as the Big Easy speaks for itself: laid back urban looks with a gentle, feminine touch whether the clothing is soft, draped, layered, or in powdery pastels in pink or mauve … all the clothing in this trend have a relaxed air about them, inspiring the wearer to take it easy.

Look out for clothing layers – all in shades of one colour. Yes, forget all you learnt about not wearing top-to-toe in one colour. Designers have added some interesting details by making use of pockets that have the added bonus of changing the silhouette of clothing. Trousers are either wide-legged and slouchy or super-skinny. The dominant materials are washed cotton and super-soft jersey materials.

The bikini has to make way for the one-piece with summer 08’s swimwear styles. The one-piece takes inspiration from glamorous 50s films, where spaghetti straps reveal skin, and high-waisted bottoms make a return.

Colours and prints

All that shines is not gold. For summer 08 all that shines is metallic. Look out for various metallic colours on the likes of skirts, mini’s, tops, any item that wants to glitter. With this trend comes holographic prints, sheeny fabrics (these fabrics replace sequins), and honeycomb and embossed prints to add texture.

Yellow provides a shock to the eye. We are not talking calm egg yolk colours, but rather electric and acidy yellow.

The trusty black-and-white combination is back again. Sexy, sophisticated, casual — combine black and white items for any of these looks. The power of the two colours when combined allow bold prints and cuts to fit right in.

Ultramarine is seen in rich silks and satins in pure colour (not combined with other colours). It is a luxurious colour and makes a deep style statement.

Florals are used as bold prints, small petals, or full blooms that are used on dresses, skirts or jackets — the impression is very feminine.

Wonder what catwalk designers have in store for winter 2008?

The fabric for winter 08 seems to be nylon! It is used as a glittering material, or in a sporty, stretchy way. Forget cashmere for next year’s winter.

Styles are out of this world: from an obsession with the newest technology that comes close to alien proportions (Hussein Chalayan) to a more subtle and do-able use of the futuristic trend, with embossed silks and shiny treated fur and leather ready for a trip to the moon with Branson.

Tights remain opaque, but they are thicker and ribbed and in every colour you can think of. At the Miu Miu fashion show tights were pulled up high above the waistband of skirts with cardigans tucked in. Sound strange? In coral it looked surprisingly appealing.

Fur, fake of course, is becoming increasingly casual, worn inside a hooded jacket or in strips on the front of a dress. Lanvin, YSL and Giles were among those who whipped it around the cuffs of cashmere coats.

Bomber jackets are becoming more luxurious, with material combinations such as fur, silk and leather.

Tweed is a popular pattern, but it has a sexy edge. It is used with form-fitting cuts.

Grey is back as the colour of the season, but it not depressing. It is seen in every shade possible from icy to darkest steel, and can look both romantic and powerful.

Big knits come back as a staple for winter 2008.