Trend Forecast: Spring 2010, what you’ll see on the runways next week

Spring ‘10 will express an optimistic outlook. In the current economic climate we move away from fleeting trends and take a more thoughtful approach to fashion. Women will invest in high-quality pieces that last, whether because they are timeless classics or limited edition, “future-heirloom” pieces that express a woman’s particular style. Both classics and collectibles have staying power.

Color will communicate an alternative point of view, the way wearing black used to. There will be beautiful, sophisticated combinations of color, even interesting neutrals like cosmetic shades working against khakis and whites. Prints will be artist-influenced, with painterly blurs, hard-edged facet motifs, big placed landscapes and subtle texture effects. Fabrics will be futuristic and technical or humble, worn-in, and aged. Sweaters will resemble cobwebs with big openings and loose crochet techniques. Sheer overlays will have an airy, crystalline quality.

Bohemian lifestyles continue to impact fashion. The word “Bohemian” doesn’t just refer to eccentric ethnic-mix looks popularized by 60s hippies, although that era continues to inspire. We will also see a re-exploration of 90s grunge for street looks, with casual plaid shirts, thermal underwear pieces and freeform layering of print and pattern. Another Bohemian direction turning up on the streets is the Beatnik look, with girls wearing short pixie-ish hairstyles, rolled-up jeans or straight skirts, and plenty of black eyeliner — very arty and intellectual, like the ways girls dressed in Paris or Greenwich Village in the late 50s or early 60s. Designers have been picking up on this look a bit on recent runways and it may influence what we will be seeing for spring 2010.

With fast, throwaway fashion becoming less important, there is a shift in interest toward clothing itself. Silhouette and tailoring take center stage. Fall’s defined shoulders will continue, as will structured jackets and hourglass shapes. Draping, twisting and ruching are other ways to shape garments, especially knits. It’s almost like couture techniques will be applied to threadbare tees and jersey dresses. Heathered sweatpants will become elegant enough to wear with elongated sleeveless blazers or with supple leather jackets. These hard and soft elements will be worn at the same time, in new, modernist ensembles. Garments begin to resemble sculpture for the body, with volume, artisanal techniques and experimental fabrics bringing fashion into the future. – Sharon Graubard, Senior VP, Trend Analysis at Stylesight

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