Amsterdam – Kingpins is back. The bi-annual trade fair, held in the
Dutch capital as well as in New York, Hong Kong and China, is once again
bringing together denim professionals for two days between 23 and 24
October.
As always, one of the key topics during Kingpins is, quite
unsurprisingly, which trends consumers will be shopping in coming seasons.
So, to answer that question, Amy Leverton and Sam Trotman of Denim Dudes
presented their Denim Trend forecast on Wednesday, guiding an audience of
denim professionals and aficionados through the four key denim trends for
Spring/Summer 2021. Here are FashionUnited’s main takeaways from the
talk:
Eco Wanderer
Sustainability is a dominant theme in the fashion industry and it is set
to remain that way into Spring/Summer 2021 denim trends. The Eco Wanderer
is all about the conscious consumer’s interest in wellness and eco-fashion,
reflected through earth-friendly natural textures, patterns and colours,
with tie-dye, floral patterns and washed looks playing key roles.
The Eco Wanderer story is about marrying the old with the new, looking
back and embracing 70s pre-modern technology hippy-vibes while embracing
new technologies which allow high-performance fabrics for longer-lasting
items. Natural dyes will also be key to this trend as consumers become more
aware of the damage the dyeing sector causes on the environment. It’s about
using natural dyes to create a natural look. The colour palette is bright
and nature-inspired, with blues, greens, lavender, sunshine yellows and
earthy browns.
Techwear
Inspired by sports and advances in modern technology, this
forward-thinking trend gives denim a hyper-modern twist in the wake of the
fourth industrial revolution, exploring future fabrics and survivalist
themes – themes that Leverton and Trotman predict will shift more towards
adaptable designs and lighter weights.
This story is bold and playful and digital-focused, again drawing
inspiration from 90s and 00s style. It can look crude and experimental; a
digital miss-match aesthetic, embracing bold designs like Chinese dragon
motifs, flames and bright clashing colours, prints and textures. Shapes are
oversized while the colour palette consists of synthetic looking bright
colours mixed with darks, silvers and greys.
Faded
Though it’s nothing new to look back to the 90s to inspire modern
trends, Faded avoids the traditional go-to denim icons, instead drawing
inspiration from less familiar denim pins for a more dishevelled and
authentic attitude. Think less Saved by the Bell or F.R.I.E.N.D.S and more
obscure cultural references. Denim Dudes used the example of the cult
classic denim jacket of ‘Tweeky Dave’, a famous runaway youth from LA who
passed away in the 90s. Other inspirations come from TV documentaries,
physical magazine libraries and the archives of notable 90s
photographers.
The counter-culture trend draws inspiration from 90s grunge and skater
looks, with loose and effortless fits combined with gradient plaits and
repurposed utility silhouettes. Boxy shapes, destroyed hemlines and big
utility pockets are also expected to be popular. The colour palette
includes lots of traditional indigo shades and washed-out colours as well
as mid-tones that include reds and greens.
Gentle Blues
This trend is all about deconstructing traditional dress codes based on
gender and cultural constructions, inviting men to explore a more romantic
and elegant fashion theme as soft tailoring and comfortability take over
recent menswear collections. The trend boasts luxury-inspired minimalist
looks, with louche and languid shapes but retaining an elevated attitude as
luxury meets streetwear. The colour palette is a reflection of the soft
shapes and materials used, playful and soft indigos, near-neutral pastels
and washed-out shades with a few punchy brights.
Photos credit: FashionUnited
