Reflective Trend Blog

the Term fashion trend and A/W 19.20 trend: Code Create

With the times, various fashion trends have spread to the world, and also the fashion industries have been changing and developing more and more with these trends. It might be explained that trend keywords are not possibly most recent trends, but generally considered to be an influential trend term that has been built since ancient times. Firstly, ‘Satin’ defines that “named after Zaytoun, China, where it was first made, satin was originally a glossy, lustrous fabric of closely woven silk. In the 20th century rayon and other synthetic fibers have taken the place of silk. A luxurious fabric, satin is mostly used for eveningwear” (Callan and Glover 2008: 224).

WGSN (figure1) also says that "Satins continue to be relevant and grow in importance through items such as the bias-cut skirt and vintage-style dress. Silky handles will create the right amount of drape and carry the intensity of colour the consumer has come to expect.
Synthetics blends are an easy option for entry price-points, but consider cellulosics, in particular Lyocell or viscose rayon, as an inclusion to improve the sustainability credentials of the fabric." (2018)

It can be said that code create is one of the Autumn/Winter 19/20 trends. Basically, code create includes means that house science, technology and nature that affect the fashion industry not only current but future as well. Among these topics, it focused on social and environmental problems, especially relating to fashion sustainability. Fast fashion* is devoted to quick turnover and low price in order to bring new products for customers who want to buy the items imitating celebrity looks and dressing in catwalk (Perry 2018). Nevertheless, the circumstance of fast fashion has enormously affected the earth, for example, the process of making the clothing triggers “water pollution” and emission of toxic gas (BBC 2018). Moreover, polyester and plastic are most used fabric in clothing; when they are washed, their plastic microfibers are discharged, resulting in raising the level of ocean plastic. They can be passed through the ocean, waterways, and even enter “food chain” (Smithers 2018). In summary, it states that “cheap fast fashion is a huge obstacle to a more sustainable industry” “Theoretically a 100% sustainable fashion collection is not impossible” (Walker 2011).

*1 a term used by fashion retailers to describe inexpensive designs that move quickly from the catwalk to stores to meet new trends. As a result of this trend, the tradition of introducing new fashion lines on a seasonal basis is being challenged. Today, it is not uncommon for fast-fashion retailers to introduce new products multiple times in a single week to stay on-trend (Kenton 2017).

Table of Illustrations

Figure 1: [image] Buyer’s Briefing Newness A/W 19/20: Womenswear Fabric. Sleek Satin. Source: Available from:
<https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/81704/page/6> [17 December 2018]

Reference list

BBC. (2018) ‘MPs to investigate “fast fashion” impact’. BBC News [online] 22 June. Available from: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44565755> [16 December 2018]

Callan, G.O.H. & Glover, Cat, (2008). The Thames & Hudson dictionary of fashion and fashion designers New ed. / updated by Cat Glover.., London: Thames & Hudson. p 224.

Kenton, W. (2017) ‘Fast Fashion’. Investopedia [online] 8 December. Available from: <https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fast-fashion.asp> [16 December 2018]

Perry, P. (2018) ‘The environmental costs of fast fashion’. Independent [online] 8 January. Available from: <https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/environment-costs-fast-fashion-pollution-waste-sustainability-a8139386.html> [15 December 2018]

Smithers, R. (2018) ‘MPs to examine environmental footprint of UK fashion industry’. The Guardian [online] 22 June. Available from:<https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/jun/22/mps-to-examine-environmental-footprint-of-uk-fashion-industry> [15 December 2018]

Walker, R. (2011) ‘Fashion in new bid to be truly sustainable’. the Guardian [online] 9 April. Available from:<https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/apr/08/fashion-sustainable-clothes-wwf-finland> [16 December 2018]

Street Style Photography Exercise / Trend Spotting in Shoreditch

In week4, I went to Shoreditch High Street in order to research the recent trend with my group members. I did a trend spotting there and took some pictures of people who are fashionable and look like a unique outfit. Shoreditch is full of cafes, bars, restaurants and modern vintage shops around. I found some people who look like a trendy and mainly asked a few questions: where do you buy the clothes/ Do you often follow the trend/ Where do you usually go shopping.

Participant 1 was (figure 1) wearing a teddy coat from eBay (figure 2), trousers from Zara and Nike’s shoes. Likewise, participant 3 was (figure 3) wearing a teddy jacket (figure 4)which is one of the latest trends, and wide-leg trousers, shoes from Bronx. WGSN (figure 5,6,7) can prove that these are trends.

Participant 4 was a guy (figure 8,9) wearing a long red oversized jacket, painted red heart boots and wide-leg trousers (figure 10). All of the items he usually wears are from his own brand. It can be demonstrated that his long red coat is the latest trend by WGSN (figure 11,12). Alos, (figure 13) explains 

• (Longer line silhouettes increase (maxi +28% to hold 4.7%). Midi lengths take the majority share with 37% (+58% YoY). Boyfriend fits and dropped shoulders are also on the rise (+77%, +40%), marking a move to oversized silhouettes)

To sum up, there is a quite interesting point that most people usually do not tend to follow the trend and they just wear what they like. Nevertheless, by wearing fur/ teddy coats, trench coats, patterned trousers, animal printed, they result in following the trend unconsciously. Through this trend spotting, I have assumed that nowadays old vintage shops and used clothing shops also stock a wide range of trendy garment.

Table of Illustrations

Figure1: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure2: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure3: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure4: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure5: [image] UK Collection Previews A/W 18/19: Young Women. Source: Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/79739/page/11> [accessed 17 December 2018]
Figure6: [image]UK Collection Previews A/W 18/19: Young Women. Source: Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/79739/page/11> [accessed 17 December 2018]
Figure7: [image] Catwalk Analytics Pre-Fall 18: Coats & Jackets. Source: Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/77193/page/4> [accessed 17 December 2018]
Figure8: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure9: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure10: [image] Shoreditch High Street, London. 29 October 2018
Figure11: [image] Catwalk Analytics Pre-Fall 18: Coats & Jackets. Source: Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/77193/page/2> [accessed 17 December 2018]
Figure12: [image] Catwalk Analytics Pre-Fall 18: Coats & Jackets. Source: Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/77193/page/2> [accessed 17 December 2018]
Figure13: [image] Men's Accessories & Footwear Colour A/W 20/21.
Colour Usage A/W 20/2. Source: Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/81677/page/9> [accessed 17 December 2018]

Appendices

(appendix1) - A 2nd participant wearing a leather jacket from Reiss and Nike shoes. He might believe as though following trends are too costly and would rather wear what he likes for cheaper.

(Appendix2) - Participant 5 wearing a patterned trench coat, Nike shoes, big circle transparent glasses, blue wide leg trousers and London themed socks. 

Visual Theming Workshop: 'Protected'

For visual photoshop workshop, I selected the word ‘protected’ means within my ideas, patchwork layering, sheet layering, hats, umbrella, foodie style. To be honest, it was difficult, complicated and confusing for me to put the image and find the objectives from a word, and to imagine ‘protected’ and choose the pictures that relate to fashion was the first experience of that.

As it was working in a group, I could share the ideas and different images depending on the person. Honestly, I had few good inspirations and a guy shared the idea of the example ‘protected’, layering. I focused on the images layering (figure 1- figure 6) that could mean the word ‘protected’ and found reliable sources from WGSN. in WGSN, there are a lot of reports, such as Catwalk Trend Alert S/S 18.19 (figure 7,8) Patchwork Layering Trend Alert (figure 9).

Through this visual workshop, I considered that I need more flexible ideas and skills to expand the image, especially in terms of creativity and focusing on fashion. In addition, I have realized that it is crucial to always check fashion website that can be able to use through Locate, including Drapers, WGSN and Fashion of Business, and analysis the trend from these sources. As a result, eventually, When someone shows me one picture and one word, I need the skills and knowledge that I could forecast the trend. As a result, these would be a practical element that can be helped with forthcoming activities. It also could give me a hint of expanding the image.

Table of Illustrations

Figure1: [image] WGSN. Available from:<https://www.wgsn.com/library/results/0/layering> [22 October 2018]
Figure2: [image] an1_mln_ss19_059. WGSN. Available from:<https://www.wgsn.com/library/results/0/layering> [22 October 2018]
Figure3: [image] WGSN. Available from:<https://www.wgsn.com/library/results/0/layering> [22 October 2018]
Figure4: [image] WGSN. Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/library/results/0/layering> [22 October 2018]
Figure5: [image] WGSN. Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/library/results/0/layering> [22 October 2018]
Figure6: [image] WGSN. Available from: <https://www.wgsn.com/library/results/0/layering> [22 October 2018]
Figure7: [image] Sheer Layering. Source: Available from:
<https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/74996/page/1> [22 October 2018]
Figure8: [image] Layered Sheers: Catwalk Trend Alert. Source: Available from:
<https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/81056/page/1> [22 October 2018]
Figure9: [image] Patchwork layering. Source: Available from:<https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/71754/page/1> [22 October 2018]

Store Observation in COS

For researching competitive marketing, I went to COS (Figure 1) where is located in near Spitalfields market and which is one of the competitive brands, including All Saints, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitter. COS is founded in 2007 based in London as a member of H&M group and currently, COS has 12 stores within London and 15 stores in the UK (COS n.d). Nowadays, there are 250 stores all over the world through Europe, Asia, North America, the middle east and Australia (H&M Group n.d).

The outside of store window is like below (Figure 2). I believe that store is located in a good place near the Spitalfields market (Figure 3), which is full of restaurants, cafes and a variety of clothing shops around. It can be said that during lunchtime, the surrounding environment is might be busy. Additionally, staff said that most of the men working near around and many tourists come to the store weekend. Therefore, although there are not many direct competitors around COS, Whistles is located in the same street.

On the other hand, weaknesses can be suggested that there was no mannequin in a show window (Figure 4). In a display window, it is not putting the clothing and items on a mannequin but it is merely displaying the items (Figure 5). Consequently, I have assumed that it is difficult for customers to grasp what trend is. If there are mannequin wearing the items from COS, it enables customers to give information about the latest trend and hints of style. Also, structurally first floor is for women and grand floor for men. Women would see women’s collection straight from watching the window outside. However, it refers that it may be difficult for men to judge that there are men’s clothing as well.

Table of Illustrations

Figure1: [image] COS outside window display, Spitalfields, London. 12 November 2018
Figure2: [image] COS outside window display, Spitalfields, London. 12 November 2018
Figure3: [image] Spitalfields Market, London. 12 November 2018
Figure4: [image] COS window display, Spitalfields, London. 12 November 2018
Figure5: [image] COS window display, Spitalfields, London. 12 November 2018

Reference list

COS (n.d) ‘Store Locator’. COS [online] Available from: <https://www.cosstores.com/en_gbp/store-locator.html> [16 December 2018]

Covent Garden COS (n.d) ‘COS’ [online] Available from:
<https://www.coventgarden.london/womens/cos> [18 December 2018]

H&M (n.d) ‘COS’. Welcome to the H&M group [online] Available from: <https://about.hm.com/en/brands/cos.html> [16 December 2018]