Hello, 2021! After the longest year of the century, it’s time for a fresh start. Here in the studio, we’re REALLY ready to reboot and are looking towards some fresh new trends guaranteed to renew our lagging optimism and energy. Want in on that uplift? Creative director, Bec, gathers all her insights to present five of the best, most inspiring looks for 2021.
A global pandemic has created a before and after. Our world has been shaken, yet there is a positivity moving forward that is going to reflect in all aspects of our lives. We have a dream that the society of tomorrow will be a better one, a new version of the world.
This is becoming evident in music, arts, and culture. We are seeing a ‘looking back to look forward’ movement, where the beliefs of the 1970’s flower power, peace and love rain down on us again. Just like the Women’s Movement, civil rights, and Vietnam war protests that shook that decade, Covid is shaking ours.
1. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
This is a mood. An optimism-filled world full of community and love influenced heavily by the ’70s. This is the season of the new hippy; nouveau ’flower power’ for those searching for the promised land of a new society based on freedom and equality.
Genderless prints are key and reinforce a sustainable and season-less future. Graphic t-shirts are the perfect platform to spread the message. Positive slogans, hugging figures and tender moments literally become prints, promoting this sense of positivity and solidarity with the community.
Patchwork also feeds into this, with modern sustainability a key theme throughout. Reusing and repurposing also lend themselves to personalisation and pride, allowing the wearer to feel a strong connection to their wardrobe.
2. STAYCATIONS
Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside! How we all miss vacations (collective sigh around the globe) and dream of their return. Summery hand-painted stripes remind us of seaside holidays and destination prints wish us away to exotic places. Literal seashore motifs will really drive this feeling home, with seashells and coral decorating our prints. We saw these themes come through strongly at Stella McCartney and Versace; two very different approaches, but not shy in their applications. Wave and water movement prints will also work for a commercial product.
3. GO BIG OR GO HOME
The time has come to transform and statement prints are key. We’re all sick of wearing our sweatpants and want to break out and be free! Bold and colourful, this is all about post-covid positivity. Large scale motifs and bright clashing colours lend themselves to beautiful feminine florals and fun tropicals. This can also be interpreted with an abstract hand and artistic flair such as Christopher Kane splattering paint directly on his garments for the SS runway show. Hand rendered prints are key with doodles, brush strokes, expressive florals, and blotched blooms all making an impact.
4. NEW NOUGHTIES
Kaleidoscopic 70’s psychedelic prints and 2000s’ rave culture swirls meld together to evoke a carefree mood that is increasingly important for the youth market. Moving on from tie-dye, experiment with flowing lines and marbleised finishes. Solarised digital effects printed on sheers come together for that ‘when will it ever happen again’ festival outfit. Highlights of popping acid lime against lilac is still a key colour combination. Unknown galaxy prints conjure mystery for a darker take on the look.
5. CORE PRINTS
Post-pandemic we’re looking to heritage feelings and a sense of familiarity. Always a staple, we’ll see checks and ginghams working for any time of day. Checks also lend themselves to longevity which is a key factor in buying patterns. Cottage core really brought ditsy’s back this year and moving forward we’ll see them continue as a season-less print in vintage colourations. Dense layouts and micro scales are easy to wear and inclusive for all. In florals, we’ll see a revival of ultra-feminine furnishing prints that are safe and commercial. Erdem nailed the trend with fresh red and blue prints on white.
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