Material Directions:
The Tactile Essence Of The Future
By Sandrine Maggiani, Trend Director - Europe

Material development can be a never-ending topic of conversation in the design industry, and Stylesight’s clients are always on the lookout for a textiles discussion.  With that in mind, our Trend Director in Paris, Sandrine Maggiani, recently sat down with our Materials Editor in Milan, Sophie Lucie DeWulf, to discuss material directions for the coming seasons.

Sandrine Maggianni: The activewear influence is currently very strong in fashion, with high-performance fabrics and knits adding a casual or sporty feel to sophisticated silhouettes.  What will be their evolution for F11?

Sophie Lucie DeWulf: In the future, the intangible and invisible values of activewear fabrics, like odor-control, anti-bacterial properties, moisture management and thermoregulating insulation will be added as properties of everyday use textiles. A basic shirt will have the same high-tech characteristics as an activewear shirt, smelling fresh after a few hours of wearing.

SM: What are the keystone fabrics for tomorrow’s fashion?

SLD: Keystones in tomorrow’s fashion fabrics certainly begin with sustainable fiber and fabric development as a raw material sourcing necessity.  Recycled material developments will keep on improving as well, triggered by the call of fashion and an oversaturated world.  Recycling scraps, waste, etc.… will become a natural arm of the industry. In terms of performance fabrics, I also feel strongly about anti-bacterial textiles for everyday use; specifically, ones that help to combat ever-increasing skin allergies in babies and children, as well as adults, brought on by pollution, dust, etc.

From a fashion standpoint, some contrasting qualities stand out in my mind…for example, a material that looks sharp and crisp yet is soft to the touch, or typically heavy fabrics becoming much more lightweight.

SM: As an expert, you are covering all the international material trade fairs. In your opinion, which ones are the most innovative and influential today? 

SLD: I believe in small, boutique road shows, leaving behind fashion frills and huge exhibitions to focus on business connections in specific fashion markets such as denim, intimates, swim/beach wear and sportswear.
They have the potential – more than any other international fair – to be flexible and to adjust their offerings or even their venue or dates as market behaviors dictate. These active niche road shows that are popping up – although they are less sophisticated and still less influential than some institutions held in Europe – are attracting a selective audience. In today’s changing market, the quality and buying power of the visitor prevails over the number of people attending trade shows.

SM: “Go green” fashion has become a real draw for some brands over the last decade.  What is front and center in your mind on the “eco” topic right now?

SLD:  More importantly than listing the latest in innovative materials for eco-concepts, I think the whole green issue needs to be split up into final consumer areas: green consumerism in the US can be different from Europe, for instance. The consumer’s behavior and habits have an impact on legislation regarding labeling, etc.

The “eco” concept in fiber development and fabric production is probably the most epic innovation issue in textiles over the last century. “Go green” fashion isn’t just about choosing a material, it involves the entire textile process: selecting the raw material, the growing or sourcing of it, the production processing, the finishing, the method of manufacturing, the transport and even the biodegradability!

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