by MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
As the fashion capitals of the world – New York City, London, Paris and Milan— ready to show their fall and winter 2022 collections this month, style forecasters are predicting the future of fashion is going to look like the past.
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According to Sarah Maggioni, the head of women’s wear at WGSN, a look back at the 1970s is one of the “big ideas” of fashion for the cooler seasons of 2022.
WGSN bills itself as a “global authority on change, using expert trend forecasting combined with data science to help y(retailers) get ahead of the right trends.:
“Nostalgia is high on the agenda,” said Maggioni in an online presentation hosted by Informa Markets Fashion. She said this flashback of fashion is expected given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. When times are uncertain, people tend to look back toward a time when they may have felt safer and more comfortable.
Looking back to the 1970s, Maggioni said also is expected because the second-hand market and the vintage market in clothing is “really booming.”
Maggioni told retailers that “retro styled bohemian looks are becoming more important especially for transitional dresses, tops and blouses.”
Transitional wear is clothing that is worn between seasons when the weather can be unpredictable. It is something that can worn when it is cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon, for instance.
But as the 1970s appear in the fashion rearview mirror, don’t start pulling out your disco wear just yet, said Maggioni.
“Just a little bit of a warning, this is a trend that should be explored cautiously,” she said.
“Back in 2016, it was all about the ‘70s. But it was almost like a little bit fancy dress pastiche in a way with floppy hats and flares,” said the WGSN expert. “This time, it’s not really about that.”
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For this fall, when exploring the style of the 1970s, the WGSN representative told retailers, “Look for comfortable dresses, retro prints (and) flouncy details.”
“(Look for) textiles that have a decorative feel that feel very accessible and wearable,” said Maggioni.
“Colors are very retro (for this trend),” said the WGSN representative. “They have a very transitional feel to it (as well).”
The trending colors for what Maggioni dubbed “1970s esque” will be oat milk, orange oxide, copper, dark oak and honeycomb.
Key Items for this 1970s trend, according to WGSN are : “The Holti-cool Dress, The Minidress, Quilted Mini.”
Key footwear to look for are the “Party Mule, the Soft Slouchy Boot and The Mule.”
Maggioni dubbed the key details for this ‘70s trend as “Eclectic Folklore, Exaggerated Frills, Retro-infused, Flouncy.”
Key prints are “Arts & Crafts Florals, Toile de Jouy, Artisanal Paisley, Cultural Patterns, Vintage Tapestries.”
Maggioni told retailers that the collections to watch that reflect these trends are Chloe, Marni, Elle Serbia, Escvdo, Rachel Corney, Sea and Pattern, Anushka Elliot, Missoni, Holzweiler, 4 Kinship and Preen
New York Fashion Week for most designers begins this Thursday.