View Magazine #134

VIEW 134

The new VIEW combining the best of Textile View and View2 to give you a complete picture of what is going on in the changing world of fashion.

THE FORECAST ISSUE AUTUMN/WINTER 22/23

HOW TO SPEND IT?


Now that we are looking more positively on life after Covid, the big questions in the textile industry are, firstly, whether consumers will ever prioritise fashion in the way they did before coronavirus, and, secondly, what kind of clothes they are going to buy – if and when they do?
The pandemic not only wreaked havoc on the economy, but also created more inequality. For many, it has been a period of intense financial hardship, with furloughs and increased childcare responsibilities. For those people focused on purchasing essential items, new clothes have been a distant dream and fashion an afterthought, or not considered at all.
On the other hand, many in salaried positions and in professions such as law, banking, health and counselling were not only able to maintain their status quo but also actually build on savings. During the lockdown, it has been clear that the main groups still happy to buy (mostly online) were professionals such as these, Gen Y (with generous parents) and, of course, the eternally rich.
The general arguments that support a brisk upturn in clothes shopping – though probably not the massive revenge splurge that some dream of – are that the virus is in retreat, vaccination programmes are pushing ahead, many have money in their pockets, consumers are sick of sameness, the weather is turning, and people want to go out, feel good, be seen and socialise. But that still doesn’t tell us what they are going to wear!
According to the CNBC article So Long Sweatpants, published on 5 March 2021, Urban Outfitters reported that women are starting to gravitate back to shopping for dresses. The retailer’s Anthropologie brand stated that in the final week of February, seven of its top 10 items were dresses, while before that, it was unusual to see just one or two dresses make the list.
Some companies, however, still believe the momentum lies with loungewear, athleisure and sporty performance, and we agree! Comfort, always an apparel issue in recent years, became paramount during the pandemic. Once you are used to the ease of soft, stretchy, easy constructions, it’s very hard to give that up. Besides, who said everyone is going back to the office? Most think that companies will start to see the office as a hub and combine that with working from home, encouraging what Nordstrom calls Work-from-Anywhere Style. And, almost certainly, companies will relax dress codes as the workforce returns. One need look no further than the triumph of sneakers over high heels.
Meanwhile, many newspapers have been asking their readers about pandemic dress habits and post-pandemic intentions. At The New York Times, Vanessa Friedman concluded, “I was struck by the fact that instead of buying lots of small things, or fast fashion, most of you [readers] went all-in on just a few things, or just one very special thing”. In the Guardian, Jess Cartner-Morley six key trends for 2021 were: floaty blouses; the grown-up flat shoe; the smart cardigan; the 18-hour dress; the toffee-coloured handbag; and, of course, sweatpants!
What do we think at View? Well, there is no single answer to how everyone is going to dress once lockdown is over. But that’s how it should be since, as we have always argued, there can no longer be a ‘one solution fits all’ in post-pandemic marketing and designing, but only fragmented approaches depending on age, work conditions and lifestyle preferences. One thing is certain, however: the future will be hybrid and blended, and, whether seriously smart, sexy, fun, responsible or regenerated, it will also be comfortable!



CONTENTS VIEW 134

Editor’s View – How to Spend It?

01.
Essentials
It’s everybody’s favourite guessing game: what will happen next when the Covid crisis ends? Who will be spending? When will they be spending? Where will they be spending? And, above all, what will they be buying?

The future of making – after the crisis end
The future of brand directions – the power is in collectives
The future for designers – game changers

02.
Contemporary Preview Autumn/Winter 22/23
Designers are being proactive and responsive. Some are speaking out for those who have been forgotten or downtrodden; some are placing their beliefs in a quiet and gentle approach that leads by kindness and integrity; others are angrily fighting and using the fashion platform to raise the tempo; a new swathe is deeply concerned with gender politics and inclusivity; and more and more key people are embracing vital eco issues.

Fabric messages – transitional directions from summer to winter
Colour messages – wrap-round colour inspired by nature
Menswear messages – the power to move
Womenswear messages – blended living and flexi-forward thinking
Womenswear preview – back to normal is not an option
Menswear preview – moments to dress up
Knitwear preview – creativity and technical prowess




03.
Casual & Athleisure Preview Autumn/Winter 22/23
The season draws on a rekindled gratitude for nature, localism, and community. Optimism and joyfulness are a key focus, revitalised through futuristic visions that serve communities, eco-systems, and inner wellbeing. Lasting consumer anxieties are soothed through ideas that focus on comfort, protection, and the romanticism of escapism, whether in nature, or online.

Casual, athleisure and denim preview – rekindled gratitude for nature, localism and community

04.
Forward Matter
A problem solving, creative thinking tribe is emerging from the old world. New ideas, new methods, new projects and new collaborations are flourishing, as if the pandemic had accelerated the challenges we are facing and the will to find alternative, interdisciplinary solutions.

Creating change – rewriting our lives