The fashion world, being a reflection of the world at large, is at a turning point, not just from a calendar point of view but from a cultural point of view as well. The new emerging technologies, called by many "disruptive" technologies, will make the world of tomorrow unrecognizable. In this sense, the new robotics, blockchain, AI developments, 5G, and the Internet of Things will be the pillars on which the new industrial revolution will be built.
However, these technologies are not the only things changing up the global society. Politics is now coming at a turning point and we are seeing the emergence of a new type of political system, one whose actual traits have not been clearly defined yet for the general public. This new system, which may seem overall bad, can be balanced out by the aforementioned technologies, which can allow humans to live more freely in a global society.
Everything these days is taking a new shape and people often feel disoriented and fearful. Thus, they try to either balance the strangeness of the new by bringing old crafts in the present or to cover it by dusting everything with a coat of fakeness. Either way, this combination will most likely be the aesthetic that will govern the next few years. Balance is the key word, but what is interesting about the balance people search for is that one of the elements that is meant to be kept in balance, namely the technology, is invisible. New tech is now everywhere, but all we see is the outer shell, which looks raw and "innocent".
Over the last years, we could see a big trend in nostalgia, as a look back to the decades of the 20 th century was always at the forefront of culture. These days, nostalgia doesn't cut it anymore and people will have to learn how to be in the new world.
In fashion, as in many other fields, things are complicated, especially in the world of high-end luxury brands, which are torn apart between satisfying the public at large, which they do by adopting trending political and cultural positions and their core customer base, who may not be on the same page of the agenda.
The general trends of society will be most likely reflected in both men's and women's fashion as well in 2020 and will compose the visual expression of the moment.
The morphing of technology and craft will be one of the major trends to govern the next seasons and even years to come. This techcraft will be defined by the use of advanced technology that will look very natural and raw. For example, a garment made from smart textiles that look like a crochet piece made by grandma is something we're expecting to walk down the runways and to be featured in the pages of magazines. Surely, not every "raw"-looking fabrics needs to be a smart fabrics, the core of the trend is the idea of juxtaposing two seemingly different worlds.
This effect can be achieved for the moment mostly in accessories, for example many brands offer naïve bags or phone sleeves in which you can carry the latest innovation from Apple. In other words, the futuristic, hypermasculine look defined by carbon-style textures, dark colors and precise, hard lines; which would organically follow the technology will act more as a niche trend and not so much as a mainstream trend.
The idea of hand-made arts and crafts is also connected to the very childish or childlike vibe of our times. In the future, the immature will detach themselves from the mature (or rather the other way around) and social and cultural contrasts will grow.
There is something about flowers that people really love these days. Maybe it's the fact that they are purely decorative in a world where everything has to have an immediate, measurable, quantifiable effect, or maybe it is their beautiful colors, but, regardless of the reason, flowers and, overall plants, will be a great trend over the next seasons.
Natural colors and tones, as well as textures and shapes that are found in nature will be a very slow, yet steady trend (this means that it will last for a long time and spread across many applications). This has already begun, but it is most likely to increase.
In this context, we are expecting to see a lot of earth tone colors in clothes, such as ochre or beige, but also soft shades of red and yellow. To contrast with them, we are expecting to see deep ocean blues or emerald greens to complete the picture.
Metalwise, silver will dominate the landscape.
In terms of textures and prints, we are expecting to see many irregular designs or seemingly irregular designs.
The idea of weightlessness and of airy living will also be present at every step of the road. Light materials in simple, minimal garments that allow for a lot of movement will be present mostly in women's fashion, but we will also see such creations in men's fashion.
This boho-derived trend (with a strong splash of ethnic feel, even though sometimes there is no direct reference) is also connected with the idea of the Southern hemisphere taking a spotlight over the next years (we've been discussing this trend for a few years now). This is highly visible in fashion, as dashikis and ponchos are more and more visible in the mainstream.
In a tumultuous world where everything is rather childlike and unostentatious, it comes only natural that the opposite trend comes around again, especially after the abundance in jumpsuits, "minimal" [meaning simple and basic] oversized garments and beyond-deconstructed items. This is a rather shy trend, which not extremely many will adhere to, but there will a big enough crowd for it to be visible. We will see a lot of upbeat menswear characterized by precious details and decorative embellishments, rich fabrics and refined color combinations. Maximalism will also make a slight come-back. Hints to the regency era will also be present. We will also see the trend of the very polished yet fun-having gentleman make a come-back.
The next years are very likely going to be a period of light seriousness, marked by a matching aesthetic defined by soft colors, soft fabrics, and, overall, soft attitudes. There won't be much dancing in the streets and people will heavily cover themselves up as they will look for normality in the settling new culture.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
Trend Forecast: Fashion Weeks of 2019 (Trends for 2020) Trend Forecast Report: 2018 Trend Forecast: Fashion Weeks of 2018P.S. We want to hear from you! What do you think will be the main trends in 2020? Why? How do you think these will translate in fashion? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
