Predicting the clothing market is sometimes like trying to predict the stock market, you can’t always put your finger on exactly what styles you should “buy” and what you should “sell”. But luckily, we are here to be your personal insider trader to show some key style trends moving into 2019.
Unless you have a Crystal Ball which allows you to be able to predict the future trends, deciding on what route your brand fashion trends should take on a seasonal and yearly level is borderline impossible. I will most likely guess that you are in the same boat as all of us when it comes to making these integral decisions.
But How Should I Approach Planning and Designing for a Style in the Dark?
After studying fashion brands from streetwear powerhouses fashion to high fashion, there is one tried and true method for looking forward, and it comes in the form of examining the past.
Now that I’ve let you on in the secret, we will dive in the past fashion trends and make a connection to the outcome of the New Year; and beyond.
Here are six insider style and branding trends that will be more than evident in Spring / Summer 2019.
1. Be Neutral
At the end of the day, there is one thing that has always been apparent in the fashion industry regardless of if we are talking about headwear, footwear, high-end, low-end, etc.; and that is keeping things neutral. But you may be asking what I mean by this, well it all comes down to the use of colors. Black, white, greys, tans, and more have always been at the forefront of style, sometimes you do not need a flashy color to make a big statement. The ability for these colors to essentially match anything you put together with it (especially black and white) give these color options a huge upside when it comes to fashion styling or branding.
2. It’s Simple
When we examine the largest and most successful brands from all over the world, they seem to have one thing in common and that is their simplicity. If someone would show us a series of photos of a brand icon from these brands, the simple design will spark an immediate response to most in identifying the correct answer. Not only does this go for logos, but for text as well; throughout fashion history most major brands have used simple fonts with no alteration. Both tricks and tips lend to a brand’s ease of marketability and readability, making a bold and simple statement doesn’t always yield an in-depth design or concept.
3. Back to the Future
No, I am not talking about the movie (honestly one of my personal favorites); but I am talking about looking at how the influence of different era’s have on our future. In different realms of fashion whether it be streetwear or high-end fashion, there is always a constant connection to the past. This not only honors those before us but allows us to cash in on trends that have had a steady following throughout the decades. You should always look to the past for inspiration, especially with the mixed genre art forms we have come familiar with this generation.
4. Nostalgia
Depending on your target audience, as most of us get older we still hold our childhood dear to us, wishing that we were still young and remembering the “good ol’ days”. Therefore, we have seen a lot of nineties fashion trends lately because it is nostalgic to those in their mid to late 20’s. We could even say we explore times that we did not get to experience with the influence of books, movies, photographs, etc. and wonder to ourselves what it would be like live during those times. Unfortunately, the closest thing we can do to put ourselves in a different time period is wear the clothes and embrace the style, and that is exactly what many brands have incorporated into their current clothing and branding.
5. Stranger Things
Seems like I’m using a lot of pop culture references doesn’t it? Well I would disagree; pop culture is a direct influence of clothing and style trends. I am sure there are a lot of times where you will see something someone is wearing or an outfit in a Lookbook or Catalog and immediately ask yourself “what in the world?”, but that is exactly the reaction those brands want to get. By using something we may consider strange or weird, totally outlandish or next level out there, we become immediately hooked. This technique has been used in commercialization and marketing since its inception, something that raises eyebrows or sparks conversation will etch that image and brand into your head. I wouldn’t say it subliminal imaging through clothing, but I won’t deny that either. All of this can be achieved through both design and use of color, make something unforgettable, unknown and daring.
6. Listen, Learn and Collaborate
At the end of the day, you have a target audience and a following you want to make an impression on. Regardless of which realm of fashion or branding you may fall into or crossover between, your best influence will always be your customers. Don’t be afraid to engage your following as not only are you looking to make quality products, but you want your business to grow. Ask questions, post designs, research businesses like yours, and never be afraid to approach professionals for answers, collaborate with others. No business has had success without clients, its plain and simple; and gaining an involvement in your process of branding is so key to gaining their continued support and getting a ton of notes in your “suggestion box”.
We want our clothes to make a statement, as they can be a direct reflection of ourselves.
We wish you the best of luck moving forward into the New Year and please do not hesitate to drop and questions comments directly on this blog page for us to lend some knowledge!
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Why Believe Delusion MFG
Because we have seen the results firsthand. We have been involved in the custom apparel industry since 2008, with previous experience in the brand apparel sector and hospitality industry. That’s almost 10 years of experience! We have seen how not only society and technology has continued to change but the growth of the small business. DELUSIONMFG can proudly say that we continue to team up with business (from big to small) around the world! We gladly lend our hand in helping businesses grow and succeed on the custom apparel spectrum.
Want some inspiration to get you started? Feel free to check out our Instagram page. Our page shows just a fraction of the products we have created working with our customers.
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