Spring/Summer 2009 Trends
Trend Forecasting services generally do a good job of predicting the trends that we actually see on the runways and in retail 18 to 24 months later. Every now and then, though, something gets lost in translation. The Spring/Summer 2009 trends that have actually come to fruition seem to be a victim of the recession. The trend forecasting services predicted bright colors and really wild fashions in knitwear. Lots of layering and cutouts and 80’s inspiration. But the recession seems to have made retail a bit more wary of being too trendy. Even high fashion on the runways suffered from a bit of recession fear. Some of the layering and cutouts and 80’s inspiration are coming through, but it’s just not going as far as the predictions. The only thing that seems to be completely accurate is the color forecasts. Bright and vibrant yellows, greens, orange, fuschia, and blues. Persimmon has been in for several seasons now, and it’s still hot for Spring. All those bright colors are being paired with neutrals of the beige and tan variety. Just a little splash of color is all you need to be in for Spring/Summer 2009.
Other than color, if there’s one essential item that you must have for Spring/Summer 2009 it’s the dress. Dresses are all over the runways and retail. We’re not suggesting that you knit yourself an entire dress, although if you did you would be right on trend, like this cute entrelac dress from Oscar de la Renta, but if you don't feel like tackling such a big project, dresses really lend themselves to cute cardigans and light scarves.
As for knit tops in mainstream retail, ruching around the neckline or sleeves is the consistent trend for this Spring.
Necklines are primarily scoop necks (as seen in a few of the above examples), deep v’s, or cowls, as seen below:
Knits on the runway were primarily jersey, and treated mostly as woven in terms of construction. Knitwear that knitters could actually consider copying was the anomaly this season, even moreso than most Spring/Summer seasons past. But the knitwear that did make it onto the runways was really remarkable, with most knits showing innovation in either materials or technique. Here are just some of the notable examples.
 |
|
| Classic with a twist, from Oscar de la Renta. |
Openwork was a big theme, this example by Malandrino. |
| |
|
 |
 |
| A few designers used large ribbon-like yarn, like this example by Jil Stuart. |
It's hard to see in this photo, but when you look closely at this "sweater" by Margiela you can see it's made from hundreds of strands of yarn treated as one. |
| |
|
 |
 |
| Cute stripes, and great colors, from Vivienne Westwood. |
When you look closely at this scarf by Lutz you can see that it's made with what appears to be chiffon ribbon. What a great idea for a summer scarf! |
| |
|
 |
 |
| This innovative sweater by Pucci features shaping done with decorative stitching, and eyelets with ribbons threaded through. |
Another example of openwork, by Pringle. |
| |
|
 |
 |
| Another cute dress idea, from Del Acqua. |
Upon closer inspection, it seems this purse by Debora Sinibaldi might be knit from plastic cord. |
| |
|
To sum up the season: Get yourself a dress, or a few. Pair them with light cardigans and scarves. If you're going to knit something for the season, make it innovative and unusual. Consider new materials, or colors you might not normally choose. The recession might be informing our decisions more than usual, but we aren't going to let it kill our individuality and style. As knitters, we all have the power to be fashionable and unique on a budget.