The current trends for autumn – winter 2012/2013 were presented at trade fair seminar “Hybrid times – fashion aiming to the new modern” by the analytic expert of German Fashion Institute Izabela Ockenfels.

According to Izabela Ockenfels the forthcoming fashion will be full of contradictions. Fine elegance along with unrestrained playfulness, luxurious light materials and robust knitwear, sophisticated functional details, free-flowing furs, retro swimwear, sporty modern style, tight leggings, oversize coats – all this will be combined in the individual styles and sometimes in single models. The new modern is enhanced by unusually strong colours and bold patterns. “The duality principle is very clear. Precise workmanship and clear lines on one side, and closeness to nature on the other,” said Izabela Ockenfels about the basic trends of the next season’s fashion.
The presentation introduced detailed information about the six key styles of the next season. “Street Luxury” is a style of urban elegance, leisurely worn luxury with clean silhouette and accurately placed functional details. Masculine designs contrast with decorative features and furs are combined with high-tech materials.
The second style, titled “Alpine Avenue” seeks inspiration in the elegant sports fashion seen in alpine ski resorts in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The main characteristics include a slim silhouette, patterned woolly sweaters, bold zippers and buckles, contrasting graphic motifs.
“Broken English” style issues from the English classics, but in a new and funny playful character. Bold chequered patterns in natural earth tones combined with eccentric accessories in phosphorescent colours as well as pieces typical for the frisky urban fashion. The final mix cleverly mixes retro with modern styles and enhances individuality.
“Native Lands” builds on tradition and craft, issuing from the history of Native Americans. The style plays with contrasts of the slim silhouette and oversized volumes and uses geometric ornaments, natural materials, fringing, lacing, and other traditional features of the American Indians.
The most extravagant topic for the forthcoming season, “Style Icons” draws inspiration from fashion icons, movie divas, disco, and pop culture of the 1970’s and 1980’s. Clearly feminine, glittery and glitzy style underlines effects: genuine and fake furs, snakeskin, silk.
The last inspiration is “Dark Romance”, which plays with the magical black colour in its mystic and romantic forms.

The German expert thinks that the real revolution is coming in colours. “Colourful ideas for the next season are like a multi-vitamin cocktail. A mix of many innovative colours, very intensive and inspirational,” stressed Izabela Ockenfels. Besides the passionate tones of copper, bright red, pink and yellow there will be also dark shades such as black, violet, and grey, often in glossy or glittery form. The “colour-blocking” trend continues on – it combines various bold, sharp, and neon colours. Of course there will be also some calmer earthy and pastel colours, with metallic blue or green used as an interesting detail of the next winter’s outfit.

The new trends have bad news for ladies with wide waists. Loose tops are over and the new trends will be dictating slim waistline. Narrow belts worn across straight-cut dresses and decorating high-waist trousers, broad belts for short and long coats. Skirts and dresses in above-knee length openly declare inspiration by the 1960’s. Low-shouldered masculine jackets will be back to be combined with fitted slim trousers in shortened length or with extra long loose trousers in the Marlene Dietrich style. Another important feature adopted from men’s clothing is sharp creases on the trousers and pure lines, which will reflect also in accessories – e.g. rectangular smooth leather handbags.